You must have heard that you are as good as your gear in a sport. Skateboarding is no different! You could be the best on your board, but it will not get you very far if your board is of the wrong size or poor quality. Skateboards are built using a few key parts- a deck, a pair of trucks, four wheels and components ( like grip tape, bearings, riser, board rails). Among all, skateboard trucks are an essential part of your board. Basically, they are what you grind on, what allows your skateboard to turn, and the components your wheels and bearings spin.

Trucks are the T-shaped metal pieces attached to your board’s underside and hold the wheels and bearings securely onto the deck. They have a significant impact on how your board performs and feels. Suppose if you perform tighter turns or tricks on your board, you can easily adjust the trucks accordingly. Or you can go for softer bushings for easy turning and hard bushings for stiff turning. How tight or loose you keep your trucks depends on how you skate, but it all starts with choosing the right trucks. No doubt, the right trucks for your skateboard can, of course, make a big difference to your skateboarding experience. However, finding the suitable one is no cakewalk! Here’s a guide on choosing the right skateboard trucks. Continue reading!

Types of truck

There are two types of trucks- Skateboard trucks (Standard Kingpin) and Longboard trucks (Reverse Kingpin).

• Standard Kingpin trucks are the most adjustable types of trucks good for all kinds of skateboarding. Plus, they can be loosened or tightened easily, allowing you to make adjustments based on how your board turns.
• Reverse Kingpin trucks are the most suitable trucks for cruising, carving or skating fast downhills. These are taller and wider than their counterparts and highly customisable for all types of riding. 

Choosing the right truck width

When buying a new pair of skateboard trucks, the first thing you need to do is measure the width of the deck with which you will be using them. The next step is to find the trucks with an axle width that matches the width of your skateboard deck. Ideally, you should buy one that exactly matches your deck’s width, but it’s ok if your trucks are a little off. Make sure the difference is just greater or less than ¼” the width of the board. 

For example, the 6’’-7.25″ truck axle will be best for 6.5″ to 7.25″ decks. Similarly, for the 7.5″ truck axle, 7.25 to 7.5″ decks are the most suitable and so forth.

Choosing a skateboard truck profile

The truck profile is defined as the distance between the hanger of your truck and the bottom of the skate deck. Most skateboarders use midsize trucks, though these skateboard trucks can be substituted for high or low, depending on the skating style you prefer.  

Mid: Mid-level trucks are the most recommended choice for street or park skateboarding. They require wheels of 53-56mm in size.

High: These are good for large wheels of a minimum 56mm size. High trucks are specially made for carving and cruising streets and work well for longboards.

Low: Low-level trucks are for small wheels up to 50-53mm. They provide better stability for certain moves (like flip tricks). 

Now that you have gone through this article, you must have gained a basic understanding of trucks, their types and measurement. Hopefully, this article will be a great help to you in finding the right trucks for your skateboards.

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