I don't know AE shocks, I've done hpi's and your right there very easy.

How long did you let the shocks sit before you finished them up. When building a shock you first pull the piston right to the bottom of the shock(fully extended) then fill it with oil, push the piston up and down untill all the air under the piston is gone(but only to half way up/down so it dosn't hit the surface), then let it sit for a while with piston full extended until all the bubbles are gone(then redue just to make sure there is no air), then top up if needed so it's very full(overflowing almost) and put on the bladder if they use one and then the cap.

Don't give up on them, even if there a bitch to build they will make your life alot easier because there threaded. Getting the air out of the shocks is important because if you don't they get inconsistancies when driving because the shock action isn't smooth. As for reabound if everything was the same size and both shcoks had no air in them they should rebound back to about the same spot, just fully extend both push them right in so there's no extension at all then let it go, they both should rebound to about half way. I think....

I believe they make a new contrapsion now that can get the air bubbles out of shocks but it's probably way over priced and I can't remember who makes it.

Anybody know?