The Indy Thread

[pops]

First impression on Stage 4s. Left my trucks on factory tightness. Really stable at center and fast rebound, turning was different than Ace but on par if not better. Weight didn't bother me at all (166s). Somehow my Aces felt heavier even though they're lighter, lol. Flips felt really good because these are more stable than Ace classic/af1. Didnt get a chance to grind these yet, but bet they feel harder than Ace. I like the Ace design better but these are my #1 trucks now for how they feel and function.

[JimmyFive]

First impression on Stage 4s. Left my trucks on factory tightness. Really stable at center and fast rebound, turning was different than Ace but on par if not better. Weight didn't bother me at all (166s). Somehow my Aces felt heavier even though they're lighter, lol. Flips felt really good because these are more stable than Ace classic/af1. Didnt get a chance to grind these yet, but bet they feel harder than Ace. I like the Ace design better but these are my #1 trucks now for how they feel and function.

Awesome. Yeah they are so much fun, my faves as well. They feel more stable than Ace and somehow have a deeper, more sharper turning radius. I like the aesthetics of Ace though, definitely a better looking truck.

[pops]

Expand Quote

First impression on Stage 4s. Left my trucks on factory tightness. Really stable at center and fast rebound, turning was different than Ace but on par if not better. Weight didn't bother me at all (166s). Somehow my Aces felt heavier even though they're lighter, lol. Flips felt really good because these are more stable than Ace classic/af1. Didnt get a chance to grind these yet, but bet they feel harder than Ace. I like the Ace design better but these are my #1 trucks now for how they feel and function.

[close]

Awesome. Yeah they are so much fun, my faves as well. They feel more stable than Ace and somehow have a deeper, more sharper turning radius. I like the aesthetics of Ace though, definitely a better looking truck.

Skated some more yesterday, for about two hours. Grind was super good on concrete curbs. Didnt have issues with smiths despite kp clearance being quite minimal. I really like the turn. Im curious if the bushings will harden and affect the turn at some point?

[JimmyFive]

Yep the bushings firm up a bit but this doesn't really hamper the turn. Just makes things a little less squirrely though. I changed to firmer Riptide 90A bushings because I run these bushings in everything. The Riptide pivots made things too loose with the stock bushings. I do think the stock bushings are pretty solid for stock bushings. I also remember mine where really squeaky when I got them. Some graphite powder in the pivot cup works if you're getting squeak.

[CarcassToss]

I got gifted a set from a friend and they're the one truck I haven't tried, kinda hesitant cuz WHAT IF THEY ARE THE BEST?

I've been on Ventures and Thunders for a while, before that Ace. Haven't ridden Stage XI since they first came out aside from a pair of Titaniums I hated.

[Xen]

I got gifted a set from a friend and they're the one truck I haven't tried, kinda hesitant cuz WHAT IF THEY ARE THE BEST?

I've been on Ventures and Thunders for a while, before that Ace. Haven't ridden Stage XI since they first came out aside from a pair of Titaniums I hated.

Been off them for ages myself (Royals/venture mostly these days) last time I set up my Indy ti...they felt slow, sluggish, heavy and made my board sound clunky and dead, it was not a good time.

[CarcassToss]

Indy Ti are the least favorite of any modern truck I've tried. I don't think normal forged would be any better. You're right they make the board just sound weird, the turn is just subpar for an Indy, and I didn't care for the pop of 'em.

These Stage 4 I definitely don't have high hopes for. I've got a deck in the closet that I'd normally have as a transition setup so I figured that I would put them on there and see how it goes. I don't ride super loose so what I am hoping for is a more controllable Ace. I liked my Ace a lot on transition at first, but would often be cranking the bushings. I swapped to hards at one point and then was like "I'm trying to create a different truck", my friend introduced me to modern Thunders, and eventually I became Awake.

[smg1138]

Indy Ti are the least favorite of any modern truck I've tried. I don't think normal forged would be any better. You're right they make the board just sound weird, the turn is just subpar for an Indy, and I didn't care for the pop of 'em.

These Stage 4 I definitely don't have high hopes for. I've got a deck in the closet that I'd normally have as a transition setup so I figured that I would put them on there and see how it goes. I don't ride super loose so what I am hoping for is a more controllable Ace. I liked my Ace a lot on transition at first, but would often be cranking the bushings. I swapped to hards at one point and then was like "I'm trying to create a different truck", my friend introduced me to modern Thunders, and eventually I became Awake.

