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Guide to Purchasing Skateboard Trucks
Opting for the right skateboard trucks can be a daunting task, but generally speaking, if you select from a reputable truck manufacturer and ensure the correct size for your deck, you're likely to be satisfied with your choice. When purchasing a complete skateboard, the trucks are pre-mounted and sized specifically for the overall configuration.
Overview
An Overview of Skateboard Truck Components
To delve into details, let's first understand skateboard trucks. These metal T-shaped structures attach beneath your skateboard deck and are responsible for securing the wheels. They consist of two main elements that pivot against one another: the baseplate and the hanger, connected by a bolt – known as the kingpin – that also holds the bushings. Let’s break down the key elements of a skateboard truck:
Baseplate
The baseplate, a flat metal component, is secured to the deck with four bolts. It serves to evenly distribute the skater's weight across the truck for stability and spread the impact of landings to the deck. The pivot cups, located in the baseplates, allow the hanger to pivot, thereby affecting the smoothness of turns. Acting as a direct connection between the deck and the hanger, the baseplate is a critical component of both the truck and your complete setup.
Hanger
The hanger is the largest part of a skateboard truck, featuring an oblong metal bar that forms a triangle towards the pivot, which sits in the pivot cup of the baseplate. It is essential for grinding on railings, copings, and ledges, crucial for executing grind tricks.
Axle
The wheel axle runs through the hanger and includes threading at both ends for fastening nuts to hold the wheels. Over extensive use, particularly if engaged in frequent rail stands, the outer threads may wear, but can be re-threaded using appropriate tools. Several T-tools come with 5/16" axle re-threaders. If you've needed to re-thread previously, a skate tool with a re-threader could be a valuable solution. Explore our options here:
Kingpin
The kingpin is a sizable bolt running through the truck's centre, holding all parts together. By adjusting the kingpin nut, you can modify your trucks' tightness. Though kingpins may break due to stress, they are replaceable.
Truck Bushings
Acting as rubber cushions between the baseplate and hanger, bushings transfer pressure from your feet to the hangers, thereby influencing your setup's agility. The bushings' firmness affects your turning capability:
- Hard bushings: Lead to stiffer and more stable trucks, advantageous if the trucks are wobbly, though requiring additional effort to turn.
- Soft bushings: Ideal for carving and cruising, especially for skaters who prefer loose trucks that quickly respond to their movements.
If you're seeking guidance on installing skateboard bushings or need new bushings, washers, or hardware, look at the following:
Now that you're acquainted with the parts of a skateboard truck, let's explore aspects crucial to selecting suitable trucks for your setup.
Dimensions and Measurement of Skateboard Trucks
Skateboard trucks vary in width and height. This section offers an introduction to help you decide on the appropriate size of skateboard trucks for your needs.
Width of Skateboard Trucks
Aligning your truck's width with your deck's width is vital in skateboarding. Avoid having your truck width differ significantly from your deck's width, as overly narrow trucks feel unstable, while wider trucks can hinder your shoe movement when pushing and complicate flip tricks.
Skateboard truck brands often list sizes based on hanger width, excluding axle width. The overall axle width represents the complete truck width, which should match your deck's width.
At SkatePro, we specify the axle width for each truck option, eliminating the need to refer to a size conversion chart.
Height of Skateboard Trucks
Truck height, denoting the distance between the baseplate and axle centre, influences the separation between trucks and deck. Two main factors influence the choice of truck height: deck-to-wheel distance and deck-to-ground distance.
Trucks typically fall into high, medium, or low categories. Here's an overview of these types:
- Low Trucks (46-49 mm): Closer proximity to the ground aids kids, beginners, and shorter individuals in controlling their setup, enhancing stability. Avoid wheels exceeding 53 mm without risers to prevent deck-to-wheel contact!
- Mid Trucks (49.5-53.5 mm): Providing a balance between high and low trucks, these versatile options are popular among numerous skaters. Avoid surpassing 56 mm wheel diameters sans risers.
