Trucks
The last choice to make is the wheel suspension, or trucks. Trucks are sometimes referred to as the soul of the skateboard, as they are so important for how one of the most fundamental skateboard manoeuvres feels: the turning.
Each truck brand has its own unique swing radius, based on geometric design. Some turn tightly and are volatile, while others do not turn as tightly but are more stable, etc. The variations are endless.
The trucks on your skateboard are the only component you can adjust to your personal preferences. By adapting the tightness of the kingpin nut, you can adjust the hardness of your trucks. Tighten the nut and the trucks will be “looser” and easier to turn with, but also less stable. Loosen the nut and the trucks will become more stable, but you will loose turning capacity and will have to “wiggle” to choose your direction. Your truck preference is perhaps the most personal choice when it comes to skateboard gear and there is no other way of finding your favorite brand than trying them out. Why not test your friend’s trucks first, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on trucks you don’t like?
When you have finally found trucks that provide the perfect turns, there are still some very clear rules to follow. The most important is to make sure the trucks match the width of your board. All trucks are made in a range of widths. At Junkyard, we have specified the different truck widths for each brand and the board width they fit.
Trucks are sometimes made as low or high trucks, where the low variant is most often a supplement to the high, which is the standard type. Low trucks, put simply, have a flatter geometry and provide a lower centre of gravity for your board. However, as the wheels are closer to the board with low trucks, you will need relatively small wheels to avoid wheelbites. You shouldn’t go larger than 53 millimetres, if you want to avoid having to tighten the trucks until they are rock hard. Low trucks are often popular with skaters who spend most of their time performing technical tricks such as flips and shove its.