I have asked this question before but I will do it again-Who makes the best rear shocks for towing? I have a 08 duramax 4dr 4wd short box,it is my 4th duramax. The stock rear shocks are junk in less then 10,000 miles. Towing a baja272 on eagle tandem trailer,approx 750 lbs tongue weight. I noticed years ago on my first hd that when you tow on concrete exspressway with typical wore out exspanion joints that once these trucks have about 5000 miles on them they get a steady trounce on every joint that hurts your neck and back. On my 04 I took the stock rear shocks off at 15,000 miles and they were completely gone,you could compress them with zero resistance,I replaced them with bilsteins and it was 80% better. I was towing my boat a few weeks ago with my 08 and I could tell the rear shocks were acting in-effective so last week I called to get a set of bilsteins for it. I had a set of like new fronts off my 06 but the rears were starting to look ragged so I left them on my 06 when I sold it. Anyways the rear bilsteins were on a 7-10 day back order so I ordered a set of edelbrock IAS hd shocks for the rear,put them on thurs and put the bilsteins on the front. On black top the edelbrocks felt pretty smooth,when I took the old rears off that had 6500 miles on them they were just like the ones off my 04,completely in- effective. I got out on the concrete exspressway friday for a 80 mile tow,holy smoke,the edelbrocks were as bad as the stock ones,truck was bouncing in the rear so hard my passengers in the back seat had there heads bobbling. Them things are coming off,before I order the bilsteins is there something better? I don't need air bags either,I'm not towing that much weight. I know the bilsteins will be pretty good,just wondering though if there is something else worth getting,I just wasted 165$ on these junk azz edelbrocks,Smitty

I put Air bags on my 07 and it is nite and day towing the 29.

I'll look underneath my Ford and let you know.

I had KYBs in my F350 towing my 33' PowerPlay. I loved them with or without the boat. Most of my tows were short though, but still I never had one complaint. I'll get them for my new F250 when the stock ones wear out.

I got the "bounce" too. I mention it in my trailer redo thread.

my first thought is bags 'cause then they will be there, and I know I'll want them anyway towing 13K boat package.

my '06 hasn't turned 6K miles yet and the unloaded or light towing ride is acceptable, so I hate to throw the stockers away just yet...

bags...

yes the KYB's are high pressure design like the Bilstiens

I have considered those myself.

honestly... comming from a desert racing background, bilsteins are great shocks but for something else to try... maybe rancho rs9000's with rezzies, they are adjustable (you can get an option to be able to adjust them in cab too) so you can stiffen them up when you tow. you may also want to consider soething more upscale and servicable (were you can adjust valving, change fluid and adjust the nitrogen level) like kings, high end bilstiens or fox. also the ones with the remote rezzies keep the nitrogen seperate in a bladder instead of mixing it in the oil. have you considered double shocking the rear and going with softer valved shocks to decrease their individual workload??

I went to Edlebrock shocks on my (2000) Ford Dually. I've got full leaf-spring suspension front and rear, and Firestone Airbags on the rear. The shocks probably have 15,000 miles on them, and 10,000 of them are towing.

The Edlebrocks REALLY improved my ride, towing and non-towing.

If you are wearing out rear shocks, its time to add a set of rear Airbags. The difference will be night and day. The Airbags essentially become an adjustable "anti-sway bar" which can also improve your non-towing handling, including reduced body roll, and keeping the outer rear end planted in turns rather than allowing the suspension to dip.

Edelbrocks & air bags.

JK.

Sam