I danced around and finally went with Bistiens, it’s the yellow ones with baby blue boots best move I’ve ever made I’ve tried Ranchos and other ones these will make your ride much more rideable though they are obviously still staff Mine is a 1989 with a 7.3 four-wheel-drive I paid just under 300 for all four last year, it is true you get what you pay for
When I went to do my front shocks with Bilsteins like you described, I found that the front right upper shock mount nut was gone. The stud on the shock wasn't broken or stripped, the nut had just come off at some point. Very strange. It was no wonder the front end felt bouncing on that side.
How I found it:
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Comparing the old Monroes with a new Bilstein. The one completely compressed in is the one that had lost the nut:
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I had a rear pair put on a 78 Dodge van years ago and it made a world of difference. I put a new rear pair on a 96 Dodge van for a friend last year (she paid for em) and she was very pleased with them too.