Your trucks (axles) are thepart of your setup you are least likely to alter over your entire life in skateboarding, and it’s the part of your setup that lasts the longest. Many people see countless boards and wheels through, all the while sticking with the same set of trucks. It’s also the component fundamental to stability.
Which trucks do I need?
If you’re setting out tobuy new trucks, you’ll find that each brand labels trucks differently. That means if you ride an 8.25-inch board then you’d need Independent 144s, Thunder 148s or Venture 5.6s (each have an axle length of 8.25-inches). Check our cool size chart for tech info.
Matching deck width to truck size
As a general rule, you are aiming to have the width of your board match the width of your truck as closely as possible. The principles behind this are straightforward; a truck too narrow for the board will make your board feel unstable, whilst a truck too wide will in turn limit the nimbleness of your plank and give you a generally sluggish feeling upon your board, which isn't a good thing.
Without getting geometric, your deck width is the leading factor here. Wider boards classically tend to be ridden by skaters whodo fewer flip tricksand just enjoy the riding & grinding aspect of skating. Whilst at the other end of the scale, thinner decks are for the tech wizards out there (smaller lighter boards are easier to flip). There are of course a couple of exceptions to this general rule.
Wider or narrower trucks?
Some boards don’t have a matching truck size which means you are aiming for the closest one you can get. The most common axle lengths are 8, 8.25 and 8.5, although you can get shorter and longer ones from brands like Independent. It's common to aim for trucks that are narrower rather than wider than your deck(so that the wheels don't extend wider than the deck), but like everything in skateboarding, this is down to personal preference.
You can always mess with the fundamentals at your own risk. It’s rumoured that Andrew Reynolds once favoured riding much narrower trucks - maybe that’s the secret to the frontside flip?
We're here to help, if you need to talk tosomeone about your truck needs, don't hesitate to call us - 01702 480 062
DM us at @_junestore or email us over at hey@junestore.co.uk
