2nd gen Firebird DSE 2" front drop spring help

[MAbird]

I just installed DSE 2" drop springs and shocks on my 79 firebird. It has a 400 with aluminum intake, aluminum radiator, no AC, PS, PB, headers. It already had tubular upper and lower arms. I went with the big block 650lb springs. The car is sitting 1.25" higher in the front than the rear which has the DSE 3" drop leaf spring kit. I am about to install aluminum heads as well. I called DSE and they said that due to the weight that it needs lower rate springs but also said their springs are only designed for their control arms. On the website it states


Note: All Detroit Speed Front Coil Springs were designed with Detroit Speed's Lower Control Arms, but will also work in factory Lower Control Arms.

granted these are not factory but they don't seem to have any problems fitting that I can see. Does anyone have a dimension of a DSE lower arm spring pocket depth to compare maybe that's the issue?



Is anyone running the SBC/LS DSE springs in front? Is there a different 2" spring anyone recommends? I would really like to get at least another 1.5" drop out the front so its at least slightly lower than the rear.

I still have the factory springs which were fairly new (8K miles) when I bought the car and those were at the same exact height before swapping. I thought about cutting those down but I know its going to ride like ****

[c4racer2]

well - you could get the ATX 2" drop spindles or these:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hdt-sp-110

[badazz81z28]

Part of your problem, you are using BBC 650lb springs for a 400 which is probably 50lbs lighter. Add in all the other stuff and your front end is significantly lighter than what the spring was designed. You can't blame DSE...they can't design a spring for every odd ball application. It's a 2" drop from a factory BBC spring, so what ever it would have been stock, 2" lower. Have you considered a SBC spring?

I don't know why they would say their control arm makes a difference....tons of people have been using their springs with stock lower arms. If anything, it would actually make the car lower with the deeper pocket. I would not cut down a spring, youll get the height, but you will ruin the springs rate. Seem to hear alot of complaints lately about ride height....I suggest coil overs. You will end up getting the height right, then complain the driver side sits higher than the pass side. Regular coils just won't get you what you are looking for.