TRUCK GUIDE--How to choose your Esk8 TRUCK

Hello everyone and welcome to this guide on how to choose your TRUCK.

Before we choose a suitable Truck, Let's take a quick look at the parts of Trucks:

• Axle – supports the wheels and bearings, locking them in place.
• Kingpin – keeps the bushings in place and controls the tightness of the truck
• Hanger – top piece of the truck, can be used for grinding obstacles
• Bushings – urethane above and underneath hanger which influence turning
• Pivot Cup – turning point of the hanger, urethane inside keeps turning smooth
• Baseplate – Bottom truck mounting plate that locks the truck assembly to the skateboard deck. Baseplates come in various angles to change the turning geometry.
• Mounting Holes – used to connect trucks to longboard

We'll discuss how to choose a Truck that's right for you in terms of Trucks type, size and construction.

Types of Trucks

Reverse Kingpin Truck (RKP)

16.3" CNC New Upgrade RKP Trucks

The most prominent truck type used in Esk8 is the Reverse Kingpin a.k.a RKP truck. These trucks tend to be stable at higher speeds and offer a good linear carve. These also can come in a variety of degree angles.  These trucks are among the most common style in E-skating.

Double Kingpin Truck (DKP)

 12" Double Kingpin Trucks for DIY Electric Skateboard

There is also the Double kingpin truck which kind of fits under the TKP style based on the hanger and pivot. Another cool aspect of this truck is that you can remove the middle piece and turn it into a TKP truck. So with this, you have two trucks in one. There are a few downsides. Number one is that you need double the amount of bushings, so when you buy new quality bushings the price is doubled. The other thing to note is both TKP and DKP aren’t as stable at high speeds as RKP trucks. This doesn’t mean you can’t ride them fast, just that you will always be able to ride a low angle RKP faster.

Traditional Kingpin Trucks (TKP)

A traditional kingpin or old-school style truck is designed primarily for trick skating. Although not super common Esk8 they still popular. These tend to sit lower than RKP trucks and offer more stability with landing tricks. TKP generally has a much sooner release/less grip and a much more progressive turn than RKP. They also tend to have a divey carve feeling.

Size of Trucks

About truck size. To start the wider your trucks the more stable they become. The narrower your trucks the more responsive they are. With that in mind, most ESK8 trucks tend to be larger than the board even when they are top-mounted. This provides more than enough stability. Most truck sizes are going to be between 150mm-180mm. This measurement usually refers to the hanger’s measurement. But, every truck company measures its trucks in different ways. Some measure the entire axle length as their measurement.

Truck width is determined by the rider's style and the type of board. For longboard (36"-45" or 91cm - 114cm), the most common width for all-around riding is the 180mm truck. It is capable of handling all kinds of riding, from downhill to cruising. The 180mm truck is rad because it offers stability while still being capable of cruising and carving. More nimble longboard are most commonly found with a 150mm truck.

Image from: https://stokedrideshop.com/

Construction of Trucks

When it comes to the material of the Truck, we will start with its production process.

Skateboard trucks are almost made from metal. Metal is manipulated in many ways to create tools of shred. Let’s talk about the three most common forms of truck construction.

l CAST TRUCKS

Cast trucks make up most of the truck market. The majority of both longboard and skateboard trucks are made from cast aluminum. This is done by the metal being poured into a pre-built mold, left to dry, and solidified.

Strength - Cast trucks are, relative to the other types, the weakest type of trucks in terms of durability. The grains of cast metal fall into random patterns when poured, which in turn creates weak points in the components of the truck， which easy to break

Price - Cast trucks are the most inexpensive of the lot as they are the easiest to produce. For the large majority of skateboarders, cast trucks will be sufficient for riding needs. Given the price difference between cast trucks, precision trucks, and forged trucks, cast trucks simply make sense for the majority of riders.

l FORGED TRUCKS

Forged trucks take that same block of aluminum used in precision trucks, but rather than cutting it; it is beaten (forged) into the desired shape.

Strength - Forged trucks are actually the strongest trucks available on the market today. However, because forged trucks are not cut completely on a CNC machine, slight imperfections may be present in the truck. Besides, the forging process requires beating the metal, which in turn creates a dense material that is relatively heavy.

Price - Forged trucks usually cost more than cast trucks, but less than precision trucks. This is because the cost of manufacturing them is not as expensive as using a CNC machine to cut precision trucks.

l CNC / PRECISION TRUCKS

CNC Precision trucks are cut from a block of aluminum, stronger than that used in cast trucks, using a CNC machine， which in turn creates less slop and play in the truck.

Strength - Precision trucks are very strong because the cutting goes in the same direction as the aluminum block it is being cut from. The "grain" of the metal is completely straight. The aluminum used to make precision trucks is also stronger than the cast metal used in cast trucks.

Price - CNC machining is expensive. Not only is the cost of running a CNC machine expensive, but the aluminum block used to create the truck is expensive as well. There is no way to make another piece of Trucks from scrap metal precision machined through CNC machines. This is another reason why CNC trucks are so expensive.

Besides that, choosing the right Trucks also depends on your goals on your board, the terrain you are riding, how you want your trucks to feel, and if you want to DIY. I hope this guide can help point you in the right direction and narrow down your choices.