- High Trucks (53,5-60mm): Enabling larger wheel dimensions, high trucks, permitting greater deck-to-wheel clearance, are ideal for cruising and carving. High trucks favour freestyle skateboarding by offering a wide surface for balancing during rail stands.
Truck height specifications are always included in our selection descriptions.
Important Factors in Selecting Skateboard Truck Height
Your preference for truck height depends on personal style and individual physical traits. When choosing between higher or lower trucks, take into account these key points:
- Wheel clearance: Determined by wheel diameter and truck height, wheel clearance is crucial for those who enjoy carving and steep turns compared to those who prefer stability and tighter setups. For skaters who favour loose trucks, wheel clearance is important for avoiding wheel bites.
- Pop angle: Greater with taller trucks, a low skateboard pops easier, whereas high trucks provide more leverage for higher pops. Lower trucks yield quick responsiveness and agility, while higher trucks enable more spectacular tricks.
- Pushing: Taller trucks increase the distance between the foot on the deck and the pushing foot. Longer pushes can be less comfortable with higher trucks.
- Tricks: Depending on truck height, certain tricks become easier or more challenging. High trucks offer a larger platform for rail or truck stands, while lower trucks maximise agility for flatland flip tricks.
- Truck weight: Greater truck size leads to more weight.
- Personal height: Taller individuals with longer legs find it easier to control setups with taller trucks compared to those with shorter limbs.
Riser Pads - Alter Truck Height to Combat Wheel Bites
Riser pads effectively address the common skateboard issue of wheel bites, where wheels contact the deck during sharp turns. By increasing the truck-to-deck distance, they provide a cost-effective solution to this problem.
These pads are also worth considering if you're exploring larger wheel setups or looser truck configurations.
If you're tackling wheel bites or wish to modify your skateboard's setup characteristics, take a look at our collection of riser pads:
Ensure use of proper hardware when installing riser pads. Refer to the guide below if you're uncertain about bolt lengths:
Evaluating Skateboard Truck Weight: Considerations for Heavy or Light Trucks
Trucks significantly contribute to your complete skateboard's weight, with many recent innovations and designs focusing on weight reduction. Hollowed-out kingpins and axles, along with material experimentation, are strategies to accomplish this.
As of now, the Tensor Mag Light Series claims to be "the lightest trucks ever," indeed leading the market. While lighter trucks provide a noticeable edge for tricks, their weight difference may not be as perceptible as other truck characteristics.
When pondering truck weight, note its direct relationship with truck size. A higher, wider truck naturally possesses more body than its lower, narrower counterpart. Thus, evaluate truck weight within the context of wheel diameter and deck width.
Adjustability of Skateboard Trucks: Balancing Loose and Tight Configurations
Use a skate tool, standard wrench, or spanner to adjust the kingpin nut, allowing changes to your skateboard trucks' tightness. Tightening the nut requires more pressure for turns, while loosening simplifies turning. Loose trucks exhibit agility and liveliness, whereas tight trucks maintain stability and firmness. Truck tightness is ultimately a matter of personal style and preference.
Tightness influences your skateboard's turning properties and requires time and experimentation to discover your ideal setting. Bring your skate tool to adjust as you practice.
Consider tightening your trucks if:- Wheel bites occur during turns or landings.
- You're striving for consistent pops.
- Stability issues arise at high speeds or after landing tricks.
- You notice that you're lifting the front wheels when turning.
- You aim to make sharper turns.
- You're feeling constrained and desire more lateral freedom.
The hardness of your bushings also impacts turning and carving. Bushings come in varying levels of hardness, typically measured using the durometer scale. A higher durometer indicates harder bushings, which equates to tighter trucks. Explore our bushings selection:
Skateboard Trucks: Installation Guide
Each truck is mounted using 4 nuts and 4 bolts. For an evenly tightened baseplate, it's recommended to secure the bolts in a cross-diagonal sequence.
We are consistently prepared to assist:
