Rear shock recommendations

KurtA · October 22, 2017

I'm towing a 30 ft Ultralight travel trailer with my 2wd half ton. The equalizer hitch is set up fine... just thinking I could use better rear shocks than the stock GM's. Any suggestions for something less exotic than remote-reservoir Bilstines, or rigid Ranchos?

CKNSLS · October 22, 2017

If your WD hitch is adjusted properly-you shouldn't need new shocks.

Deadeye · October 22, 2017

Some of these 1/2 ton trucks buck and porpoise when going over dips in the road. I went with Rancho 9000 on my '09 truck. I ran them at the 3-4 position for street driving and dialed up to 8-9 when towing my 25 ft travel trailer. The Bilstien 4600 is a good shock as well but never did heavy hauling when I had them on my '97. with them.

KurtA · October 23, 2017

28 minutes ago, Deadeye said:

Some of these 1/2 ton trucks buck and porpoise when going over dips in the road. I went with Rancho 9000 on my '09 truck. I ran them at the 3-4 position for street driving and dialed up to 8-9 when towing my 25 ft travel trailer. The Bilstien 4600 is a good shock as well but never did heavy hauling when I had them on my '97. with them.

Thanks for the recommendation. I've heard a few good reviews of the Bilstine 4600.

Sour_Squirrel · October 24, 2017

Install some Air Lift 5000 airbags

Cowpie · October 28, 2017

Or some SumoSprings.

Rukus · December 1, 2017

Add air bag assist. Firestone makes great ones. even when not towing you will love the ride quality. When I fill the bed up with the Harley I put a few more PSI... then if I am towing a little more. When empty I get less body role on corners etc... Cheap solution.

Wintersun · January 20, 2018

Sumo Springs are only warrantied for 24 months. Air bags are fine until one of them fails at which point your trip has ended. OEM shocks are fine if they are not overworked. When the lead springs are not able to support the weight the range of travel will increase and the shocks take a beating. Porpoising is from poor load distribution or not enough spring support at the rear.

One big advantage of the Rancho XL adjustable shocks is that you can set them at a medium dial setting for normal use of the truck and then crank up the resistance for when you have the trailer or other load present.

xps800doo · January 20, 2018

Maybe something like this will work for you... https://activesuspension.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jon A · January 26, 2018

On 10/22/2017 at 8:23 AM, KurtA said:

Any suggestions for something less exotic than remote-reservoir Bilstines, or rigid Ranchos?

For non-exotic, Bilstein 5100 or 4600 are very good, cheap and simple to install. I've run the stock Ranchos, 5100s and two sets of 5165's (a bit more "exotic" but still relatively cheap). The 5100s are a big improvement over stock but the 5165s (255/70 valving) are noticeably better. However, even the best shocks will make a much smaller overall improvement to the handling of your truck when loaded than a set of airbags will. I recommend both as well as E rated tires for anybody who tows or hauls much with a 1/2 ton.

On 1/20/2018 at 2:41 PM, Wintersun said:

Porpoising is from poor load distribution or not enough spring support at the rear.

Yes, more specifically the load vs. spring rate of the rear relative to the front. Airbags directly prevent the cause by allowing you to increase the rear spring rate when it's carrying more load. Shocks don't directly affect the cause, but will damp its effects to some extent.

On 10/22/2017 at 4:09 PM, CKNSLS said:

If your WD hitch is adjusted properly-you shouldn't need new shocks.

That's really wrong-headed advice. Making the truck better and safer is always a good thing and more people should be encouraged to do it, not discouraged from it.

CKNSLS · January 26, 2018

1 hour ago, Jon A said:

For non-exotic, Bilstein 5100 or 4600 are very good, cheap and simple to install. I've run the stock Ranchos, 5100s and two sets of 5165's (a bit more "exotic" but still relatively cheap). The 5100s are a big improvement over stock but the 5165s (255/70 valving) are noticeably better. However, even the best shocks will make a much smaller overall improvement to the handling of your truck when loaded than a set of airbags will. I recommend both as well as E rated tires for anybody who tows or hauls much with a 1/2 ton.

Yes, more specifically the load vs. spring rate of the rear relative to the front. Airbags directly prevent the cause by allowing you to increase the rear spring rate when it's carrying more load. Shocks don't directly affect the cause, but will damp its effects to some extent.

That's really wrong-headed advice. Making the truck better and safer is always a good thing and more people should be encouraged to do it, not discouraged from it.

Well.-with all due respect-I'm speaking from experience. I have towed a 30-foot 5,500 pound travel trailer from Utah through the SouthWest up in to Florida-up the East Coast to Maine and back out to Utah for a total of 7,000 miles. And I had a properly adjusted weight distributing hitch-and was otherwise stock. So-yea If the tongue weight is distributed correctly and your not over payload-you do not need air bags, helper springs, etc. Needles to say-I also tow all over the Rockies in the Intermountain west. So I kinda of have a little experience in the matter,

1 hour ago, Jon A said:

Jon A · January 26, 2018

Need? Heck, you don't even need a 1/2 ton for that--you probably could have made that trip just fine in a well set up Colorado. Just make sure the WDH is cranked. They're magic. You likely wouldn't need all the cylinders on the engine firing either--pull a plug wire or two, save on gas! Who needs all that HP!

On a subject where people (with good reason) tend to err on the side of caution (using a 3/4 ton for trailers well within the capability of a 1/2 ton, etc), telling somebody not to do something that will add to his safety and overall towing experience because he doesn't "need" it is without good logic. If he was happy with the way the truck handled he wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

Wintersun · January 26, 2018

Shorter wheel-base vehicles may have a given tow load rating but that does not make them by any means equivalent to a full size tow vehicle. There is a difference in handling even between a 2500 class pickup with a short bed and one with a long bed with a 5th wheel attached.