Top 10 Skateboard Truck Brands

Top 10 Skateboard Truck Brands
From Steve Cave,
Your Guide to Skateboarding

Here's a list of the best skateboard truck brands Trucks in the Skateboard Dictionary). Trucks can be expensive, and picking out the right set of skate trucks can seem tough. But, if you get a pair of trucks off of this list, you should be good. There are other brands that are good quality too, but each of these brands has something that helps it to really stand out. These aren't put in any particular order.

1. Fury Trucks
Fury TrucksFury skateboarding trucks are heavier and stronger than most. Most skateboarders try to shave off as much weight as possible. However, Fury has some other special features to try to tempt you - Fury trucks are wider than most, come with a mini riser (similar to Phantom trucks), and special Fury bushings. And if that's not enough, Fury trucks have a unique ballpoint turning design, so that the hangar has a ball joint sitting in a socket in the base plate.

2. Grindking Trucks
Grind King TrucksGrind King skateboard trucks are the best trucks available for grinding. The truck hangar is made from aluminum, making it softer and weaker, but better for grinding. This means you will have to replace them faster if you grind, but your grinds will be smoother and better. Grind King trucks do use special hex-head kingpins, so you will need a special tool to adjust them.

3.Tensor

TrucksTensor TrucksTensor trucks are the most highly engineered skateboard trucks on the market. Tensor trucks are like the Cadillac of trucks, and have the brilliance of skateboarding legend / engineer Rodney Mullen as a driving force. Tensor trucks come in both standard and low designs, and should work excellently in most skateboarding situations. Sort of a perfect all-round well built skateboarding truck.

4. Independent Trucks
Independent TrucksIndependent has been making skateboarding trucks for over 25 years. Independent's Stage 9 truck series are quality made, lightweight and still durable. They also feature "Fast Action Independent Geometry," which means they are designed to react more quickly to your motions than other trucks. Independent trucks are usually on the wider side, but all sizes are available. Independent trucks are also guaranteed for life against manufacturer defects, but should last forever anyway.

5. Navigator Trucks
Navigator TrucksNavigator is a newer truck company, and may be hard to find (the Navigator site has a store locater that should help). I've listed them here because they have some unique features on their trucks. For example, they have a special addition beneath the baseplate that holds the kingpin in place so bushings can be replaced without taking the trucks off of the skateboard. Also, Navigator is the only truck company that pins their axles, so they can guarantee their axles will NEVER slip! The Navigator site lists many other features - take a look and see what you think.

6. Destructo Trucks
Destructo TrucksDestructo has some fancy skateboarding trucks. The Destructo raw series skate trucks come in low, medium and high designs and look oddly skinny. The Limited and Pro series trucks just look awesome, with simple pro signatures on the front and great color schemes. That's not to mention Destructo's "Rail Killer" series - these light trucks have extended baseplates to reduce wheelbite, and come in some incredible color schemes (including one using 24 karat gold!).

7. Krux Trucks
Krux TrucksKrux make some great trucks. Krux makes "downlows" trucks, that have a lower hanger and kingpin than even Grind King. However, you will need a hex tool to adjust them. The Krux IIIs with Topless System are even lighter, with special bushings that feel broken in from the start, but that also provide a faster snap back into position. Krux trucks are light and low.

8.Thunder Trucks
Thunder TrucksThunder trucks are solid, with some great innovations. Thunder's light truck range claims ot be the lightest available, with the quickest turning. Thunder's team is also pretty impressive, with Thomas, Appleyard, Marks, Steamer, Ellington ... the list is actually pretty huge. If having a lot of pros ride the same trucks as you is important (which isn't a bad idea - these people are skating in competitions, and want the best!), then take a look at Thunder.

9. Phantom Trucks
Phantom TrucksPhantom 2 trucks have a low profile, are lightweight and have a nice smooth edge for grinding. They also just look nice. The thing that sets Phantom trucks (both regular Phantoms and Phantom 2s) are their built in shock pads. Phantom calls it an "Impact Dispersion System," a 1.5 mm rubber shock pad built onto the bottom of the trucks. Shock pads help reduce stress from the trucks to the board.

10. Silver Trucks
Silver TrucksSilver has edged it's way onto the scene offering nice, quality skateboard trucks, with plenty of little extras to make their trucks stand out from the rest. With things like inverted kingpins and axle caps, Silver trucks are pushing their motto, "Strength with Style." Silver trucks do look nice! Silver also sports a great team, with guys like Sheckler, Dyrdek, Rodriquez and more.

All About Skateboard Wheels And Skateboard Trucks

By Dean Novosat


Skateboard wheels are designed in many different sizes and hardnesses. Skateboard wheels are made of a rubber-like material called urethane. The size and hardness of the wheels affect the smoothness of the ride on a skateboard, how well it handles, and its speed. Skateboard wheels are normally 52 mm to 60 mm and have their own ball bearings built in. Street skateboard wheels are usually very hard, which allows them to slow down quickly and store energy as you move along. Park wheels are usually made of a softer urethane for better bite and handling.

Modern skateboard wheels are bidirectional, meaning that they can be attached in either direction unlike the wheels on a car or the back wheel of a bicycle. This means that if the edges start to wear, you can flip the wheels and use them on the other side. Skateboard wheels are attached to the trucks by hex head axle bolts and ABEC (or another company's) ball bearings to provide the free-spinning movement of the wheels.

Skateboard Trucks

Trucks are axles attached to a baseplate. Most trucks are made from an aluminum alloy and they are very strong. Trucks come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. Trucks are made from cast metal and allow the skater to turn the board. Depending how tightly the nut on the kingpin is secured, the trucks can be loose or tight just like the suspension on a car. The main purpose of having trucks that are not fixed is to enable you to turn or "carve" without lifting your front wheels off the ground. The looser your trucks are, the further you will be able to lean in one direction or the other.

Skateboard Wheels

Wheels don't just keep your skateboard rolling -- they are also responsible for keeping you on your feet as you tackle different terrain. Wheels attach to the axles of the trucks with a hex bolt and there are 8 bearings, two inserted into each wheel with a spacer between. The wheels come in a variety of shapes, from 50 to 55 mm, and different hardnesses. Most skateboard wheels, like mentioned above, are made from urethane, and have a hardness rating stamped on the wheel (for example: 95a, or 100a - always with an "a" after the number). The higher the number, the harder the wheel. For example, a 101a wheel is harder than a 95a. So a good choice for street riding might be a 100a or 101a. A 95a would do well on ramps and in a skateboard park.

So, a skateboard is made up of three main parts: the deck, the trucks, and the wheels. The deck is the flat part on top (or mostly flat) where you plant your feet. The trucks are bolted to the bottom of the deck. This is your suspension and axles for the deck and wheels. The wheels bolt onto the ends of the trucks and include wheel bearings so the wheels can spin. Wheels come in different sizes and hardnesses to help you custom tailor your ride.

Dean Novosat owns and operates http://www.1skates.com/

Ger free reviews, opinions, and reports on all things skateboard! Shoes, Decks, Wheels, and more on http://www.1skates.com/ and 1Skates.com