Well, I've installed the new Monroe Reflex front shocks on my '92 XLT, and after three days of driving I can tell - yes, there is a noticeable improvement. Better handling, less body roll, less bouncing - all the usual as when you get better shocks.
However it's not like "day and night" difference. And the front bouncing of my '92 XLT is still there. It's better now, but it's nowhere near the rock-solid front of my wife's '05 XLT, which I can hardly even push down with my 240+ pounds...
I think my next step will be to install, finally, the Hellwig sway bars. And then see if I need/want the Rancho RS9000XL front shocks.
(mumbling to myself) But still, there is noticeable improvement... Which means that my front Bilstein shocks gave up... not died completely, I have to push real hard to squeeze them by hands, but gave up considerably, after less than 5 years and with less than 20k on them. So much for super-duper Bilsteins... Too bad I have no idea where the receipt is, I can't even remember which store I bought them from... On the other hand how would I prove to the seller that they are bad, or semi-bad, if "I have to push real hard to squeeze them"... Or is there some way of measuring "resistance" of a shock absorber to check, objectively, if it's half-dead or quoter-dead or whatever?
But you can find them still on some sites. I have the reflex shocks & have been very pleased.
