If you enjoy building longboards, then you most likely now find yourself on the search for a good longboard truck, or if this is new to you, you may be wondering what a longboard truck is.
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A longboard truck refers to the metal T shaped pieces that are mounted onto the bottom of the longboard deck and then attached to the wheels.
If you are looking to build a complete longboard then you will require a set of two trucks in the process.
If you’re still a little confused as to what you should be looking for then this is where we come in.
We have done the hard work for you and browsed the market for the best longboard trucks before selecting our top five picks.
Below you will also find a useful buyers guide where we have outlined our top tips for purchasing the best longboard trucks.
In a hurry? We have selected our top pick for you below.
In a hurry? This is Our Favorite!
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Best Longboard Trucks – Comparison Table
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Best Longboard Trucks – Reviews
For our top pick we have selected the Gullwing Sidewinder longboard trucks and these come in a set of two.
They have a sleek and modern appearance and as they come in a range of different colors, they are great for catering to different tastes and are ideal for making any longboard stand out from the crowd.
What’s also ideal about these trucks is that they come in three different sizes so there is bound to be one available that suits your longboards size and build.
Not only are these going to provide you with endless hours of fun but they are also ideal for manoeuvring through those tighter spaces.
The double kingpin design gives them greater ability to steer, particularly in comparison to some regular trucks on the market.
As well as tightening the turning radius these trucks also give you the same effort back by doubling the rebound from your calves and pumps.
Thanks to these trucks you will be able to carve super tight lines from the momentum generating through turning and pumping.
- The different colors cater to different tastes.
- They have a nice appearance and a modern look.
- They perform very well and stand out from some regular longboard trucks.
- These trucks ride very nicely and smoothly.
- They are well structured and built providing you with stability when you ride.
- These trucks are good value for money.
- They add height which some people may not like, however some customers who have purchased these trucks noted that it didn’t significantly affect their ride.
- They may not be suitable for downhill riding.
Our next pick is the Caliber longboard trucks. Similarly to our top pick, these are available in a variety of different colors so there is plenty of choice.
You can also purchase them alone without the bearings, or there is the option to purchase red bearings with them if you choose.
These trucks are an update of their previous models made by the brand. Here they have combined lots of these features to create a great final product and I’m sure you will be impressed with what they have to offer.
You are going to get higher rebound and responsiveness and that’s thanks to the enhanced inner step which gives you increased contact with the bushings.
Also the outer step is designed as a perfect circle to create a no slop fit with the bushings.
The pivot cup surface area also has increased contact with the base plate which results in a snugger fit for pivot spins. The diameter of the king pin creates precise leaning and clearance.
Something that we like about this one is that each truck has been strengthened by around 40% in comparison to their previous models and you not only get control and response, but also all the strength that you could need in your longboard trucks.
- They are very good value for money.
- They are 40% stronger than previous models.
- They are available in different colors to cater to different tastes. surface.
- The bushings that you can purchase with this longboard are very responsive.
- They are durable and sturdy, not only are they weather proof, but they also withstanding scratches for quite some time too.
- Curve well at lower speeds.
- It’s recommended to double check your order as some people only recieved one truck despite them being advertised as a set of two.
Next we have chosen the Paris V2 180mm longboard and skateboard trucks. Not only are they very aesthetically pleasing thanks to their modern and cool design, but these trucks give you smooth and fluid carves in and out of turns.
There are many features that make these trucks a great option. They are designed with exceptional quality and performance in mind.
Created with virgin alluminium, these are designed to last and the T6 heat treatment process, the grade 8 steel axles and the pressed in kingpins not only give you added strength but durability too.
If you weren’t convinced yet, they come with USA 90a urethane bushings providing you with the ultimate response and rebound. You really will be impressed with their quality and performance.
What’s really good about these trucks is that they are compatible with new school and old school mountings thanks to their universal fit.
Confident with their product, the manufacturers of these trucks guarantee that these will last you a lifetime.
- Manufacturers confidence guarantee.
- They come in three different colors, all with a nice, sleek appearance.
- They are made with good quality materials which are not only strong but durable too; you are going to get many uses out of these before they wear.
- They are nice and stable and carve great turns too.
- They are lightweight.
- Some customers who purchased these didn’t feel as though they felt solid enough when riding.
Next up we have chosen another set of trucks from the brand Caliber except these ones have a 44 degree hanger angle which gives a great focus to speed and really allows the riders to focus on performance and pushing the limits when it comes to downhill racing.
In this set comes 2 trucks along with a package of original bones red bearings which you can opt not to purchase if you choose.
However, these provide you with enough for a skateboard or a longboard. You will also find high quality ultra HR premium bushings, you really are spoilt with quality with these trucks.
Caliber have focused greatly on durability and performance when designing these trucks. Similarly to the Caliber trucks we have mentioned previously, developments in manufacturing mean that these are 40% stronger than the previous model.
The no-slip bushing seat also eliminates excess movement and weight distribution from beginning to turn.
They have a very nice aesthetic appeal to them and are available in a range of different colors; you’re bound to find a color that you like!
- They are developed on advancements from previous models so you are going to get all of the updated features
- They are good value for money and affordable.
