problems with my DSE 2" drop coil springs

[darkostoj]

well I finally got around to installing all of my new front suspension parts.



I did:

SPC upper control arms from SC&C with the tall upper ball joint
stock lower control arms with DSE delrin bushings
2" drop sbc DSE front coil springs.

I can't get the springs to seat properly. The coil ends on the bottom and top of the coil dont match up with the originals and are different. I got everything together, set the car down (its a bare subframe so no front clip/engine/trans) and the suspension was completely maxed out. I had my old man come by and stand on the subframe with me...its almost a combined weight of 500lbs and we were jumping up and down on it and couldnt get the suspension to budge at all. I really upset that i'm having these problems. I went with the DSE because I thought they were supposed to be real good products...and they were more expensive than other companies.

here is a picture of what i'm talking about


in this picture you can see how they are almost the same height as my stockers, and one end of the coil spring isnt made so the spring can lay flat on the ground without falling over like the stockers....its kind of hard to explain, but if you look at the top of this picture you can see how there is a much larger gap between the end of the coil spring and the next coil. The DSE springs are also angled where the tops of the stockers are flat.

[79T/Aman]

You can't get upset yet, you are missing a 1000 lbs off the front of the car, and you cant compare one spring design VS. another it will not tell anything about the spring or the quality, the other thing I see is that the DSE spring has more of the bottom coil active, the stock spring has the full lower coil inactive

[Vegas69]

I can't push down on my front end with my big block in it. But it rides nice. I have a DSE subframe. I'd wait until you have your engine in to worry about it. By the way....call DSE they are the best in the business at customer service.

[gateman]

Why did you not use all DSE hardware, instead of using various mfg's?? All of my DSE front and rear went in perfect, zero issues.. I know alot of people like to use several different vendors but they also realize that some fabrication is required for their build...

[79T/Aman]

upper control arms have no effect on the spring, and using the stock lowers also will not affect the spring if it is made to fit that chassis

[Rhino]

You're comparing brand new springs with 40 year old stockers that have sagged over time. I would guarantee you'll notice a significant height difference if standing the DSE next to a new stock replacement.

I do agree that it seems kind of odd that they'd leave the end angled, rather than flat. It's an inconvenience, but nothing a few minutes with a torch won't fix. Heat a 1/4 coil to a dull red, flip it upside down and put your weight down on it.

[TT302Z28]

When I installed my Hotchkis springs in my 68 Camaro without an engine, I could jump on it and it wouldn't move either. 79T/Aman is right, worry about it once there is an engine and trans on it to travel the spring to it's ride heigth.