Skateboard Trucks

Skateboard trucks are the T-shaped metal bits bolted underneath your deck. They’re responsible for turning, grinding and – along with your wheels – keeping you a few inches safely off the floor. Trucks have two main parts (the hanger and baseplate) which rotate against each other and are held together by a kingpin which is also home to the bushings. Here’s a quick breakdown of each component:

• Baseplate – Bolts onto the deck. Contains the pivot cup.
  
• Hanger – The big T-shaped chunk of metal (mostly aluminium) that take the brunt of the action. This is what you grind on.
  
• Axle – Steel rod that runs through the hanger and is what your wheels go onto.
  
• Kingpin – The big bolt holding everything together. Tighten it = stiffer turns, more tic-tacking. Loosen it = looser, more surfy turns.
  
• Bushings – The rubbery urethane rings that control how your truck pivots. Soft = turny. Hard = stable.

The important thing to remember when selecting the right trucks or thinking about truck sizing is to match your trucks with your deck size. Not too narrow and not too wide. Basically, you’re looking for your axle to line up with the edges of your skateboard deck – but ⅛” either way is fine.

For example, if you’ve got an 8.25” deck the perfect truck size would feature an 8.25” axle (an Independent 144 trucks , Thunder 148 trucks or Ace 44 trucks). But if you’re riding an 8.38” deck you could use trucks with an axle length of 8.25” or 8.5”.

The difference between low, mid, and high trucks comes down to how far the hanger sits from the deck. Typically, this is measured from the middle of the axle to baseplate and provides a different profile based on the height. Here’s a quick truck height guide to use when selecting trucks:

Low trucks (50mm or under) tend to work well with small wheels (between 50mm and 52mm) and have historically been linked to more technical skating. In the 90s, a lot of street skating was done on small wheels and low trucks. Lower trucks are also pretty suited to beginners as they can provide added stability but if you like big wheels or looser trucks we’d say skip the low trucks. If you’re after a pair of low trucks check out Venture Lows, Slappy ST1 Low Profile or Ace Low Trucks.

Mid trucks (between 50.5mm and 53mm) provide a nice balance between high and low options – a sort of goldilocks height – and can take on all forms of skating. Suitable wheels can be anywhere from 50mm to 56mm. For mid height trucks take a look at Ace Classic Trucks, Independent Mid Forged Trucks, Thunder Team Trucks.

High trucks, generally 53.5mm or taller, can take larger wheels and provide a good base for skating park or vert. However, many skaters like high trucks as the extended distance between skateboard tail and the ground can help to give you more pop. Have a gander at Lurpiv Trucks or Independent T-Hanger Trucks if you’re interested in high trucks.

With all of these recommendations about hardware a lot of your consideration should take into account personal preference and general board feel. While historically certain truck specifications or profiles have been linked to specific types of skating, you can use pretty much any trucks to skate any terrain, style or obstacle.

The tightness of your trucks or the amount you tighten the nut on your kingpin impacts your skateboard’s ability to turn. Tighter trucks means wider turns, likely less wheelbite and potentially a need to tic tac more. Looser trucks give you the ability to do tighter turns, potentially a more surfier feel and a higher chance of wheelbite.

With a lot of things in skating, this truly comes down to personal preference. Some skaters prefer the responsiveness of loose trucks while others like the stability of tighter trucks especially when landing tricks.

In terms of skateboard truck weight, lighter models do improve manoeuvrability and may make fliptricks slightly easier as the total weight of your skateboard decreases. Multiple brands now offer lighter truck options thanks to hollow axles and kingpins or different truck materials such as titanium or magnesium.

While lighter trucks can provide a different ride for skaters with extra manoeuvrability, the decision to try lighter trucks is one of personal preference. If you’re interested in trying lighter trucks, take a look at the Independent Titanium Trucks, Thunder Hollow Trucks or Slappy Hollow Lights.

Depending on the trucks you have and wheels you’ve paired with them you may experience more wheelbite. The larger the wheels or the looser the trucks the more likely you’re going to face wheelbite when landing or turning – this is where riser pads could be of use. We’d recommend trying risers if your wheels are 55mm+ or trucks are especially loose or low in height. Otherwise you should be good go without.

Over the years, skateboard truck brands have expanded their ranges to include a massive selection of styles, colours, weights and heights so it’s understandable to get slightly bamboozled by the latest hollow, matte or inverted kingpin versions on the market. When picking your trucks, we recommend you know the width of your skateboard deck, what your budget is, what type of skating you tend to do and what sort of ride you are looking for. But if you’re unsure, shoot us an email, drop us a DM or pop into the shop and we’ll be able to give you any advice you’re looking for when selecting the perfect truck.