In skateboarding, nothing works without trucks. Skateboard trucks are not only necessary for steering but are also important for some tricks, such as grinds. How wide your trucks need to be in order to be compatible with your skateboard and everything else you should take into account when you’re buying a
...
[read more]
Thunder Trucks
In skateboarding, nothing works without trucks. Skateboard trucks are not only necessary for steering but are also important for some tricks, such as grinds. How wide your trucks need to be in order to be compatible with your skateboard and everything else you should take into account when you’re buying a truck, you can learn in the skatedeluxe online skate shop. We’ve got the most popular skateboard truck brands like Independent, Thunder, Venture and more for you in stock, so you will find the proper set of trucks - guaranteed.
How is a skateboard truck constructed?
Skateboard trucks consist of a base plate (which is screwed into the deck), hanger (the movable and grindable part of the truck to which your wheels are attached), and the kingpin, which holds the two pieces together. In contrast to longboard trucks, the kingpin of skateboard trucks is always placed in the traditional way. That’s why they’re called traditional kingpins (TKP). The kingpin also holds the bushings, which are placed between the baseplate and the hanger. Often bushings are installed with washers. When you’re attaching your wheels to your trucks, you might use some smaller washers - or so-called, “speedrings”.
1. Kingpin Nut
2. Top Washer
3. Top Bushing
4. Axle Nuts
5. Speedrings
2. Top Washer
3. Top Bushing
4. Axle Nuts
5. Speedrings
6. Axle
7. Bottom Bushing
8. Kingpin
9. Baseplate
7. Bottom Bushing
8. Kingpin
9. Baseplate
What’s important when buying trucks?
As with skateboard decks, the crucial factor for trucks is the width. The width of a skateboard truck refers to the width of the hanger, which is measured in inches [″] (1 inch equals 2.54 cm). Unfortunately, skateboard truck manufacturers don’t have standardised descriptions for the width of their trucks. Here we have an overview for you that sums up the different descriptions and widths, so you won’t get lost searching for the correct type of truck.
In order to make sure that your trucks match the width of your deck, you should ensure that the axle isn’t wider than the deck. It’s ok if the axle is slightly more narrow than the deck, but not too narrow because otherwise, steering can get a bit tricky. The overview, as well as the Skateboard Truck Wiki page, will help you orient yourself and find the matching parts. Once you know which truck width you need, you can use the filter options to easily show you the right pair of trucks. Or you use our skateboard configurator to get the job done.
Find the right width
Usually, skateboard trucks are described by their inner width (hanger width). Since the manufacturer’s information about truck sizes can be quite confusing, you might want to go by the axle width. We've got some tips for you when you're choosing the correct truck width:
- In general, we would recommend choosing a truck with an axle width that’s exactly the same width as your deck. A margin of +/- 0.125" is totally okay. So, for a deck that is 8" wide trucks an axle width from 7.875" - 8.125" are ideal.
- A truck with an axle width margin of +/- 0.25" would work out as well but we wouldn't recommend that kind of setup.
- You can find more information about axle width and hanger width in the product descriptions of the trucks in our shop. Additionally, you can use the filters in our shop to search for the different axle and hanger widths.
High, mid or low trucks - which is right for you?
Besides the width of your skateboard trucks, the height also plays an important role. As the names already suggest, high trucks are taller than low trucks. Therefore your whole setup will be a little bit higher of the ground with high trucks. Mid trucks are essentially a compromise between low and high trucks and are suited for all-around skating. Low and mid trucks are often visually almost indistinguishable, but the devil is in the details. Next, to the different characteristics of various truck types, their combination with big or small wheels is especially interesting.
Unfortunately, there are also differences in height between the various designations of truck manufacturers. That means trucks from different manufacturers that are labelled as “high” aren’t necessarily the same height. Therefore, we made our own categories for the trucks you’ll find in the skatedeluxe shop, so you can stay on top of things.
Low = 46-49 mm | Mid = 50-53 mm | High = 53,5-58 mm
The higher the truck, the more the tail has to be pushed down when popping. Your deck acts as a lever in this scenario and because of the long way the deck’s tail has to go until it hits the ground, the angle of the board will be much steeper. Consequently, higher pop-offs are possible (theoretically).
Higher trucks can be practical for taller people because with sufficient power and long legs, the tail can be pushed to the ground pretty quickly. Small skaters might have a hard time with a high setup, which is why kids especially should stick with low trucks. Of course, tall skaters can ride low trucks as well. Then, pop-offs can happen pretty quickly, which is called “quick snaps”.
1. Truck Height 2. Wheel Size
When you combine low trucks with wheels that have a big diameter, the risk of wheelbites gets quite high. Wheelbites occur when your wheels suddenly rub against your deck while you’re steering. The graphic shows you how to avoid wheelbites by combining trucks and wheels correctly. If you want to ride big wheels anyways, it’s wise to use some shock and riser pads.
Weight and technologies - Hollow, Forged and Co.
There are new technologies for skateboard trucks as well. While the construction of trucks hasn’t changed much over the years, there have been experiments with various materials in order to make skateboard trucks lighter, more stable and to improve their performance while grinding. You will certainly encounter the term “hollow” when you’re searching for skateboard trucks. Those trucks have a hollow kingpin or a hollow axle, which makes these trucks lighter compared to regular models.
Especially as a kid or beginner, it can be really frustrating to get a skateboard in the air by doing an Ollie. Therefore a reduction of weight can mean a lot. We would recommend trucks from Tensor or Thunder for beginners since these manufacturers have some true lightweights in their product line. By the way, in the product descriptions, you will find the weight of every truck in our shop!
Do you have any further questions?
You can learn many more facts about skateboard trucks by clicking through our skateboard truck wiki. There, we’ve collected a great deal of know-how about trucks as well as some tips for if your skateboard wobbles or your trucks are somewhat squeaky. If you need help assembling your new skateboard, you can check out our skateboard assembly instructions.
All trucks in the skatedeluxe online skate shop are shipped including bushings. You don’t have to order an extra pair of bushings unless you need something softer or harder. You might also want to check to see if your trucks are sold as a pair or separately.
Our skateboard configurator and our service team are there for you
Searching for a truck that fits your setup stresses you out? Maybe you should give our skateboard configurator a try. This might be the fastest and easiest way to perfecting your new setup. However, if you need help, don’t hesitate to contact the nice girls and guys from our customer service team.