2000 K1500 Shocks and Timbren Questions

[Sonny01]

I have 90k miles on my 2000 K1500 and want to replace the rear shocks. We use the truck to haul a gooseneck horse trailer around maybe 15 weekends a year so I want something to help with that but I don't want to kill the ride when not towing. Also, I was reading something about Timbren rubber bumpers...does anyone have them and if so do they help? I had some cheap helper springs but I couldn't tell if they worked or not and they rattled so I took them off.

[bigbadram51]

Well you really want two seperate things. While new custom springs will help with the ride either way (pulling that horse trailer or ridin light), you cant have em both... I have a set of Betts springs set for riding light most of the time, I still get the support of the factorys springs for the times I need to haul a bunch, but if I do it goes pretty soft. Really what it comes down to if you want a smooth ride when your not hauling or a better time when you do....

[bigbadram51]

im sorry, if your looking at just replacing the shocks (sounds like your leafs might be on their last legs too), bit the bullet and pick up some bilstein 5100' series, I love mine to death. GREAT SHOCK

[Sonny01]

Thanks bigbadram51!
Actually my springs are real good...I was looking at them today and the rubber bumper that hits the springs before it bottoms out are about 4" above the springs. I was thinking about getting some Timbren bumpers but I'm sure they wouldn't touch either. Thinking about all of this stuff made me realise that what I need to worry about is the tongue weight of the gooseneck. I checked that out when I bought the trailer but I forget what the number is but I know I'm way under the max.
I'm going to be getting a set of Bilstein shocks but probably not the 5100 series. That seems a little bit to heavy duty for me. The part numbers I need are BE5-2904 and 2905.

[Dave338]

I do alot of towing of a VERY heavy bumper pull horse trailer with my 2500HD. I love the Rancho RS9000 shocks. I like them because of the ajustability. When not towing you can turn them down to position #1. In position #1 the rebound damping is more than the compression dampening, and that makes for a nicer ride "unloaded" than the stock shocks had. I haven't used the Bilstiens and can't tell you about the rebuond/compression dampening of those shocks. Maybe more people will comment on this subject for you.
Take a look at pretty good deal on the RS shocks here. ($299.99 for 4) http://www.4wheelonline.com/Categori...CategoryId=334

[MonteSSman]

Here is another though. A friend of mine has an 03 ext cab short bed 2500HD. He towes a 10,000 lb dump trailer one or two times a week. He also enjoys a smoth ride, so he left the factory shock, but had air bags put on. They are adjustable for when you have a load on it, but you can also let the air out. I think he said it was around $150 for these rear air bags only installed.

[bigbadram51]

Just a quick little note about the bilstein 5125's the non remote shocks. They are awesome shocks (not to knock the rs9000's), many other companies have modeled their shocks after the 5125's... They ride just as good if not better than the factory bilstiens.