Here's the honest truth: we've never liked running Fox 2.0 shocks on Silverado 2500s.

Not because they're bad shocks. They're fine for a daily driver on bitumen. But for a 3.7-tonne truck carrying loads, towing vans, or hitting corrugations? The 2.0s just don't cut it long term.

So for years, our only real option was the Fox 2.5 Performance Elite with remote reservoirs. Great shocks. Brilliant damping. Bulletproof construction.

But that price tag? It stops a lot of customers.

Enter the new Fox 2.5 HTO. Same 2.5" body. Same internal floating piston. Same Fox quality. No remote reservoirs. And a much friendlier number on the invoice.

Here's why we're making them our new minimum recommendation.

What HTO Actually Means

HTO stands for Hydraulic Top Out .

When your suspension extends fast—over a dip, a whoop, or a sudden drop—the shock can reach full travel and slam to a stop. That jarring clunk travels right through the chassis.

HTO fixes it with a secondary shim stack inside the shock. As the piston nears full extension, oil is forced through controlled paths, slowing everything down progressively .

Instead of a bang, you get a smooth stop.

Why We Never Ran 2.0s

Look, the Fox 2.0 is a perfectly good shock for the right application. A lifted Colorado? Great. A dual-cab Ranger running 33s? Fine.

But a Silverado 2500HD weighs nearly four tonnes empty. Add a steel bullbar, a canopy, drawers, tools, a van on the back, and you're asking a lot from a 2.0" body.

Here's what we saw after years of customer installations:

• Heat fade: On long corrugated sections, the 2.0s lost damping. Customers arrived shaken, not stirred.

• Premature wear: 60,000km and the 2.0s were done. That's not good enough for a $160k truck.

• Inadequate rebound control: With heavier tyres and loads, the rear end bounced. Never dangerous, but never composed.

So we stopped recommending them for serious 2500 builds. It was either step up to the 2.5s or run the risk of unhappy customers.

The Performance Elite Problem

The Fox 2.5 Performance Elite shocks with remote reservoirs are objectively brilliant.

• 2.5" impact-extruded aluminium body

• Internal Floating Piston (IFP) design

• 5/8" hard chrome shaft

• Application-specific valving

• Fully rebuildable

• Remote reservoirs for massive oil capacity

They're what we spec on our own trucks and serious tourers.

But they're expensive. The reservoirs, the hoses, the mounting hardware—it all adds up. For a lot of owners, the Performance Elite package was simply more shock than they needed, at a price they couldn't justify.

The 2.5 HTO: The Sweet Spot

The new Fox 2.5 HTO takes everything we love about the Performance Elite and strips out the bits not everyone needs.

You still get:

• The same 2.5" aluminium body for superior heat dissipation

• The same IFP design—no aeration, no fade

• The same 5/8" hard chrome shaft

• The same application-specific valving tuned for the 2500HD

• The same HTO technology built into every shock

What you don't get:

• Remote reservoirs

• Reservoir mounting brackets

• The extra plumbing

• The extra cost

It's the Performance Elite damping in a simpler package.

Who's the 2.5 HTO For?

After testing these on multiple customer vehicles, here's our honest breakdown:

The 2.5 HTO fills the gap we've had for years. It's the shock for owners who:

• Need proper damping for a heavy, modified truck

• Don't need the ultimate cooling of remote reservoirs

• Want Fox quality without the flagship price

Fitment: What Works

The 2.5 HTOs are available for 2020-2025 Silverado/Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD .

The Real-World Difference

We've got these on several customer trucks now. Here's the feedback coming back:

On corrugations: The HTO technology kills the harsh top-out. Where the 2.0s would jar, these just absorb. Drivers arrive less fatigued.

Under load: With a GVM upgrade and 1,380kg payload, the rear end stays planted. No bounce, no wallow.

On-road: Firmer than the 2.0s, but in a good way. Less body roll, more connected. It feels like a heavy truck should feel—controlled.

Value: Customers who balked at the Performance Elite price are saying yes to the HTOs. It's the right product at the right price point.

Our New Minimum

At CTO Industries, we don't sell products we wouldn't run ourselves.

For years, our minimum recommendation for a serious Silverado 2500 build was the Fox 2.5 Performance Elite. Nothing else lasted.

Now we have a second option.

The Fox 2.5 HTO is now our minimum for any 2500 running 35s, carrying loads, or heading off the blacktop. It's the shock the platform has needed—2.5" performance without the reservoir tax.

The 2.0s had their place. But for a 3.7-tonne truck earning its keep? Step up to the 2.5.

Available Now at CTO Industries

First shipments have landed.

We've got stock for:

• 2020-2025 Silverado 2500HD

• Multiple lift heights

• Front and rear applications

Whether you're building a tourer, a tow rig, or just want your truck to ride like it should have from the factory, the Fox 2.5 HTO is the answer.

Contact us HERE or call 1300 647 547 to check fitment or order your set.