Bought for my 02 Trailblazer LTZ. They are larger in diameter than rods. Not sure if the larger diameter makes a difference in performance or durability but they look great. The setup is perfect and my handling has improved a lot. I recommend them to anyone looking for replacement shock absorbers. EDIT: After about 6000 miles the bushings started to go bad and there was a very loud noise coming from the rear. I've narrowed it down to a metal insert that goes through the bushing on the bottom of the shock. This is a rolled metal bushing, not a hollow tube (hard to describe without pictures) and has become loose over time resulting in a loose bolt and rattling over bumps in the road. Shock absorbers hold up well, only there are no bushings.