Truck Accessories Buyer's Guide

Street Suspension Buyer's Guide: How to Choose the Right Upgrade

Whether Shocks, springs, sway bars, and coilovers, find what actually changes how your truck feels on the road.

There's a version of suspension work that's about ground clearance and rock crawling — and then there's this. Street suspension is about the drive. It's the difference between a truck that wanders on the highway and one that tracks straight. Between cornering that makes you tighten your grip and cornering that feels settled. Between a harsh, bouncy ride on broken pavement and one that actually absorbs what the road throws at you. Most trucks leave the factory with suspension tuned for a broad middle ground — compliant enough to haul, stiff enough to be acceptable. But "acceptable" isn't the same as good. Whether you're dropping your Silverado two inches for stance or rebuilding an OBS C10 for the street, the brands and products in this guide are all calibrated for one thing: how your truck behaves at 65 mph, not at a trailhead.

Shocks vs. Springs: What Each One Actually Does

Springs support your truck's weight and set ride height. Shocks (and struts) control how fast the springs compress and rebound — they're what prevent your truck from bouncing after a dip. You can upgrade either independently. Swapping shocks alone improves damping and body control without changing ride height. Swapping springs changes stance and spring rate, but if your shocks can't keep up with a stiffer spring, the ride gets worse, not better. For the best results, shocks and springs should be matched in stiffness and damping curve. That's why complete kits exist.

Shocks & Struts

Drop-in replacements that restore feel, reduce body roll, and improve braking stability — no spring change required.

Bilstein Shocks & Struts Bilstein B6 Silverado 1500 Series Front Shock (1999–2013) Bilstein's monotube B6 is the benchmark drop-in replacement for worn factory shocks. The 46mm bore provides more damping fluid volume than twin-tube designs, which means consistent performance even under repeated compression — important on corrugated highways and uneven pavement. Fits 1999–2013 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 Series. $118.99 Shop Now	Bilstein Shocks & Struts Bilstein 5100 Tahoe/Suburban LT Rear Shock (2000–2006) The 5100 steps up from the B6/4600 with a digressive valving curve — firmer when the shock is moving fast (hard bumps, panic stops) and more compliant during slow body movement. Designed for 2000–2006 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and Yukon XL. Notably high in-stock inventory means quick ship. $149.99 Shop Now	Bilstein Shocks & Struts Bilstein 5100 Silverado 2500 HD LT Rear Shock (2011–2025) Heavy-duty trucks need shocks that handle load variation — soft when empty, controlled when hauling. This 46mm 5100 rear shock covers the full 2011–2025 Silverado 2500 HD lineup and handles the rebound forces that come with a loaded bed or trailer. The largest inventory run in this catalog; availability is consistent. $149.99 Shop Now
KYB Shocks & Struts KYB Excel-G Silverado/Sierra Rear Shock (1999–2007) KYB's Excel-G is the most popular OE-replacement gas shock in the market — it restores ride quality to factory spec at a competitive price. A solid baseline upgrade for daily drivers on 1999–2007 Silverado and Sierra 1/2-ton trucks. Not a performance shock, but excellent value for a worn suspension refresh. $63.99 Shop Now	KYB Shocks & Struts KYB MonoMax Front Shock — Avalanche/Escalade/Silverado (2002–2006) The MonoMax is KYB's heavy-duty monotube option — 25% more resistance than OE for improved load handling and reduced nose-dive under braking. Designed for 2002–2006 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Avalanche 1500, Silverado, and Tahoe. Good when the factory shock can't keep up with a heavier-than-stock front end. $122.99 Shop Now	Belltech Shocks & Struts Belltech Street Performance Rear Shock — Ram 1500 (2009–2010) Belltech's Street Performance shocks are tuned specifically for lowered trucks — calibrated for a shorter travel range and tighter valving to match reduced spring rates after a drop. If you've already lowered your Ram or plan to, these prevent the vague, floaty feel that comes from running factory shocks on a dropped suspension. Fits 2009–2010 Dodge Ram 1500. $105.99 Shop Now
Eibach Shocks & Struts Eibach Pro-Truck Sport Rear Shock — Silverado/Suburban (2000–2014) Eibach designed the Pro-Truck Sport shock around street driving, not hauling capacity. The valving is optimized for consistent body control at highway speeds and responsiveness when changing lanes. Fits 2000–2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Suburban/Tahoe. Pairs naturally with Eibach's own spring kits for a matched system. $175.99 Shop Now	Eibach Shocks & Struts Eibach Pro-Truck Sport Front Shock — Silverado/Sierra (1999–2007) Front-specific valving for 1999–2007 Silverado and Sierra 1500, designed to reduce front-end dive during aggressive braking and improve steering feel. The Pro-Truck line sits above replacement-grade shocks in damping quality but below full coilover pricing — a meaningful performance jump without a full suspension overhaul. $175.99 Shop Now	Eibach Shocks & Struts Eibach Pro-Truck Sport Rear Shock — Colorado/Canyon (2015–2022) Mid-size trucks have their own suspension geometry and spring rates, and generic shocks don't always account for that. This Eibach unit is specifically engineered for 2015–2022 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon (excluding ZR2/AT4) — tuned to the platform's travel characteristics for improved on-road composure. $342.99 Shop Now

