There are many brands of trucks longboard boards. Most of them offer trucks classic skateboard and trucks RKP, dedicated to longboard.
We offer you some advice for the choice of your trucks longboard before making your purchase: What size? What inclination? Which brand?
If you are looking for information about trucks, read our guide "How to choose my trucks "
Truck RKP (Reverse KingPin) : explanation
This is the name given to the standard trucks longboards. Indeed, most longboards are mounted with trucks RKP.
But what does "Reverse Kingpin" mean ? Simply that the Kingpin is mounted in the opposite direction of the one used on a truck skateboard.
And what is a Kingpin? The Kingpin is the axle on which the bushings and the hanger of your truck are mounted. On a skateboard (or any truck "skateboard type"), the Kingpin is located towards the inside of the board in relation to the Hanger. On a truck longskate RKP, it's the opposite, the Kingpin "looks" outside.
Ok, but what is the point of a truck RKP ? Well, it reverses the torsion axis, which has a very simple mechanical effect: it increases the stability, even on higher trucks (on which you mount bigger wheels).
Longboard Trucks: how wide?
The first criterion to take into consideration when choosing your trucks longboard is obviously the width of the axle.
On complete longboard boards, the width of the axles is adapted to the size of your board and the discipline you practice. In fact, you will find that most boards are assembled with trucks of the same size.
Thus, the flagship models of the brands Paris, Caliber or Bear are available in sizes from 180 to 184 mm and equip most of the production boards. For strolling, for carver or for Downhill with a longboard, these are the sizes par excellence.
However, there are other sizes of truck and, depending on the manufacturer, we can find axes of 150 or 160mm for example. These trucks are dedicated to a use with smaller boards, and in particular cruisers with narrower decks and with which one seeks more maneuverability.
To summarize the difference between the sizes, we can say that if the trucks of big width offer more stability, they are thus clearly less playful and thus less adapted for a board of cruising than the smaller trucks.
If you are a beginner, and you are riding a versatile board for touring and cruising, most of the time, opt for trucks in 180 to 184 mm width. Same thing for a Dancing/Freestyle board to get a maximum of support.
To build a custom board for a particular discipline, don't hesitate to ask us for advice.
Longboard Trucks: the choice of the inclination
The other essential factor that differentiates a standard truck from a truck RKP is that the latter always have a statement specifying the inclination of the truck: for example, Truck 184mm - 50°.
The slope of the truck is the angle between the base and the kingpin. The smaller the angle, the closer the axis is to the board. The higher the angle, the greater the distance between the axle and the board.
Why have a lower inclination? Simply to lower the center of gravity of your longskate board and gain stability.
You will find that there are different inclinations, but that each brand generally offers several inclinations between 40 and 52°.
If you're riding a Donwhill board to break all speed records, most of the time you'll want to ride trucks at 44°, the right compromise for downhill riding while still being well maneuverable for turns.
Longboard Trucks : brands
While every longboarder has a preference for one brand or another, there are many specific features that are unique to each manufacturer.
For example, it is well known that trucks Caliber longboards are heavier and their construction makes them more suitable for freeride and downhill use.
The trucks Paris, on the other hand, are known for their versatility, especially for carving, as they offer a better response, a better return to the center.
Of course, if these characteristics are based on observations, we must not forget that it remains personal opinions and that nothing replaces the feeling you can make by trying yourself.
Good to know: what to do when my truck is making noise?
This is something we see at the store, some of our customers bring back a new longskate board whose trucks make noise when it turns.
This kind of small inconvenience happens from time to time, but the problem can be more or less pronounced.
Often, the parts that are in contact with each other make a squeaking noise when rubbing against each other. A truck is made of metal and plastic, so sometimes this rubbing can be noisy.
Most of the time, we try a complete disassembly/reassembly with the addition (sometimes) of a little grease (very little). This fixes the problem in most cases.
On the rare occasions when the problem persists, the noise tends to disappear with the use of truck. After a few sessions, the elements fall into place and nothing squeaks anymore.
If the problem persists, contact us for further advice.