Bilstein® BlackHawk® e2: Redefining Adaptive Suspension for the Ram 1500

When Ram brought the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX back into the spotlight, it wasn’t just about horsepower, attitude, or desert-running bravado. One of the most important pieces of engineering hiding in plain sight sits at all four corners of the truck: the Bilstein® BlackHawk® e2 adaptive performance shock system. This isn’t marketing fluff or a lightly revised damper package. It’s a ground-up, software-driven suspension system developed specifically to match the RHO and TRX’s extreme performance envelope—on pavement, in the dirt, and everywhere in between.

At its core, the BlackHawk e2 system represents the most advanced damping technology ever fitted to a production Ram truck. Developed by Bilstein exclusively for the RHO and TRX, it blends motorsports-level hardware with real-time computing power to solve a problem that has plagued high-performance off-road trucks for decades: how do you deliver brutal off-road capability without sacrificing on-road comfort and control?

Built for a Truck That Lives at the Extremes

High-speed off-road trucks traditionally force owners into compromise. Soft suspension setups soak up whoops and jumps but feel loose and floaty on pavement. Firm, road-focused tuning sharpens handling but punishes drivers when the terrain gets ugly. The BlackHawk e2 system was engineered to erase that compromise entirely.

Rather than relying on fixed valving or preset shock curves, Bilstein created a proprietary control algorithm designed solely around the TRX’s chassis, suspension geometry, and weight distribution. This software continuously monitors a wide range of vehicle inputs—speed, throttle position, braking force, steering angle, torque demand, ride height, and even body pitch and roll. It doesn’t just react after something happens; it anticipates what the truck is about to do and prepares the suspension accordingly.

The result is a suspension that feels composed in everyday driving, locked-down during aggressive on-road maneuvers, and brutally capable when the terrain turns hostile.

Drive Modes That Actually Mean Something

The TRX’s selectable drive modes allow the following modes to activate custom tuned performance for specific driving scenarios:

• Street Mode prioritizes ride comfort and stability for daily driving. Body roll, brake dive, and acceleration squat are controlled without making the truck feel stiff or artificial.

• Sport Mode sharpens responses for aggressive on-road driving. Steering inputs are supported with firmer damping, reducing roll during cornering and improving confidence at speed.

• Baja Mode unleashes the full off-road potential. Suspension travel is maximized, impacts are absorbed aggressively, and the system actively prepares for hard landings after jumps.

Once a mode is selected, the algorithm handles everything else. It calculates the truck’s real-time condition and sends individual commands to each shock absorber in microseconds, ensuring optimal body control and terrain isolation regardless of surface or speed.

Dual Electronic Valves: Precision at All Four Corners

One of the defining features of the BlackHawk e2 system is its Dual Electronic Proportional Valve design. Each shock contains separate electronically controlled valves for compression and rebound, giving the system independent control over how the suspension reacts when it compresses and when it extends.

This matters because compression and rebound forces serve different purposes. Compression damping controls how the suspension absorbs impacts, while rebound damping manages how quickly the suspension returns to position. By adjusting both independently—and continuously—the system can be soft when it needs to absorb terrain and firm when it needs to control body movement.

Unlike simple on/off solenoid systems, these proportional valves are infinitely adjustable. That means no abrupt transitions, no artificial stiffness, and no delay between driver input and suspension response.

Remote Reservoirs and Nitrogen Pressure Done Right

The BlackHawk e2 shocks use nitrogen-charged remote reservoirs, a hallmark of high-end off-road racing dampers. Pressurizing the system prevents oil cavitation and foaming, which can cause fading and inconsistent performance under heavy use.

What sets this system apart is how the reservoir is integrated. Instead of being tied only to compression or rebound, Bilstein connects the reservoir to both chambers through a system of internal check valves. This approach captures the benefits of both configurations while avoiding their drawbacks, ensuring consistent damping whether the suspension is absorbing a hit or recovering from one.

The reservoirs also allow for longer piston travel, maximizing suspension articulation—exactly what you want when blasting through uneven terrain or landing hard after a jump.

Built to Survive Abuse, Not Just Look Good

Durability isn’t an afterthought here. The BlackHawk e2 shocks feature case-hardened steel piston rods with thick, hardened chrome plating and a superfinished surface. This precise finish strikes a careful balance: smooth enough to reduce seal wear, but textured enough to retain oil for proper lubrication.

Sealing is handled by a pressure-activated triple rod seal system, which tightens as internal pressure increases. This reduces friction during normal driving while increasing protection against leaks during extreme off-road use. Multiple layers of defense—wiper seals, PTFE scrapers, and pressure-responsive sealing—keep contaminants out and performance consistent.

ZoneControl® Jounce Cut-Off: Landing Gear for a Truck

On the front shocks, Bilstein includes ZoneControl® Jounce Cut-Off (JCO) technology. Think of it as hydraulic insurance for when suspension travel runs out. As the shock nears full compression, a secondary piston engages a two-stage telescoping compression stop, creating a progressive hydraulic cushion.

Instead of a harsh bottom-out, the TRX experiences a controlled, damped landing—whether it’s coming down off a dune or absorbing a severe compression event at speed. It’s the kind of system you don’t notice until you need it, and then you’re very glad it’s there.

Cooling, Strength, and Corrosion Resistance

Sustained off-road abuse generates heat, and heat is the enemy of damping performance. Bilstein addresses this with directionally machined cooling fins cut around the circumference of the shock body. These fins maximize airflow exposure and dissipate heat more efficiently than traditional extruded designs.

The shock bodies themselves are precision-machined from single-piece aluminum, eliminating threaded joints and potential leak paths. Aluminum’s natural heat transfer properties, combined with military-spec anodizing, provide strength, corrosion resistance, and long-term reliability—even in harsh environments.

Software and Hardware Working as One

What truly elevates the BlackHawk e2 system is how seamlessly it integrates with Ram’s Active Terrain Dynamics suspension management. Traction control, stability control, and shock damping all work together as a unified system. The truck doesn’t just react to terrain—it understands it.

In some cases, the system can even anticipate mid-air conditions and adjust damping before the wheels touch down, helping both the RHO and TRX land flat and composed rather than crashing back to earth.

The Takeaway

The Bilstein BlackHawk e2 system isn’t just another high-end suspension component. It’s a complete rethink of how adaptive damping should work in a modern performance truck. By combining aerospace-grade hardware with intelligent, purpose-built software, Bilstein and Ram have created a suspension system that feels just as comfortable hauling kids to practice as it does hammering across desert terrain at speed.

For the 2027 Ram 1500 SRT TRX, the BlackHawk e2 isn’t a feature—it’s a foundation. And it’s one of the biggest reasons this truck remains in a class of its own.