DSE Coil Over Issue Need Help

[Vega$69]

A friend brought over his 69 SBC car that just had a shop install the DSE coilover conversion Speed Kit 2

Engine is SBC 327 with iron heads. I'm pulling it and installing a 383 with aluminum heads.

SPEED KIT 2
• Tubular Upper Control Arms
• Tubular Lower Control Arms
• Coilover Conversion Kit
• DSE/JRi Aluminum body coilover shocks with 'Detroit Tuned' valving
• Coilover Springs
• Front Anti-Roll bar
• Torrington Bearings

The coilovers are adjusted to stock ride height.

Problem is No Travel at all and it rides rock hard. 2 guys with the hood open pushing up and down on the core support and the front end does not move.

If put a jack under the sub frame and jack the car it lifts probably 7"-8" or more (haven't measured yet) before the tires come off the ground

Is the spring too soft and compressing it to acheive ride height this problem? Assuming DSE 550# spring?

Haven't called DSE yet just wondering if anybody has experienced this problem?

Thanks

[raffman]

I had 650lb coilover springs in my 65 El Camino and they weren't as stiff as that. It could be the sway bar is binding....?

[dhutton]

A friend brought over his 69 SBC car that just had a shop install the DSE coilover conversion Speed Kit 2

Engine is SBC 327 with iron heads. I'm pulling it and installing a 383 with aluminum heads.

SPEED KIT 2
• Tubular Upper Control Arms
• Tubular Lower Control Arms
• Coilover Conversion Kit
• DSE/JRi Aluminum body coilover shocks with 'Detroit Tuned' valving
• Coilover Springs
• Front Anti-Roll bar
• Torrington Bearings

The coilovers are adjusted to stock ride height.

Problem is No Travel at all and it rides rock hard. 2 guys with the hood open pushing up and down on the core support and the front end does not move.

If put a jack under the sub frame and jack the car it lifts probably 7"-8" or more (haven't measured yet) before the tires come off the ground

Is the spring too soft and compressing it to acheive ride height this problem? Assuming DSE 550# spring?

Haven't called DSE yet just wondering if anybody has experienced this problem?

Thanks

7-8" almost sounds like the full travel of the shock. I am guessing he is riding around on the shock bumpstops or a fully compressed spring as you suggested. Maybe the shop installed a softer spring....

The shock should not be fully compressed at ride height but who knows what the shop did. The fact they delivered it in this shape says they don't know what they are doing....

Don

[Rod P]

pictures? whats his ride height? pictures of the coils, pictures of the suspension

[dhutton]

pictures? whats his ride height? pictures of the coils, pictures of the suspension

He states stock ride height:

"The coilovers are adjusted to stock ride height"

Don

[130fe]

John, can you see any numbers on the coils? Are there any threads are left on the shock body?

[Vega$69]

John, can you see any numbers on the coils? Are there any threads are left on the shock body?

They are DSE 550# Coils and the shock body is Black. Has Detroit Speed Logo on one side and reads JRi Shocks on the other side.

I did more careful measurement and jacking up the subframe in the middle it is 4" until the tire comes of the ground. So the spring is compressing 4" more then it is aready compressed when adjusted to stock ride height.

1 3/4" of threads showing below the adjustment nut on the shock body.

I pulled the sway bar end links and the car came down approx anpther 1/2 just pulling down on the bumper on the lift.

The sway bar does not rotate in the bushes by hand. Needs to be levered up and down. This may be normal with the DSE bar or maybe the bushes were never greased.

I can push it up pushing on the bumper about a 1" and it stays up until I pull it back down. Maybe the coilover shocks are binding. IDK but is seems the more I exercise them the better the travel is (with the sway bar loose). But that may just be my imagination.

I'll drive the car with the sway bar not attached and see how the ride is.

All thoughts welcome.

[dhutton]

I would remove the coilovers and manually cycle the suspension to see if the bushings etc are binding. Did they forget to grease the bushings?

Don

[GregWeld]

Sounds to me like the "install" is shall we say --- SUSPECT !!


If the sway/anti-roll bar doesn't even move freely in its bushings when disconnected --- then the shop doesn't know what it's doing.

[Vega$69]

Sounds to me like the "install" is shall we say --- SUSPECT !!


If the sway/anti-roll bar doesn't even move freely in its bushings when disconnected --- then the shop doesn't know what it's doing.

Yes the "custom shop" that did the work on this car did a lot of things that are "suspect" That's why I have the car now to sort things out for him.

[Vegas69]

I'm with Greg, I'd be checking the installation of the coil over brackets to see if they establish the correct mounting height.

[Vega$69]

I'm with Greg, I'd be checking the installation of the coil over brackets to see if they establish the correct mounting height.

