What trucks to buy for a skateboard
Trucks on a skateboard are a vital component to skating smooth. These T-shaped pieces mount to the bottom of your skateboard to connect your wheels and bearings to your deck.
Each Tucks consists of:
- Axles
- Hangers
- Kingpins
- Bushings.
Where it can become confusing is which size truck to choose and for why.
For those new to skateboarding, choosing the right truck is the most complicated thing involved when building a board. By reading this guide you can workout how to customise your skateboard to perform how you want it to perform.
Skateboard Truck Size Chart
| BRAND | SIZE | ACTUAL AXLE LENGTH | RECOMMENDED DECK SIZE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | 129 | 7.75" | 7.4″ – 7.75″ |
| 139 | 8" | 7.75″ – 8.25″ | |
| 149 | 8.5" | 8.25″ – 8.75″ | |
| 159 | 8.75" | 8.75″ – 9.25″ | |
| 169 | 8.9 | 8.75″ – 9.75″ | |
| Thunder | 143 | 7.125″ | 7.6″ and under |
| 145 | 7.75″ | 7.4″ – 7.9″ | |
| 147 | 8″ | 7.9″ – 8.2″ | |
| 149 | 8.5″ | 8.2″ – 8.4″ | |
| 151 | 8.75″ | 8.4″ and over | |
| Venture | 5 | 7.75″ | 7.4″ – 7.75″ |
| 5.25 | 8″ | 7.9″ – 8.25″ | |
| 5.8 | 8.5″ | 8.25″ – 8.75″ | |
| Krux | 4 | 8.25″ | 7.75″ – 8.25″ |
| Mini Logo | 7.13 | 7.13″ | 7.0″ – 7.5″ |
| 7.63 | 7.63″ | 7.5″ – 7.88″ | |
| 8.0 | 8.0″ | 7.88″ – 8.25″ | |
| 8.38 | 8.38″ | 8.25″ – 8.75″ | |
| 8.75 | 8.75″ | 8.5″ and over | |
| Tensor | 5 | 7.625″ | 7.4″ – 7.75″ |
| 5.25 | 7.875″ | 7.75″ – 8.0″ | |
| 5.5 | 8.125″ | 8.0″ – 8.25″ | |
| 5.75 | 8.375″ | 8.25″-8.5″ | |
| 6.0 | 8.625″ | 8.5″ and over | |
| Royal | 5 | 7.75″ | 7.4″ – 7.75″ |
| 5.25 | 8.25″ | 7.75″ – 8.25″ | |
| 5.5 | 8.5″ | 8.25″ – 8.75″ | |
Skateboard trucks high or low
Skaters, you get to choose between High, Mid or Low trucks. These choices are measured by the distance between the bottom of the skate deck and the hanger.
Selecting the right skateboard profile is important.
Low
Low trucks provide extra stability for tricks. The board is closer to the ground and has less height. These are best suited for small wheels. With low trucks it’s easier for your board to clear the ground when it flips since the cross section of the board is more rectangular. 80s Skateboards recommends usings wheels between 50 – 53mm
Mid
Mid-level trucks are just that. Middle of the range, with some versatility. Consider choosing these for street or park skateboarding. 80’s Skateboards recommends usings wheels between 53 – 56mm
High
These are the best for large wheels. High trucks are ideal for carving and cruising. These can also work well on a longboard or cruiser. 80’s Skateboards recommends usings wheels between 53 – 66mm.
We recommend high trucks a lot for many of the old school decks. This is because these boards are wide and designed for vert, pool and cruising. Use these trucks with big wheels, they can handle them.
Extra Notes
Balancing your needs are always hard.
For skate pools and bowls you want your trucks loose, but not too loose otherwise you get the dreaded wheel bite (when your wheel squeaks against your board).
But you also want big wheels for skating vert and pools. But, yet again, big wheels mean higher chance of getting wheel bitten.
A way to get around this is by buying riser pads. These are plastic layers that sit between your trucks and deck, giving you extra length and cushioning.
