Trucks & Trailers - Best shocks for 2wd Excursion

I just ordered a set of Ride Rite air bags and I'm thinking about putting on new shocks when I do the air bags. What gives the best ride at a resonable price for an 01 Excursion 7.3 2wd?

Not sure that anybody really has a good answer that's based on trying different vendors on same-type trucks over prescribed and similar courses...but,

I put Bilsteins on my Ex because of brand awareness. My style of driving isn't aggressive enough to warrant being able to tell a difference between new and the old shocks, FWIW.

X2 on the Bilsteins. Best shock i've ever used.

I've heard good things about Bilsteins, but don't have any personal experience with them.
I've got a 2005 4WD Ex with air bags at all 4 corners, and have been very happy with the Rancho 9000 series shocks I've been using for ~6 years now. They're manually adjustable for changing loads, just like the bag pressures.

I am looking at buying a 2000 Excursion 2 wd with the 7.3, does any one know what the towing capacity is for this truck?

Google it, but your load's trailer has a LOT to do with the ability of the truck to tow it. Mine towed a 28' Formula on a tandem axle without a hitch and the trip was hills and 700miles.

It might not have done as well in the Rockies...and might have done twice as much in Florida's flat roads. What rear end you have will be a deciding point with either pulling power or MPG.

FWIW, my Ex's have pulled my boats out at idle or a bit more; never a question about it.

What you hear about 7.3L is pretty much all true.

I am looking at buying a 2000 Excursion 2 wd with the 7.3, does any one know what the towing capacity is for this truck?


10K


Bilsteins

Thanks guys, my present boat is at 6K, but I am looking for a larger boat.
I doubt that I am getting anything above 10K in the 26 - 28 ft range for a WA boat.
I tow across the middle of SC, lower GA and Fl, no mountains, and few hills between me and Marathon, FL.

1st choice--- Bilsteins
2nd choice-- Monroe sensa trac

+1 for Bilsteins.

bilsteins.
Try towing without airbags. My Ex has 202k miles, about a third of them towing something. I never felt I needed airbags, swaybars,ect.
If your rig is squirrely, check the front end. Virtually all the parts in mine are newer.
If a heavy tongue weight puts your headlights in the sky, a weight distributing hitch is a better idea than airbags.

Less expensive alternative to Bilstein with very similar ride (and lifetime warranty too) is Monroe GasMagnum. RockAuto has full set for $80 after $40 mail-in rebate