Best shocks for 03 Blazer 4WD w/stock suspension?
 

I just bought a 2003 two door Blazer with stock suspension and stock tires--P235/75x15". I need to get four good heavy duty, long lasting shocks for mostly street driving. Please recommend the best brand and part no.s for the Blazer 4WD. I just put on four new Hankook all season tires and need to get it aligned so I want to put on the new shocks before the truck is aligned.

I did try to 'Search' and after many tries, all I got was the notice: We're sorry , your search failed to ....... I plan to use this SUV only on hwys and roads. No off roading unless you count that I live on a dirt road.

I put Monroe Reflex Monotubes all the way around on our Blazer and they are nice. So nice I put them on my truck too. A little stiffer than most Monroe shocks but still a good ride. Our Blazer is a pavement queen as well driven mostly by my girlfriend.

Looking at the Rock Auto catalog for Blazer 4WD shocks.
 

I see the front Monroe Reflex Monotube #911514 for USD 43.79. The rear Monroe Reflex monotube # 911517 is USD 44.79. Do these part no.s and prices sound about right to you. I guess that is price for each, not price for a pair. The Rock does not say if it is for one or two shocks. I am old enough to remember when you could get shocks for 15 to 20.00 EACH and they would be the Heavy Duty version. Oh, well, those were the good old days.

I can't remember the part numbers without digging out the bill which is at home but those prices will be per shock.

I remember the days when you could get shocks that cheap too and you probably can somewhere still but they will be junk.

OP asks: Anyone else have good or bad experiences with shocks for a stock 4WD 2nd gen? I need to get some ordered so I can put them on and get the front end aligned and back on the road. I have a brand new set of expensive tires that warrent a good alignment. KYB, Bilstein, Rancho, and others ? Please help the new guy with the new-to- him 2003 Blazer.

KYB are nice shocks (they are stiff) but they didn't last for me. I went through two in three years on a Toyota truck I had.

Rancho are great shocks I have had them and like them. I would buy them again.

Everyone raves about Bilstein on the Ford truck site I am on. I have never had them. I have not read or seen anything bad about them.

In the 1994-96 Impala SS RWD world, the Bilstein shocks are king. They are know to be very stiff and high performance shocks---and high cost, too! I bought Monroe Severe Service shocks which are now sold as Gas Magnum's , I believe. They were sold as for ambulances, fire trucks, and other heavy duty applications.

Someone correct me if I am wrong here....but I thought that 4WD Blazers came with Bilstein shocks from the factory.
I have these on my '02 4dr 4wd and they are the best, have them on my Corvette as well....and agree that they are expensive. Guess you have to look at the cost of them over several years and not just up-front.

Blazers do come with Bilstein shocks from the factory or at least mine did.

Shocks and tires that come on your car from the factory are not the same brand quality that you would buy aftermarket. They are mass produced for the car makers and sold to them for reduced rates. They are at best an impersonation of what you would buy at the auto parts store and why I didn't include them.