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Guide to Choosing the Right Trucks for your Skateboard
Skateboard trucks are T-shaped metallic pieces mounted under the structure of the skateboard. A truck contains an apparatus where the skateboard wheels and bearings can be attached firmly to its deck. It’s very important for skaters because it helps absorb their weight and determines if certain tricks and flips can safely be done using any skateboard. It’s a skateboard part made up of other components: axles, hangers, bushings, and kingpins.
The truck’s components directly affect a skateboarder’s performance as a skater and will enable him to choose the type of skateboard structure that will suit his style. The key factor is taking note of the size and age of the rider to avoid occasions of wheel bite. Wheel bite happens when the wheel starts to graze the board, causing an abrupt stop when attempting a trick or flip.
Axle
This is a pin that protrudes out from the hanger, enabling the attachment of the wheels to the board. The measurement of the axle width varies for different skateboard equipment manufacturing brands. Still, it is safer to extend the ends of the axle closer to the sides of the skateboard. Axle nuts make use of a 3/8 inch wrench socket for fastening the wheels.
Hanger
Kingpins
A kingpin is a large, durable bolt that runs through the bushings at the truck’s base. It ensures that the various parts of the skating truck are fastened safely together. To make sure that the skateboard can be ridden with as much little weight as possible, manufacturers opt for a hollow kingpin that is lighter but still strong enough to work as a fastener. The choice between a hollow and a solid bushing depends on the type of skateboard one needs.
Moreover, the final decision will hinge on the style and skill set that the skater wishes to execute with his skateboard. Some of them may accommodate solid bushings like the traditional skateboard and old school skateboards. The appropriate wrench socket dimension for the king pin is 9/16 inches.
Bushings
They are urethane rings that fit comfortably around the kingpins and act as a pivot for the turn of the board. The bushings are usually soft.
Choosing the Right size for Skateboard Trucks
Skateboard truck sizes are measured with the axle or the hanger width. They determine how far apart the wheels of the skateboard will be. The truck’s width is also a factor that affects the performance of each skateboard. Therefore, before choosing a skateboard truck, the first decision would be to consider axle width and ensure that it aligns with the style of skating that one wants.
The truck axles are mostly customized to be approximately the same size as the deck. This offers stability. The best truck selection should be the one that is just greater or less than 1/4” of the board’s width. It creates a perfect balance for the type of skill you want your skateboard to display.
A Skateboard deck with dimensions of 6.5” to 7.25” will have a truck axle of between 6” to 7.25”. The similarity in the dimension pattern is uniform throughout the different skateboard decks.
Materials for the Truck
The hangers used for most trucks are often made of aluminum while having steel axles, but there are options for other materials like titanium and carbon steel. The choices are often based on what skaters will like their skateboards to do for them. Skaters that ride under pressure and impact conditions should go for stronger materials to ensure durability.
Choosing the Correct Type of Skateboard Truck
Skateboard Trucks (Standard King Pin)
Skateboard trucks are the standard-issue trucks that are built for all types of skateboards. They are flexible and can be adjusted to suit the customized specifications of every skateboarder according to skill set, experience, and age. The nuts can either be tightened or loosened to achieve any dimension as demanded by the user.
These skateboard trucks are suitable for tricks, flips, ollies, and other types of skating skills. Typically, their users are into street skating, bowl skating, and rides on skate parks.
Longboard Trucks (Reverse King Pin)
Choosing Trucks According to Truck Technology
High Trucks
This is a standard-built truck type usually built to offer both high and low truck technology. The technology induces more responsiveness when making turns due to how big the truck wheels are. It adds clearance that will negate the sudden swerve caused by a sudden turn during skating, leading to a wheel bite. Wheel bites are one of the major causes of falling during skating sessions.
The high truck technology is designed to help amateur skateboarders to transition their game from a lower level to an expert level. Therefore, it should be the first choice for beginners and other skaters that have not improved their game. The advantage of this is that you will have far better wheel options to choose from.
Low Truck Tech
Hollow Trucks
Manufacturers came out with the idea of having more hollow parts such as the kingpins and the axles. The aim is to make the skateboard lighter and improve its ability to offer more technical aspects to a skater’s game. Expert skaters enjoy tremendous speed when doing their tricks, flips, and swerves. It’s easier to achieve this if the structure of the board is as light as possible.
This is not to say that other types of solid kingpins do not offer qualities for tricks and flips. Some skaters will still prefer heavier ones if it works well for their game. In general, your choice should be based on what works for you, but it won’t be hard to try as much as possible before settling for one.
Hard or Soft Bushings
Bushings are urethane rings that slide on the kingpin. They stabilize the setup of the truck and give you enough control for turns with your board. Skaters will have to choose between the hard and soft bushings depending on the characteristics they display. Hard bushings are not great for making turns but offer stability for rides. It implies that they will not be perfect for a high-speed cruise. Soft bushings offer more response for turns but are not stable.
Vintage Trucks
This is another option through which skaters can choose variations of trucks for their older skateboard sitting in their collection, probably handed down for years. They are options for riders to mix the older truck section models with the new ones, although they may not be a perfect fit. It’s often advised that skaters check out their brands for new designs that fit those of the older versions.
Some of the new designs will offer a great selection of trucks that will work perfectly with older truck design models. Almost every brand provides instructions for perfect truck selections for old-school skateboards.
Conclusion
The experience of getting a good skateboard is a wholesome one that may entail room for trial and error but ultimately, getting perfection is the key. Every skater, both beginners, and experts, must take their time and study the requirements for the skateboard parts that will fit their game comfortably. This will surely lead to a greater skateboarding experience that is both thrilling and fun.