The Thunder Thread

[Richard Skidder]

55mm Conical on Thunder lights. No issues here ( 150 lbs ).

[Frank and Fred]

Aside from wheelbite reduction, risers help Thunders turn better. an 1/8" riser destabilizes them nicely.

[theloniousmonk]

I’m riding 54mm on 147 cast. I do get wheelbite, but as said above wheel wells can help.
I think Suciu rides 147 with 54mm as well.
I’m skating a 8.5 on the 147s right now, and my kickflips are working great.

[LebowskisRug]

I rode 54 on 148s just fine. Honestly for me wheelbite is inevitable if I stomp something hard enough off center.

[BartHarleyJarvis]

I mostly run 52s or 53s on my thunders, but I’m a heavier guy so wheelbite is just something I’ve learned to live with. Currently riding a polar with wheel wells and that’s definitely helped a bit  I’ve also just waited to wheelbite through a ply or 2 and then waxed them really good

[pizzafliptofakie]

I'm riding 55s on Thunder 149s right now and it's working fine. Unless you skate really tight trucks or weigh 100 pounds, you're probably gonna wheelbite either way.

[IpathCats]

I had 56mm classics on my 148s for a bit. had to be careful and a bit more precise, but it worked alright. Classic shape really helps those wanting a larger diameter wheel while not wanting to run risers.

[Ok]

I had 56mm classics on my 148s for a bit. had to be careful and a bit more precise, but it worked alright. Classic shape really helps those wanting a larger diameter wheel while not wanting to run risers.

Yes.

[danmasontree]

Does anyone know what bushing hardness comes with the 148 Thunder lights? I’m assuming medium but just want to confirm. Getting some truck/bushing madness going on

[LebowskisRug]

All Thunder trucks come with 90a bushings. If you live in one of those flyover states that have crusty strip malls then they might feel like 900a in winter.

Does anyone know if the bushings have been reformulated when they changed the logo and packaging. I don't live in a cold area and actually really like Thunder stock bushings.

[LebowskisRug]

Anyone ride a Baker or similar mellow deck on Thunders? If so, how was it?

I think the most mellow deck I've had them on as a 917 that was super flat and I have forged ti whatever the fucks that were stupid light to begin with. I now have Team standard discount bin edition.

[danmasontree]

Anyone ride a Baker or similar mellow deck on Thunders? If so, how was it?

I think the most mellow deck I've had them on as a 917 that was super flat and I have forged ti whatever the fucks that were stupid light to begin with. I now have Team standard discount bin edition.

I rode foundation/toy machine decks for a few years on thunders. Loved it. Went on a blood wizard kick which are pretty mellow as well and love it too

[danmasontree]

All Thunder trucks come with 90a bushings. If you live in one of those flyover states that have crusty strip malls then they might feel like 900a in winter.

Does anyone know if the bushings have been reformulated when they changed the logo and packaging. I don't live in a cold area and actually really like Thunder stock bushings.

I upgraded from 147’s to 148’s and I hated the bushings. They kept getting stuck and wouldn’t break in. Switched to bones bushings but I kinda miss how the Thunder bushings feel. Wondering if maybe I should get hard Thunder bushings since I’m a bigger dude

[Richard Skidder]

All Thunder trucks come with 90a bushings. If you live in one of those flyover states that have crusty strip malls then they might feel like 900a in winter.

Does anyone know if the bushings have been reformulated when they changed the logo and packaging. I don't live in a cold area and actually really like Thunder stock bushings.

There was a comment section on Instagram a while back when they released the new colors and Thunder confirmed that the bushings are the same formula just new colors.

(Edited because I found the comment/reply)

[Thebird]

Expand Quote

Anyone ride a Baker or similar mellow deck on Thunders? If so, how was it?

I think the most mellow deck I've had them on as a 917 that was super flat and I have forged ti whatever the fucks that were stupid light to begin with. I now have Team standard discount bin edition.

[close]

I rode foundation/toy machine decks for a few years on thunders. Loved it. Went on a blood wizard kick which are pretty mellow as well and love it too

I also would say Toy Machine pairs great with Thunder.  It feels perfect.  On the other hand, I couldn't get a Baker that I tried to ever feel right on the Thunders.

[Xen]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Anyone ride a Baker or similar mellow deck on Thunders? If so, how was it?

I think the most mellow deck I've had them on as a 917 that was super flat and I have forged ti whatever the fucks that were stupid light to begin with. I now have Team standard discount bin edition.

[close]

I rode foundation/toy machine decks for a few years on thunders. Loved it. Went on a blood wizard kick which are pretty mellow as well and love it too

[close]

I also would say Toy Machine pairs great with Thunder.  It feels perfect.  On the other hand, I couldn't get a Baker that I tried to ever feel right on the Thunders.

Last time I rode an 8.25" baker with 148s, the manual point was sooo heavy, made no sense. Indy's felt great (go figure).

