Whilst I was chatting to Tony at West Coast Off-Road in Southport, he mentioned these shock absorbers under his desk that had recently come over from ‘foreign parts’ and "would I like to try them out?" Do ursine creatures defecate in the Silviculture? The only problem was they were developed for a 90 or 110 and I don’t have either…but I know a man who does.

Geoff Robinson is a "freshwater biologist", a Geordie and an ex works rally driver, who drives a 110 as his work vehicle. This 110 has a harder life than most Safari motors, it does more off road mileage in a year than most 110’s do in a lifetime and by off road I don’t mean pansying around in a field, you see Geoff collects water samples from high impact sites, like road construction, where there are no definite routes unless you drive a 25 tonne Moxy or a 360 degree excavator. So after enquiring about the 110 and shock absorbers I was told, "it’s just failed its MOT on all four shockers and the springs resemble an old mattress in a brothel"…oh joy.

These shock absorbers are a new breed, not gas assisted or oil, they are foam filled and my interpretation of how they work is that the foam bubbles change size under different loadings thus varying the damping effect of the unit – however I may be wrong as Tony hasn’t sent me any technical bumf yet because he hasn’t received any from the manufacturers, however he has told me that the stocks of gas assisited ‘shocks he has in now will be the last they sell as the new foam units will be taking their place, at a cost of around £30.00 ex VAT each. He also informs me that over length shocks will be available from one inch to three inches.

Build quality is without doubt and brings into dispute the unfounded rumour that has been circulating about Ironman products – remember dear reader that if you mix and mismatch suspension items breakage will surely follow.

Fitting was fairly straightforward; however there may be a rubbing spot on the rear units on full articulation, only time will tell.

On road, with the new springs it’s a revelation, however off-road it’s the mutts nuts, whether fast or slow there is so much control its weird – remember this is a Landrover product, and an ageing one at that.