It sounds like you're in the same boat as I was in. The struts (or shocks, in our applications either name can be used) were bad, the ride was bouncy and spongy and the handling was shit.
I read here, learned that Bilsteins are a good option (more on this below), so I made some orders and when the new struts came in, I got motivated....
So I started with the backs. Ran into a snag when I discovered a previous owner replaced the backs with a quickstrut replacement. This is where it gets really good (or bad, from my point of view..)
I put the new Bilstein struts with the old quickstrut springs and was less than pleased with the height and rear ride. It's still soft and mushy. The fronts were motorcraft.
The snag that I was referring to earlier?
The quickstruts in the rear had no removable spring seat, so I had to order at a pretty heft cost a set of shocks (motorcraft) just to pirate the spring seats from them so I could install the bilsteins. At the same time, I ordered 2 fronts as well, as I didn't know if they were going to be the same way (they weren't, they still had OEM struts).
I returned the replacement motorcraft fronts when I discovered I had springs seats up front to swap onto the bilsteins. The backs...well, I have two brand-damn-new rear struts, sans spring seats. I'd sell 'em to you, but you're gonna need spring seats, still...
In your case, I'd recommend the motorcraft, as you're going to need those springs seats and your existing quickstrut stuff won't have them (they're welded onto the strut body on those cheap pieces of *****, FYI).
Now the other thing I had to do...I ordered 2 rear Moog brand springs. These are beeeeeeffffffyyyyyy compared to the quickstrut springs that I had to reuse. As soon as this bitterly cold shit temperature comes up a bit, I'll go swap 'em in to get my missing inch or so back.
For what it's worth, I used the Bilstein 4600 all around, but had to buy 2 ebay motorcraft rear struts for the spring seats, and 2 Moog coils (also rear).
Let it be known that if you order motorcraft stuff they typically do come with new spring seats. Bilsteins do NOT repeat NOT and if you have quickstruts, you will NOT be able to put the bilsteins in as there is nothing for the spring to seat onto at the bottom....no bueno, amigo.
I got lucky on the fronts of mine, as the ford stuff was still there, spring seats. So I sent the fronts back and got a refund on those. I guess it still comes back to bite me, as the ball joint nuts (upper) wouldn't come off, so I torched 'em and just got new upper control arms with greasable ball joints. Done.
What amounted to a 2 day project (if even that) turned into a real headache, and I still have to put those f*ckin' springs in. But it can warm up....I'm not THAT impatient lol.
I know this got kinda rambly, so if you want to PM, I'll break it down for ya, in terms of what you might need, or possibly run into..
Can you do this yourself? Saves a few bucks
