The Bilstein 8112 is one of the most technologically advanced shocks you can buy for the new Ford Bronco, but does all that fancy tech actually work in the real world? The team at Shock Surplus set out to answer that question, and their testing left their shock specialist, Sean Bowman, at a rare loss for words.

On-Road Surprise of Bilstein 8112

While built for the dirt, the 8112s first revealed their character on the pavement with an incredibly smooth and controlled ride. The shocks, which feature a triple-adjustable design and position-sensitive damping, soaked up bumps and dips with ease. “I cannot feel anything. It’s like riding on an absolute cloud,” Sean said. “When you hit something really big, they feel essentially bottomless.”

Unstoppable Off-Road Speed

The real test came in the high-speed desert whoops, and the results were astonishing. Sean was able to push the Bronco to speeds over 55 mph through deep, punishing bumps while the suspension remained completely stable and comfortable.

The performance was so far beyond his expectations that it became a first for the veteran tester. “This is the first time a set of shocks got me to wuss out before they found their limits,” he admitted. He also concluded, “They are at the level where you start having to consider if your Bronco’s got enough in it to keep up.”

The Travel Trade-Off

No shock is perfect, and Sean was honest about the 8112’s primary weakness. “The only serious flaw we had with these are the lengths in that they’re not much longer as the stock Sasquatch shocks,” he explained. This means that while they excel at high speeds, they offer less wheel articulation for slow-speed, technical rock crawling compared to some other brands. It also makes clearing 37-inch tires difficult without fender modifications.

The Verdict on the Bilstein 8112s

Despite the limitation in travel, Sean’s final verdict was clear. He noted that at around $5,600, they “absolutely dog walk” more expensive competitors in terms of performance.

The Bilstein 8112s offer a level of high-speed control that feels like a full long-travel race setup in a simple bolt-on package.

For the vast majority of Bronco owners who want incredible on-road comfort and the ability to fly through the desert, Sean’s conclusion was simple and direct: “I really think these are right for 99% of people.”