How to Change Your VSS Nozzle
Share
How to Change Your VSS Nozzle
Your kit came with three nozzles: the one the configurator recommended, plus the size above and the size below. The recommended one should be right, and most riders never touch it. But if you want to fine-tune the strength of the effect, swapping it is about as simple as it gets.
The swap
The nozzle change itself is two steps and takes about ten seconds:
- Unscrew the old nozzle from the tip of the VSS with the small wrench included in your kit.
- Thread the new one in and tighten until it's snug. Done, it won't move from there.
The rest is just getting the VSS in and out of your fork, which is the same process as the original install, in reverse and then forward again. Take the VSS out, swap the nozzle, put it back in, and pump the fork up while equalizing the chambers every 25 PSI. The installation guide covers that part if you need it.
The threads are cut a little tight on purpose so the nozzle can't back itself out while you're riding. Snug is all it needs, no force required.
Totally normal, and nothing to worry about. Don't force it, just work it back and forth instead. One turn clockwise, one turn counter-clockwise, then forward again. Play with it like that for a few passes and it'll walk right down.
The fit is meant to be very tight. That's what keeps it locked in place once it's in.
Which direction do I go?
Smaller number = stronger. Less flow, so the VSS reacts sooner and harder. More mid-stroke support, more resistance on fast hits.
Bigger number = weaker. More flow, so the effect softens off. Useful if you like running a lot of compression in your damper, or you just want a plusher feel.
Go one size at a time and ride it before deciding. Jumping two sizes makes it hard to tell what you actually changed.
Not sure which way to go?
Tell me what the fork is doing that you don't like and I'll tell you whether the nozzle is the right thing to change, often 4-5 psi is the way to go.
Email info@shockwaveparts.com or reach out on Instagram at @shockwavebike.
Before you swap anything, it's worth reading the tuning guide most of the time what you're chasing is a couple of clicks on the damper, not a different nozzle.