What Does "Monotube" Mean and Why Should You Care?

A twin-tube shock has two cylinders — one inside the other — with oil in the inner tube and gas in the outer. A monotube has a single chamber where oil and high-pressure gas are separated by a floating piston. The monotube design runs cooler, responds more quickly to input, and doesn't fade under repeated compression cycles. Brands like Bilstein and FOX build their performance street shocks as monotubes. KYB's Excel-G is twin-tube — excellent for OE-spec replacement; the MonoMax and Gas-a-Just are their monotube performance tiers.

Lowering Springs

Lower your truck's center of gravity, close the wheel gap, and sharpen cornering without changing your shocks — assuming your shocks can handle the new spring rate.

Spring Type	How It Lowers	Ride Tradeoff	Best For
Sport Springs (H&R, Eibach Pro-Kit)	1–2 in. drop; progressive rate	Firmer but controlled; progressive rate softens small bumps	Daily drivers wanting improved handling and stance
Pro Coil Springs (Belltech)	2–3 in. drop; linear rate	Stiffer; requires matched shocks for best results	Lowered truck builds; use with Belltech or Eibach shocks
H.A.S. Height-Adjustable (KW)	Adjustable; retains electronic dampers	Variable — depends on chosen height setting	Air-suspension or electronic-damper vehicles like Grand Cherokee SRT

Eibach Lowering Springs Eibach Truck Pro-Kit — Silverado 1500 / Sierra 1500 (2007–2013) The Pro-Kit is Eibach's most popular application for daily drivers — a progressive-rate spring that lowers the truck roughly 1–1.5 inches while improving handling response. On 2007–2013 Silverado and Sierra 1500, this closes the fender gap noticeably and reduces body roll in corners. It retains enough compliance for daily use without being harsh over expansion joints. $324.99 Shop Now	H&R Lowering Springs H&R Sport Spring — Grand Cherokee WK2 (2011–2021) H&R Sport Springs are German-engineered with a progressive rate that lowers the Grand Cherokee WK2 1–1.5 inches while retaining factory ride quality character. This is H&R's top-selling product line globally — targeting the excess body roll and high center of gravity that makes the WK2 feel top-heavy in corners. Fits 2011–2021 Laredo, Limited, Overland, and SRT trims. $585.99 Shop Now	H&R Lowering Springs H&R Sport Spring — Grand Cherokee SRT WK2 (2012–2021) The SRT variant carries a different suspension tune than the base WK2 — higher spring rates, larger sway bars, wider track. H&R's SRT-specific Sport Spring accounts for that, lowering 1–1.5 inches while staying calibrated to the SRT's existing damper curve. Fits 2012–2013 SRT8 and 2014–2021 SRT. In stock. $643.99 Shop Now
H&R Lowering Springs H&R Sport Spring — Ram 1500 4x4 (2009–2018) Lowering a 4WD pickup requires staying within safe suspension travel range for axle angles and CV joints. H&R's Ram 1500 4x4 Sport Spring is engineered for that — reducing ride height and improving cornering behavior without compromising suspension geometry. Fits 2009–2018 Ram 1500 4x4 without leaf spring rear suspension. $501.99 Shop Now	Belltech Lowering Springs Belltech Pro Coil Spring Set — GM 1500 SUV Std. Cab (2007–2020) Belltech's Pro Coil springs are built for lowered truck builds — linear spring rate, approximately 2 inches of front drop on 2007–2020 GM 1500 SUV standard cab. Intended to be matched with appropriate shocks rather than run on factory dampers. Firm and predictable drop for a purpose-built lowered build. $385.99 Shop Now	Belltech Lowering Springs Belltech Pro Coil Spring — GM 1500 Ext/Crew Cab (2007–2020) Extended and crew cab configurations carry more weight over the rear axle, which changes how a spring kit loads and settles. Belltech accounts for this with a separate spring rate calibrated for the heavier cab — same 2-inch drop target, different load rating. Fits 2007–2020 GM 1500 extended and crew cab trucks. $359.99 Shop Now