- They are ideal for downhill racing.
- They turn nice and easily but also tightly too.
- They respond to movements quickly, any slight movements are translated into turns
- Some who have purchased these trucks didn’t find them to be of the quality that they were expecting.
Finally we have chosen the Cal trucks set with bearings and hardware, they are the ideal width for attaching to your longboards and the parts have been designed specifically for riding longboards.
This set is super handy as it includes everything that you need and simply requires you to add some wood for the deck. It is also available in a wide range of fun colors, giving you the chance to personalise the appearance of your longboard by choosing the colors that you would like for the wheels and stucks.
The trucks in this set are designed with a 50 degree baseplate, which means they are going to be great for reaching high speeds and carving quick turns.
They are lightweight and made from really good quality materials with a 9.75” grade 8 axel and a 180mm hanger to ensure that you have a secure ride.
These components are nice and durable and likely to see you through many many rides.
As mentioned above this set also comes with wheels too, they are 70 X 51mm in size and ideal for longboard riding.
The premium bearings give you a faster and smoother spin. It is fair to say that you will be spoilt with quality in this set.
- As this is a set you have everything you need at hand and only need to add the deck.
- There is a selection of colors available all with a sleek and modern appearance.
- This set is very good value for money with everything that it offers.
- The components are durable as they are made from good quality alluminium which gives strength and durability.
- They are easy to assemble and screw onto the board.
- A few customers who have previously purchased these trucks had difficulties with the size and fitting them onto their boards.
Best Longboard Trucks – Buyers Guide
Choosing the right longboard truck may seem like a little bit of a task, there are many different options on the market and a few things to consider and look out for.
It can be hard to know what is worthy of your purchase and what isn’t. After all, you will want to be making a worthy investment into some longboard trucks that perform well and are of good quality too.
For this reason, we have outlined some of our top tips below and things that we would recommend you considering in order to purchase the best longboard truck for you and your purpose.
Truck Size
If possible the size of the trucks should be as close to the width of your longboard deck as possible. If the sizing is a little off then that’s ok but ideally it should only differ by around 1/4″.
Different sized trucks will react to your movements in different ways, generally wider longboards trucks are more responsive but not as stable and smaller trucks are less stable but more responsive.
It is very dependent on how you choose to ride your longboard and whether you are more likely to be free styling or free riding, carving or downhill riding.
For decks that are 9″ or wider, a hanger width of 180mm is required. 9-10″ tends to be the most common size of longboard trucks.
The Fit
As you may have noticed we have mentioned the fit of the trucks a few times in the product reviews and this is becuase different trucks will fit with different models and so it is important to pay attention to this in order to choose the best ones for your model of longboard.
You will find that some longboard trucks are universal fitting which means that they fit to the design of both old and newer models.
The Angle
So the angle basically refers to how much you have to lean in order to get your board to turn well. For example with most boards this will be around 50 degrees based upon the pivot angle of a normal board.
The steeper the angle the less you are required to lean to achieve the turn.
Understanding the different parts of a longboard truck can often seem confusing, particularly if this is something that you are new too. We have broken down the different parts below so you know what they are and their purpose.
Bushings
The bushings refer to the two pieces of urethane donut that go through the middle of the truck and are attatched to the centre kingpin.
They then fit into both sides of the hanger and the purpose of these is to provide adjustable levels of resistance when turning the longboard and they ultimately stop all of the parts from rubbing together. They work to allow the board to turn and pivot smoothly.
The Axel
Now this is the long and thin peice of metal that runs through the hanger and then connects the wheels.
Risers
These do as the name suggests, they are pads (typically hard plastic) that are inserted between the truck and the deck to raise the height of the longboard.
There are many reasons as to why these are used on longboards, one being to avoid the wheel bite as this is something that commonly occurs when the wheels and the trucks rub against each other during tricks and turns.
Kingpin
The kingpin is one of the most important parts in the build up of the trucks, it is the big bolt that fits inside the truck bushings and holds all of the parts together.
You can get different types of kingpins like reverse kingpins, longboard trucks often use reverse kingpins as the axle is commonly on the other side of the truck in contrast from standard trucks.
The Hanger
This is essentially the longest component that you will find on the truck. It acts as a support to the axle which runs through it. The size of the hanger should match up to the width of your board ideally.
For example, if your deck is 9″ or wider then you will need a hanger with a minimum width of 180mm.
We hope that has given you an understanding of the different parts of a longboard truck that you are very likely to come across when making your purchase.
The better the quality of the trucks, the better they are likely to perform when attached to your longboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are longboard trucks and skateboards trucks the same?
Longboard trucks tend to be a little wider than skateboards and they come with a kingpin that is reversed and facing outwards, so no they do in fact have differences in their size and structure.
What size longboard truck should I get?
Typically, a wider truck will provide you with more stability but tends to be less responsive to your movements. However, narrow trucks do the opposite, they tend to be less stable but more responsive.
It also depends what you use your longboard for, you will find that some are more suitable for going downhill than others and this affects the size of the trucks that you should pick.
For going downhill or free riding a wider truck is better because it provides you with more stability. For carving, transportation and freestyle a smaller truck is better as it gives you greater response.
