The nicest ones I've found that work well, and are readily available are
the Heavy Duty Bilstiens.
90ish to 100 each, but they last well and work well.

While I am real proud that the vanagon suspension is very similar to
mercedes ..
with the same basic type for many years , a mercedes is just a lot
smoother driving car over bumps ...

A factor  you're not sitting over the front wheels in a mercedes car,
you're sitting  in middle, about midway from both ends.  . ...sitting
over the front wheels in a Vanagon  means you feel all the bumbp the
front end goes over, and none of the bumps the rear goes over, at least
not as directly as you do with the front tires on bumps, in a vanagon.

  My older mercedes will easily carve through a pothole filled curve at
60 mph ...as nice as you like, smoother ride, perfect directional
stability etc.  Vanagons are good, but no where near what Mercedes car
is in ride and directional control.

HD Bilsteins is my vote for a darn good Vanagon gas pressure shock.
KYB's ...in my experience they don't dampen much at all, or they are
just harsh and stiff.  I have take-off ones to give away practically.
Scott
www.turbovans.com

On 7/4/2012 12:46 PM, David M wrote:
> The suspension on my Vanagon is brutal.
> It has KYB shocks, the adjustable kind.
> They are about 15 years old but not that great a mileage.
> Is there anything better that wont cost an arm and a leg?
>
> There is a road near me that has 4 or 5 'dips' to drain water from a field to drains on the opposite side of the pavement.
> My Mercedes sails over them with teutonic panache.
> The Vanagon lurches over them with a jaw jarring bump and my head almost hits the roof for each one.
>
> -David (1987 Wolfsburg GL, 1984 Mercedes 230e)
>