[beautimus]

you have a lot of good info on here already but let me add that my new shocks came with a threaded stud with a nut and washer for it on the outside.
maybe thats a good way to tell aftermarket shocks from factory ones.
i cant say for sure that my original shocks had the pressed on washer at the end or not, as mine looked to have been replaced at least once before i got it. and it had the threads and nut on the end also. i cant help but wonder if all the factory shocks had that captured washer originally. i could be wrong
Tony