If you want to build a custom skate or simply replace your old trucks, then it is useful to know a few details about skateboard trucks.
Without trucks your skateboard would be nothing more than a board with no purpose. The size you choose is crucial. When it comes to choosing trucks, what interests us is the width of the truck but also the height where we find the categories LOW, MID, and HIGH. To find the right one for you especially if you are a beginner is a bit complicated.We hope the information below will make it a little easier for you.
SKATEBOARD TRUCKS ANATOMY
The picture shows you exactly the parts of a skate truck. Follow the diagram in conjunction with the below to get a complete idea.
– The baseplate which is basically the base that is screwed onto the deck with screws/bolts and it is the home for the kingpin and the pivot cup.
– The Kingpin which is a large central bolt that connects the hanger to the baseplate through a nut. If you come across a hollow kingpin, it means that the screw is a hollow screw of the same strength as the normal one, which greatly reduces the weight of the truck.
– The Hanger that is connected to the baseplate through the kingpin and bushings (pads) and its lower part enters the pivot cup. The hanger is the part that includes the wheel axles and the part you lean on when doing grinds.
– The bushings which are the polyurethane (PU) pads that essentially control the tilting behavior of the hanger. You'll locate them between the baseplate and the hanger, and you can find them in cylindrical or conical shapes and in various hardnesses.
– The Axles are cast inside the hanger, they are made of steel or Titanium and can be hollow to reduce the weight. The wheels and bearings rotate on the axles.
– The washers which are metal discs placed on the kingpin and above and below the bushings that return the hanger to its original position after tilting/turning.
– The axle nuts which have a rubber end inside the threads which acts as a stop to unscrew occations and finally,
– The speedrings which are the washers you will find with the purchase of each new truck on the axles in pairs. Speedrings allow the wheels to rotate without friction.
TRUCK WIDTH
Regarding the width of the truck, in general you should know that it is not good to go too far beyond the width of the deck because on one hand it spoils the boardfeel and also shifts the center of gravity to the side of the deck. However, if the truck is a little narrower than the deck, it doesn't matter that much.
TRUCK HEIGHT
Regarding the height of the truck, in general it all has to do with your height and also the diameter of the wheels. With a high truck, the tail needs a greater distance to touch the ground, but theoretically higher pop offs are achieved. Usually taller riders are comfortable with high trucks because they have longer ends and can get the tail to the ground faster. Regarding the wheels, the higher the truck, the bigger wheels we can use and avoid the devilish wheel bites. Of course you can also use riser pads in case you have low trucks and want larger wheels.
Here is an image to help you choose the right truck height for your wheels.
RideOnShop Team
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