SKATEBOARD TRUCKS: All You Need To Know – Skate Setup | Titus

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Nick will explain skateboard trucks to you in this video.
It would be incorrect to say that one component of a skateboard is more important than another. A good setup will have all of its parts working together in perfect harmony. That means that the quality of your skateboard trucks isn’t necessarily as important as how well they fit in with the rest of your setup. Trucks are also important because they influence the way your skateboard “rides”.
Next, Nick will explain the general setup of a truck. The baseplate is exactly what it sounds like. It connects the truck to the deck and is secured in place with four screws. The hanger lies on the baseplate and has to be pretty tough - that’s the part that gets “grinded” on curbs, ledges and rails.
The axle sits in the middle of the hanger. That’s where the bearings and wheels get screwed onto the deck. The piece of metal that connects the baseplate to the hanger is called the kingpin. Two bushings get attached to the kingpin to enable smoother turns. Different bushings have different hardness grades, letting you choose between “softer” and “harder” turns.
Of course, reducing the overall weight of the deck is usually a pretty high priority for most skaters. Many trucks - like Titus Lites, for example - have hollow kingpins so as to remove a few grams of weight from your setup. Sometimes, both the kingpin and the axle are hollow for an even lower weight.
Skateboard trucks usually come in high, mid and low variations, which all have different advantages and drawbacks. Lower trucks usually offer you more comfort as well as a faster pop, and higher trucks reduce the risk of wheel bite (aka that annoying moment when your wheels come in contact with your deck during hard landings and sharp turns and send you flying). Again, personal experience can help you decide which type is best for you.
The width of your truck needs to be sized properly to fit the width of your deck. Different truck companies use different use different sizing scales, which can make finding the proper size a daunting task. We recommend visiting your local Titus shop so you can see the size differences in person for yourself.
Last but not least, Nick’s going to show us a couple of different baseplate constructions. Baseplates can either be cast or forged, but forged baseplates are usually significantly more stable. Titanium trucks are also available and are lighter and more stable than iron trucks. But let’s let Nick do the talking for us!