Skate Trucks Buying Guide

If you have a skateboard, sooner or later you will need to buy skate trucks. They are the T-shaped metal structures that are mounted on the underside of the skate deck and keep the wheels and bearings securely in place. The trucks consist of several small parts: axles, hangers, kingpins, and bushings. No matter how small, all these parts greatly influence the skateboard’s overall performance.

Choosing the right skate trucks and being able to distinguish between their different sizes, heights and styles can help you become a better skater. And perhaps most importantly, equipping your board with a pair of nice trucks can enhance your stability and prevent you from falling over and getting hurt. For the sake of safety and having an enjoyable skateboarding experience, you need to pay attention to the following truck characteristics.

Truck Size

The truck size is determined by the length of the axle inside the hanger. The hanger is the large triangular part of the truck to which all the other parts are attached. The axle is the long metal pin going through the hanger and to which the wheels are attached. How long the axle is determines how far apart the wheels are going to be. The best tip is to choose trucks whose axle ends line up with the board. This way the wheels won’t be to close to grind against the deck, or too far to disrupt the skateboarder’s balance.

Truck Profile

You’ll notice how some trucks are referred to having a low, mid or high profile. The truck profile is the distance between the hanger on the truck and the baseplate. The truck profile determines how high off the ground the board will be and can play a role when choosing wheel size. How high the board will glide is an important factor in the overall skateboarding experience. Different riders have different preferences concerning truck profile.

• Low trucks are closer to the ground and thus lower the centre of gravity. They provide extra stability which makes them ideal for technical street skating and flip tricks. The recommended wheel size for low trucks is 50-53mm.
• Mid (regular) trucks are good for mid sized wheels in the range of 53-56mm. Generally, they suit most skateboarders for skate park or all around street skating.
• High trucks provide a little more clearance between them and the skateboard deck which can help avoid unwanted wheel bite. Wheel bite happens when the wheels rub against the board causing it to suddenly stop while you go flying off. Wheel bite is a skateboarder’s worst enemy because it can result in bad crashes and broken bones. The wheels that work best with high trucks are 56mm and up.