If a wheel has bitten you, you have a few alternatives for fixing it, including tightening your truck.
Your skateboard should be tight enough to easily control it while being quite loose so that you don’t have to wobble to get around obstacles.
However, there are no rules about adjusting trucks. So, how tight should your longboard trucks be? Let’s get started with a detailed response to this question.
How Tight Should Your Longboard Trucks Be?
The truck on a good skateboard should be loose enough to be comfortable while not being too tight to prevent a smooth turn without falling.
For Cruising
The longboard trucks are designed to absorb the most shocks and vibrations while on the road.
These components have been loosened to provide the curving and bouncy feel that skaters seek.
The mounts should also be able to lower down on your board to bring it closer to the ground.
These drop-down mounts also let your long-barrel truck have a broader turning radius.
You can move around faster with better stability and balance because these trucks are loose.
When you combine all of this with the greatest longboard wheels, you’ve got everything you need for your soaring adventure.
For Downhill
When riding downhill on a longboard, your goal is to maximize speed and aerodynamics as much as possible.
To avoid crashes and falls, you must manage your movements at such speeds as well as the turns. The longboard should strengthen as you travel downhill, with less wobbling trucks.
In such a setting, tighter trucks are required to maintain control while driving and do feats.
The board itself should have a good foot grip so that you don’t slide and tumble when moving quickly.
If your main purpose is to go downhill, having a great ‘w’ groove or recess on the top-mounted unidirectional deck is a smart idea.
For Pumping
Longboards designed for pumping feature a medium-sized wheel. Smaller wheels provide more speed, but larger wheels make maneuvering easier.
You should strike a balance between the two while pumping. Front wheels might be thicker, stiffer, and less gripping to provide more control and flexibility.
This can be set at 15 degrees in the front truck and 7 degrees in the back while maintaining the same lift height.
For better balance, stiffer bushings or springs can be installed on the back truck of your longboard.
Keep your front truck looser and more flexible than your back truck to easily shift direction while keeping the board firm throughout each pump.
Should You Over-Tighten Your Longboard Trucks?
If you overtighten the truck, the bushing may explode. You should take caution when adjusting your truck. Unless they’re too loose, go gradually and complete half rounds at a time.
Bushing comes in a variety of softnesses and hardnesses. The looser the truck, the softer the bushing, and the tighter the truck, the stiffer the bushing.
However, some bushings must have been damaged. That is why it is critical to have your skating equipment with you.
As your bushings and trucks wear, you can make minor tweaks to suit your skating style.
Do Tight Trucks Help With Performing Tricks?
You can certainly do tricks with a long truck. However, it will be reserved for more experienced skateboarders.
Before executing any tricks, you’ll need to know a little more about the longboard than just its thickness.
The board you have should feature indentations that are large and long, as well as stickers that are easy to grip.
It is advised that the vehicle be positioned tightly with a rotation of 50 degrees.
Standard-sized brushes can be used for simple tricks as they provide enough versatility. Also, a specialized cone brush is required for more complex tasks.
How To Adjust Longboard Trucks?
You simply need two items to tighten or loosen the trucks on your longboard: your board and a skate tool.
First, take your longboard and flip it over, grabbing both wheels with either hand.
The clamp should be entirely covered by your fingers. Apply pressure on one wheel, then the other, to test the truck.
The amount of wheel tilt will be determined by the tightness of your truck. Next, tighten or loosen the nut (also known as a pushpin) at the truck’s center with your skate tool.
The tightness of your truck is controlled by Kingpin manually. You can tighten the screw by rotating it clockwise.
The truck will loosen as you move it counterclockwise. Make sure to tighten in small increments, double-check, and then tighten or loosen as needed.
Finally, go check out your board. For the first few trips, bring your skating gear so you can make changes if necessary.
Or, stand next to your longboard and place some weight on one of the rails. This will cause your truck to turn in a certain way.
The plank will return to its middle position after removing the weight from the rails.
Another common rule is to tighten the clamp until the bushing washer cannot be turned by hand.
To learn more about how to adjust longboard trucks, see this video:
Conclusion
The longboard truck has always been an integral part of longboarding. You can customize these trucks to meet the needs and circumstances.
Skate a few times, make some tweaks, and continue skating. Take the time to learn and feel how your truck and longboard react during a ride.
If you’re unsure how tight your truck is, a medium-tight setting is a decent place to start.
Hopefully, the guide above provided an efficient solution for how tight should your longboard trucks be.
