Introduce
Picking up the correct truck size plays an important role in your skateboard construction. However, it is difficult to understand various sizes and measurements of trucks, especially for newbies.
In this article by Skateboard Cast, we will take you through key parts to answer the question: How are skateboard trucks measured? So you can make the decision for your new pair of trucks.
The Parts
Parts of Skateboards Truck
Before going into the details, let’s spend some minutes reading the parts of them. It will help you take the measurement better and determine the more suitable product.
Here is the list of key parts:
- Baseplate
- Kingpin
- Hanger
- Bushing
- Axle
- Pivot Cup
- Speeders
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The Way Of Measuring
To help you choose the best product, it is very necessary to get a comprehensive knowledge of them. In this part, you will explore the width and height of trucks respectively.
Width
See more: Which Way Do Skateboard Trucks Go
To select the width of trucks, you need to calculate the wideness of the axle (outer wideness) and the wideness of the hanger (inner wideness). The width of the truck and the width of the deck has to match perfectly.
They mustn’t be much wider than the decks. If not, the center of gravity will move to the sides of the decks. It may have a negative impact on the flip trick as well as the general feeling of skateboards. If decks are a little wider than trucks, it’s nothing.
Regularly, the measurement of a truck includes inner length (hanger length). Because the information by manufacturers about the size of trucks can be rather confusing, the recommendation is that you should pay attention to the axle width.
- Generally, the suggestion is picking a truck with an axle wideness that is similar to the wideness of the deck. A range of +/- 0.125″ is completely fine. Thus, decks with 8″ width of trucks will have the axle width 7.875″ – 8.125″. It is a perfect measurement.
- A range of +/- 0.25″ also can produce good results. But it is not suitable for skateboarding beginners.
You can get more detailed information about the wideness of the axle and hanger in the product description of each skateboard.
If you want to dig more about the field of skateboarding, how about exploring the best carving longboards.
The size of the truck does not have standards. Thus, it is normal to see hundreds of sizes from brands such as Independent Trucks and Thunder Trucks.
Height
The height of they is from the base to the center of the axle. This calculation equals the length from the truck to the deck. It will tell you what the height above the ground your skateboard will be.
The comparison and contrast among high, mid, and low trucks seem trivial. Still, detailed information is very important. It relies on the body height as well as the size of the wheels.
The height of the truck will correspond to the power on the tail when you pop your skateboard. The deck looks like a lever in this case and owing to the distance the tail needs to travel until it can hit the ground, the angle of the skateboard will be far steeper than normal. As a result, high pop-offs are doable.
High trucks are more suitable for tall players. The reason is that their strength and long legs can push the tail down to the ground quite fast.
Smaller people may suffer a hard time with a high truck. Consequently, children should choose a low truck. Naturally, tall players can also use a low truck.
The bad news is there is no standard for the typical height for each type. In other words, trucks from various brands with “high” labels do not have the same measurement.
For that reason, you can consult those details below to understand more about the height of the product.
See more: Are All Skateboard Trucks The Same Size
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The low truck ranges from 46-49 mm.
Of course, the low truck features a deck that is very close to the ground. This truck is also lighter. It will help you handle the deck more stably.
Still, the chance of wheel bites is considerably high, particularly on soft surfaces and rough landings. Hence, you should adopt small wheels (50 mm or 51 mm) on the low truck or you can buy the shock or the riser pad to prevent the wheel bite.
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The mid truck ranges from 50-53 mm.
The mid or standard truck is simply a balance between the low and high truck. As a result, it is an ideal option for all kinds of skateboards and for those who cannot make a decision.
The wheel from 52 mm to 56 mm is a perfect match for the mid truck.
- The high truck ranges from 53.5-58 mm.
With the high truck, you can stand a little higher above the surface. The skateboard has a very steep angle when you pop. It will allow you to ollie very high. You can avoid the chance of wheel bites as well.
However, the high truck is relatively heavy and they may become unstable owing to the steep incline of the truck when you turn.
The high truck is a good fit for almost all wheels. For safety, however, you should set up the shock or the riser pad for large wheels (57mm – 59mm).
Conclusion
Now, you all know about the measurement of skateboard trucks to choose the best fit for yourself. Although there is no standard for manufacturers to produce, they are just minor variations that you can adjust.
We hope that this review is a great help for you. For the next time, you can enhance or do maintenance on the truck better. When you comprehend how everything works, you can make them work best for you.
Let’s go out and skate!
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