[Bold]

Got my first thunders recently. Good gawd they're squeaky. Gonna get out the wax and pencil lead after dinner.

I've always used wax on squeaky trucks in the past but I'm going to try one with graphite and see which works better.

Edit:
Graphite powder didn't do anything so gulf wax had to come to the to the rescue.

[Murge]

Clicking is due to washers binding and flat washers are the answer right?

[BartHarleyJarvis]

Got my first thunders recently. Good gawd they're squeaky. Gonna get out the wax and pencil lead after dinner.

I've always used wax on squeaky trucks in the past but I'm going to try one with graphite and see which works better.

Edit:
Graphite powder didn't do anything so gulf wax had to come to the to the rescue.

That’s funny, thunders are the only trucks that haven’t squeaked for me. My Indy’s always squeaked like crazy and my aces squeak AND click

[pops]

Expand Quote

Got my first thunders recently. Good gawd they're squeaky. Gonna get out the wax and pencil lead after dinner.

I've always used wax on squeaky trucks in the past but I'm going to try one with graphite and see which works better.

Edit:
Graphite powder didn't do anything so gulf wax had to come to the to the rescue.

[close]

That’s funny, thunders are the only trucks that haven’t squeaked for me. My Indy’s always squeaked like crazy and my aces squeak AND click

I find this kinda funny.  soon we're able to recognize trucks by the sounds the make. Squeak and click, that's Ace!

Anyways, I've been intrested in trying Thundies in years. Are the wooden risers worth it? I'm probably getting 151s and I ride wheel sizes 52 to 56.

[Mbrimson88]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Got my first thunders recently. Good gawd they're squeaky. Gonna get out the wax and pencil lead after dinner.

I've always used wax on squeaky trucks in the past but I'm going to try one with graphite and see which works better.

Edit:
Graphite powder didn't do anything so gulf wax had to come to the to the rescue.

[close]

That’s funny, thunders are the only trucks that haven’t squeaked for me. My Indy’s always squeaked like crazy and my aces squeak AND click

[close]

I find this kinda funny.  soon we're able to recognize trucks by the sounds the make. Squeak and click, that's Ace!

Anyways, I've been intrested in trying Thundies in years. Are the wooden risers worth it? I'm probably getting 151s and I ride wheel sizes 52 to 56.

Lots of people ride Thunders without any risers on that approximate range wheel size, but I find that I need at least a couple of mm extra height just to keep the normal team Thunders at a good height to turn with anything in that range wheel size.  Without I am in constant wheelbite danger, but I am used to slightly taller trucks / more turn, even with the stock bushings.

If you get the risers, you can always take them off if you feel like they are too much, but they definitely work well, given they are the exact size and shape for Thunder trucks.

[pizzafliptofakie]

Honestly I don't think I've ever had a truck that didn't squeak, even during my brief departure away from Thunders. I only tend to notice if I'm just standing on my board but if I'm rolling the wheels are always louder than the trucks.

[IpathCats]

Honestly I don't think I've ever had a truck that didn't squeak, even during my brief departure away from Thunders. I only tend to notice if I'm just standing on my board but if I'm rolling the wheels are always louder than the trucks.

As someone with severe truck madness, squeak alone has driven me to switch trucks. For some reason, my experience is that while all trucks can squeak, thunders squeak in a way that isnt NEARLY as noticeable while riding.

[skatebruh]

Put a small bit of wax in your pivot cups and the squeak will go away.

[BurgerCop]

A drop of dish soap in the pivot cup works pretty well too, mine mostly squeak when it's cold out, been pretty much silent all summer.
I roll 147 hollow light with 50mm bones STF skinny. I ride pretty loose, so I feel like most situations where I wheelbite, I probably would have no matter what brand I was riding.

[pizzafliptofakie]

Do y'all actually take your trucks off to do that?


Kinda wanna try but I'm afraid I won't get them back how I like and fall into a pit of madness.

[skatebruh]

I used a 1/8" riser when I had 147 lights, but now I'm on 148 standards with no riser.

Without the riser I was getting too much wheelbite and the tail hit the ground too quickly for me to get good pop. The riser fixed those problems.

[LebowskisRug]

Mark the kingpin and nut with a sharpie. Bonus madness points if you put small dots on the bushings so they line up precisely too.

[j....soy.....]

Would a 147 on an 8.25 board wheelbite less than a 148 because of the angle which the wheel contacts the board?  Or is the truck proportionately smaller so it’s about the same?  Or more? 

[BurgerCop]

Do y'all actually take your trucks off to do that?


Kinda wanna try but I'm afraid I won't get them back how I like and fall into a pit of madness.

Yeah, it's pretty easy to get them back how you like them. I tighten my truck to where the nut is perfectly flush with the kingpin, so I just go back to that when I reassemble and it's perfect. If you go tighter just count the threads showing and go back to the same. May require a tiny bit of tweaking here and there if you're pretty picky but shouldn't be an issue.