Your problems are very familiar.  I run springs with one coil collapsed,
same tires and anti sway bars as well.  I ran the Bilsteins for almost a
year and found that in the front at least, they couldn't control the spring
rebound.  They're not harsh at all, in fact they're too squishy for me.
Then there are the ride height issues of installing a gas shock where none
existed before.  I finally special ordered the adjustable Konis (adjust on
rebound only) and found that I had to adjust them more than half way to get
adequate rebound control in front.  The tight snub of the rebound then
brought a new problem: as the rebound motion of the springs is resisted by
tight shocks, the upper shock mount donut (above)  becomes compressed and
allows the upper shock mount and bump stop (below) to loose contact with the
body momentarily.  When contact is regained, smack!  unpleasant noise. I
think that I have fixed this by fabricating new, larger donuts (above) from
much firmer rubber.  So far, so good. The rubber that I used originated as a
boat trailer roller.

I've pretty well concluded that percieved harshness in the Vanagon is much
more an issue of bushings and body noise rather than an actual smack in the
rear end.
I've used the B-Quiet sound deadener material liberally on our Vanagon,
particularly on suspension and steering pick-up points underneath.  This has
been very succesful at getting rid of "harshness".  Finally, all of this
suspension tightening was causing the steering rack bushings to be unable to
control the motions of the rack.  On sharp bumps the rack would override the
bushings and bottom against the body producing lots of noise.  I fabricated
new bushings out of rubber stoppers from the hardware store.  The ride in
our '88 is approaching that of a BMW.  Firm, quiet, very comfortable going
quickly on back roads.

Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Lilley" <Wolfvan88@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2002 11:07 PM
Subject: Shocking Dilemma...

> I am trying to make the ride better for my wife and 9.5 month old son that
> ride in the back during trips.  She does not like the jolts from road
hazards
> that I tend to hit, I am blaming the poor NC roads (at one time they were
> actually good, but those in control want to build a train that no one will
> ride and not build roads that people will drive....)  She says that it is
> like riding a school bus while being in back.
>
> The question is: Will the stock Boge shocks be able to control the
> Performance Boge springs adequately so that there is not too much
oscillating
> after a bump and provide a better cushion to the bumps in the road?
>
> I am thinking that the Blisteins will be harsher than my wife would
tolerate.
>
>
>
> The KYBs with the stock springs tend to be too jolting over bumps. The van
> bounces with the bump rather than the shock absorbing the bump.
>
> The tires are 205x65x15 Mich. Argils, 30 PSI in front and 38 in the rear.
> Front and rear sway bars added, complete rebuild of the front suspension
and
> plan to do a rebuild of the rear once I switch to the new springs.
>
>
>
> Thanks for any input,
>
> Robert
>