Gerard,
<<Chris, do you have Tim's shocks or John Spry's installed?>>
I have the Spry shocks.  I believe I was the first outback gear installation with the Spry shocks.  We found the geometry of the outback gear required a higher spring rate.  John sent over a stiffer set of springs which I then installed.  I also ended up increasing the preload a little.  
Several years ago(7-9), while visiting Lancair in Redmond, I heard of someone, possibly Lancair themselves, filming the gear during landing.  At the time they had a prototype spring/damper shock from some racing outfit in Europe.  During landings with the new shock, the shock absorbed the landing.  With the donuts installed, the tire absorbed the landing.  
I met John Spry at Oshkosh in '99 and ordered his shocks a few months later.
The only down side is that they allow you to get a little lazy at touch down.
Chris Zavatson
N91CZ
360 std.