Longboard trucks - which one do you need?
There are basically two types of longboard trucks. Traditional Kingpin trucks (TKP) will remind you of are normal skateboard trucks. The Kingpin faces the middle of the deck (Wheelbase). This type of truck is especially well suited for cruisers. Due to the low height of the trucks and their inertia, these longboard trucks are also used for downhill and freeride.
Reverse kingpin trucks (RKP) are characterized by an "upside down" kingpin. The Kingpin faces outward, away from the wheelbase. These trucks are much easier to steer and a bit more versatile than TKP trucks. With many RKP longboard trucks you can adjust the angle and ideally fine-tune your setup. You can easily buy popular RKP longboard trucks from Paris or Bear which, for example, are good for carving, in the skatedeluxe skate shop.
How wide should your longboard truck be?
The rule of thumb is that the truck should lock in place with the axle nut on the edge of the board. As a beginner we can recommend the following: The wider the truck, the more stable it will be.
Narrow trucks are particularly suitable for cruisers and slalom boards because they are very maneuverable. Downhill and freeride boarders should focus on wider styles due to their stability. With the filters "truck pen width" & "truck width" you will definitely find the right truck for your longboard.
Height is also important!
Even the longboard truck height can be classified into low, mid and high trucks. You should try to avoid your wheels from touching the bottom of your board too quickly. Wheelbites can put a damper on your day and have you better acquainted with the asphalt than you would like. So choose the best truck height with the size of your longboard wheels. Also, the baseplate pivot angle and rake of your longboard trucks play an important role here.
You can easily filter for truck height in the skatedeluxe skate shop and if you feel like you don’t know what to do next, you can find everything you need to know about longboard trucks in our longboard Wiki.
Longboard Trucks Accessories – Fine-tuning your Setup
You can influence the steering and handling of your longboard not only through the wheels, but also with riser pads and steering rubbers. Unfortunately, there are no longboard trucks with wheels in a set. If you aren’t sure about putting together your longboard, you should check out our complete longboards. In our Longboard Wiki, you will find everything you need to know about longboard trucks and longboarding.