Sway Bars & Handling Upgrades

Reduce body roll, improve cornering balance, and sharpen lane-change response — without changing ride height at all.

Eibach Sway Bars Eibach 38mm Front Anti-Roll Bar — Escalade / Yukon Denali (2007–2013) A larger-diameter sway bar transfers more cornering load from the inside wheel to the outside, reducing lean angle. The 38mm front bar for 2007–2013 Escalade, Yukon Denali, and Tahoe is significantly stiffer than the factory unit — it's the single-component change that most dramatically reshapes how these large SUVs take corners. 32 units in stock. $466.99 Shop Now	Eibach Sway Bars Eibach Front & Rear Anti-Roll Kit — Escalade / Tahoe / Avalanche (2002–2006) Upgrading only the front sway bar can increase understeer — the car plows toward the outside of the turn because the front resists roll while the rear leans freely. The matched front (35mm) and rear (32mm) kit for 2002–2006 Escalade, Tahoe, Yukon, and Avalanche addresses both ends in balance, resulting in a more neutral cornering feel. 17 units in stock. $670.99 Shop Now	Whiteline Sway Bar Bushings Whiteline Sway Bar Mount & Endlink Bushing Kit — Silverado 1500 (1999–2004) Factory sway bar bushings wear and deflect over time, introducing slop into the anti-roll system — the bar moves before it resists. Whiteline's knurled-ID polyurethane bushings grip the bar tightly and eliminate that deflection, making the existing sway bar feel stiffer without replacing it. Fits 1999–2004 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500, 36mm bar. 22 units available. $43.99 Shop Now
Hotchkis Sway Bars Hotchkis Sport Sway Bar Set — Ford F-150 (1997–2003) Lowered Hotchkis engineered this front/rear sway bar set specifically for lowered F-150s — the geometry changes of a drop affect how the stock sway bar connects to the chassis, and these are dimensioned to work properly at reduced ride height. For 1997–2003 F-150 trucks that have already been lowered or are being lowered. Includes front and rear bars as a matched set. $795.99 Shop Now	H&R Alignment / Camber H&R TC114 Triple Camber Adjustment Bolts — 14mm When you lower a truck or SUV, the suspension geometry shifts and stock alignment specs no longer apply — camber runs negative, accelerating inside tire wear. H&R's patented Triple C bolts replace the upper McPherson strut mounting bolts and allow up to 1.5° of camber adjustment without camber plates. Broad domestic vehicle fitment. 10 units in stock. $90.99 Shop Now	Whiteline Bushing Kits Whiteline Control Arm Bushings — Silverado 2500 HD (1999–2010) Control arm bushings are what allow the suspension to pivot — worn rubber bushings deflect under load, contributing to vague steering and inconsistent handling. Whiteline's polyurethane replacements for 1999–2010 Silverado 2500 HD (and Sierra 2500/3500 HD) resist deflection and restore precise geometry without replacing the entire arm. Improves front-end feel for a fraction of the cost of new control arms. $95.99 Shop Now

Coilovers & Control Arms

For trucks where the stock suspension location is the limiting factor — classic C10 and square-body builds, and street performance systems that replace the full front corner.

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Geometry Correction

New control arms can correct caster, camber, and roll-center — especially valuable on lowered trucks where stock geometry causes tire wear and pulling.

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Adjustable Ride Height

Coilover systems let you dial in the exact drop you want — often from stock height down to 3–4 inches — and change it without buying new springs.

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Rebuildable Construction

QA1's ball joints and UMI's tubular control arms are built from steel with rebuildable joints — they outlast OE components and can be serviced rather than replaced outright.

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Street-Specific Tuning

QA1's coilover kits carry "Street" designations for a reason — the spring rates and shock valving are chosen for pavement, not a track or trail.

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Classic Truck Focus

QA1 and UMI both focus on 1963–1987 C10 and 1988–1998 C1500 platforms — the most popular classic truck chassis for street builds in the country.

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Clean Install

Tubular control arms and bolt-in coilover mounts don't require cutting or welding on most applications — they're purpose-built for the factory chassis dimensions.

QA1

Control Arms

QA1 Street Upper Control Arm Kit — C10 (1963–1987)

12-gauge HSLA steel construction with QA1's own low-friction ball joint and urethane pivot bushings. These arms work with stock springs or a coilover conversion, and they correct the caster angle on lowered C10 builds that otherwise cause wandering on the highway. A foundational upgrade for any C10 street build. 3 in stock.

$1,139.99

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QA1

Control Arms

QA1 Street Lower Control Arm Kit — C10 w/ OE Spring Pocket (1963–1987)

Lower control arms carry the spring pocket, determine ride height, and anchor the lower ball joint geometry. QA1's version retains the OE-style spring pocket for trucks running factory coil springs, adding strength and correct geometry without forcing a coilover conversion. For C10s being built for the street rather than the show floor. 4 in stock.

$1,514.99

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UMI Performance

Control Arms

UMI Performance Street Upper Control Arms — C10 (1973–1987)

UMI's tubular upper A-arms for 73–87 C10 add caster angle specifically to improve high-speed stability and steering return-to-center — two things the factory geometry gets wrong on lowered builds. Race-proven construction with low-deflection bushings at the pivot points. Available in black powder coat. 2 in stock.

$749.99

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Complete Lowering Kits

When you want a specific drop number and a matched system — springs, shocks, and hardware engineered to work together from a single order.

Belltech Lowering Kits Belltech Lowering Kit — Silverado / Sierra 1500 4x4 (2019–2026), 4" Front / 6" Rear A 4/6 drop on a new-gen GM 1500 4x4 requires engineered components — machined spindles or control arm drops, rear flip kit, and matched Street Performance shocks throughout. Belltech's system handles all of it in one kit for 2019–2026 Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 4x4 all cab styles. 9 in stock — a complete system in one order. $2,227.99 Shop Now	Belltech Lowering Kits Belltech Lowering Kit — Silverado / Sierra 1500 2WD (2019–2026), 2–4" Front / 6" Rear The 2WD T1 platform uses different front geometry than the 4x4 — a separate Belltech kit targets 2–4 inches front and 6 inches rear on 2019–2026 Silverado/Sierra 1500 2WD all cab styles. Street Performance shocks included throughout. 4 in stock. $2,359.99 Shop Now	Belltech Lowering Kits Belltech Lowering Kit — Colorado / Canyon (2018–2022), 0–3" Front / 4" Rear Mid-size trucks have less suspension travel than full-size platforms, making conservative drop amounts more important. Belltech's Colorado/Canyon kit targets up to 3 inches front and 4 inches rear — a proportional drop for the smaller chassis — with Street Performance shocks included. Fits 2018–2022 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon all cab styles, standard bed. 4 in stock. $1,151.99 Shop Now
Belltech Coilovers Belltech Coilover Kit — Silverado / Sierra 1500 (2019–2026), 0–3" Drop A coilover setup replaces the entire front spring/shock assembly with a single adjustable unit. On the T1 platform, this gives 0–3 inches of adjustable drop — tune ride height without buying new springs. Belltech's kit is tuned for street use with matched rear lowering hardware. 32 in stock — the most readily available coilover unit in this catalog. $1,122.99 Shop Now	Belltech Lowering Springs Belltech Pro Coil Spring — GM C2500/C3500 All 1/2" Drop (1988–1996) OBS GM trucks — the 1988–1996 square-body generation — are among the most actively built street trucks in the country. Belltech's Pro Coil for C2500/C3500 provides a controlled 1/2-inch drop with a stiffer linear spring rate, targeting improved body control on these heavier-chassis variants without compromising suspension geometry. 53 in stock. $431.99 Shop Now	Belltech Leveling Kits Belltech 3" Leveling Kit — Tahoe / Silverado / Sierra (2007–2020) Factory trucks often rake front-to-rear — the nose sits lower than the tail. A leveling kit raises the front to match the rear, closing the fender gap and giving the truck a more planted appearance. Belltech's coilover-based kit fits 2007–2020 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, and Tahoe. 4 in stock. $852.99 Shop Now