The are no coilover brackets. Bottom mounts to DSE lower control arm and top is through original hole in subframe.

at this point im leaning toward the sway bar binding

[dhutton]

Looks like DSE no longer uses the weld in conversion brackets. Coilover spring uses the upper coil pocket and the shock mounts like the stock shock.

http://detroitspeed.com/1967-1969-F-Body-products/030311-front-coilover-kit.html

I didn't know they had made this change. Nice thing is the coilover is no longer upside down and you don't have to bust the ball joint pull the coilovers to adjust ride height.

Don

[Blake Foster]

we have see with the Hybrid coil over that when the shock pin is used as the mount that the shock body will hit the factory spring cup up in the subframe. there for making the suspension solid!!

the factory cup was not designed to fit a shock of that diameter.

[Build-It-Break-it]

I wish Detroit Speed would take the time to help with this. I NEVER see them on here helping customers with their product. It's always another vendor.

Customer service after the sale.....

[bret]

loosen the control arm bushings. Sounds like the bushings were tightened with a 3/4" impact wrench. Even Delrin bushings can be made to lock up when tightened way too far.

Beyond that...pictures of the spring at ride height with the full weight of the car on them] might help

[Vega$69]

I wish Detroit Speed would take the time to help with this. I NEVER see them on here helping customers with their product.

loosen the control arm bushings. Sounds like the bushings were tightened with a 3/4" impact wrench. Even Delrin bushings can be made to lock up when tightened way too far.

Beyond that...pictures of the spring at ride height with the full weight of the car on them] might help

Not ever been able to get a hold of DSE easily.

So far I detached the sway bar. The bar is so tight in the bushes you can rotate it by hand. I'll drive it with the endlinks detached to see if ride ir like it should be. If so I free up the sway bar and the control arm bushes.

Guessing the were never greased.

Hope it's all that simple to resolve,

The rear also rides hard with DSE Leafs. I pulled the KYB Gas Shocks as in my experience they will make for a harsh ride. Picked up some Gabriels to try.

[NvrDun71]

DSE's instructions say to clearance the upper shock pass thru opening in the upper subframe spring pocket. This could be part of the problem if that step was skipped, as Blake mentioned above

[bret]

Not ever been able to get a hold of DSE easily.

So far I detached the sway bar. The bar is so tight in the bushes you can rotate it by hand. I'll drive it with the endlinks detached to see if ride ir like it should be. If so I free up the sway bar and the control arm bushes.


Guessing the were never greased.

Hope it's all that simple to resolve,

The rear also rides hard with DSE Leafs. I pulled the KYB Gas Shocks as in my experience they will make for a harsh ride. Picked up some Gabriels to try.

That is why we developed the delrin swaybar bushing liners for the StreetGrip swaybars. Depending on the diameter of the bar, we may be able to convert your bushings. Makes a big difference. That resistance you are feeling is extra induced spring rate.

The KYB units are typically heavy on compression valving...which makes a harsh ride quality. We can fix that too :)

[GregWeld]

That is why we developed the delrin swaybar bushing liners for the StreetGrip swaybars. Depending on the diameter of the bar, we may be able to convert your bushings. Makes a big difference. That resistance you are feeling is extra induced spring rate.

The KYB units are typically heavy on compression valving...which makes a harsh ride quality. We can fix that too :)





GUYS!!! Pay attention here!! This vendor took his time to help out a problem on another vendors products.

I LOVE YOU BRET!

[randy]

speaking of i either need to move my upper shock mount up on my rear quadralink or buy shorter shocks. Brett hopefully ill see you at tx goodguys and get your opinion

[Vega$69]

speaking of i either need to move my upper shock mount up on my rear quadralink or buy shorter shocks. Brett hopefully ill see you at tx goodguys and get your opinion

Thanks for hijacking :hitaxeonthehead:

[Vega$69]

Pulled the sway bar end links and put Gabriels in place of the KYBs on the rear.

The sway bar bushings were so tight on the sway bar you couldn't move it without a persuader. Pulled them off and it appears there were never greased.

Lubed the bushings as well as the A-arm bushings and the ride is much better. Still firm but not harsh.

The other issue is the seats in the car are rock hard. Custom interior done by the shop. I don't know what seats were used but they are terrible.

Oh well not my problem to deal with.

[kitoski]

I just put the same kit, but with 650# springs, on my 67 Camaro. I have it in a low stance but can still push down an inch or so without an excessive amount of force. I did have to cut a fair size half moon shaped piece out of the bottom of the shock tower to allow the shock to actually move up in the tower.

[KABRKA]

I had the same issue it became a very costly problem after toasting a pair of coilover shocks we had to releave the upper section of the spring pocket as the shock was rubbing HARD against the inner section.