I've tried to get used to them, but I just don't like forged plates either. Think I heard Ben Degros describe them as "tinny" feeling before and I'd agree with that assessment. I've been skating Indy's since Stage VII though, so maybe I'm just unable to change at this point. I have been experimenting with a cast hollow plate and Ti hangers recently. Almost as light as a full Ti truck but with a cast plate instead of forged. Probably not worth the cost and weight savings over a hollow, but I had the parts sitting around and thought I'd put together a Frankenstein truck for the yucks 

[Basingstoke]

I quite like the Titanium's, but only quite. The major problem I have had with all of the sets I have had thus far (might be Three sets) is the axle slip, the slip isn't major like my Stage V which just slid out completely. Once the slippage occurs I have noticed then soon after bearings become damaged. Also noticed on the nhsdirect insta that the Titanium's now have a no slip axle, but when asked how to tell the new batches from old received no answer.

[pops]

I think the kingpin on my Stage 4s is starting to get a bit on the way on feebles and smiths now that I've worn them down more. Nothing substantial but noticeable at times. I still like these a lot, great and quick carve yet quite stable. I'm curious to try out the Slappys next, maybe that will be my perfect truck. 

[rikki]

After a long stint on Forged Ventures, Indy Tits felt like shit to me. They somehow completely took away my pop, I spent an entire session trying to find my feet when popping and it was all shitty and frustrating. Grind was nice, though, but when I switch back to Ventures my pop was back instantly.

[smg1138]

I quite like the Titanium's, but only quite. The major problem I have had with all of the sets I have had thus far (might be Three sets) is the axle slip, the slip isn't major like my Stage V which just slid out completely. Once the slippage occurs I have noticed then soon after bearings become damaged. Also noticed on the nhsdirect insta that the Titanium's now have a no slip axle, but when asked how to tell the new batches from old received no answer.

Are the Ti axles more prone to slippage than regular axles?

[art hellman]

For the Indy Stage 4s... anyone have success with non-stock bushings?  Do Ace fit?  Reg indy?   

Call me petty, but i'm not into red bushings. 

[Rick Trapasso]

For the Indy Stage 4s... anyone have success with non-stock bushings?  Do Ace fit?  Reg indy?   

Call me petty, but i'm not into red bushings. 

Bottom bushing height is what you have to be most worried about. I don't think any other brand makes the same size, but iirc ace are the closest.

I though I saw Indy come out with stage 4 replacement bushings in various duros and colors too?

Yep, they did. Here are the super soft white ones. Looks like they have blue and black as well, which are both harder than stock.

https://nhsskatedirect.com/products/genuine-parts-original-88a-cushions-super-soft-white-independent?variant=44514733785245

[Lou Strux]

For the Indy Stage 4s... anyone have success with non-stock bushings?  Do Ace fit?  Reg indy?   

Call me petty, but i'm not into red bushings. 

I reckon you could always dunk ‘em in some fabric dye like some heads have done w/ wheels.
You won’t be able to lighten the color, but you can use a dark blue to get a purple-ish result.
Or maybe black ‘em out with some straight black dye?

[Basingstoke]

Expand Quote

I quite like the Titanium's, but only quite. The major problem I have had with all of the sets I have had thus far (might be Three sets) is the axle slip, the slip isn't major like my Stage V which just slid out completely. Once the slippage occurs I have noticed then soon after bearings become damaged. Also noticed on the nhsdirect insta that the Titanium's now have a no slip axle, but when asked how to tell the new batches from old received no answer.

[close]

Are the Ti axles more prone to slippage than regular axles?

In my experience yes they are, my first set were the Koston's they slipped and every set since. Also with NHS on their nhsdirect insta claiming that the new sets would be non slip suggest that previous batches did in fact slip.

[Bongwater Mojito]

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Are the Ti axles more prone to slippage than regular axles?

[close]

In my experience yes they are, my first set were the Koston's they slipped and every set since. Also with NHS on their nhsdirect insta claiming that the new sets would be non slip suggest that previous batches did in fact slip.

Similar experiences. Two out of my three Ti Indys have had a slight slip. Annoying, but not session breaker. I don't do that much flip tricks, could be worse for someone having to land some primos every now and then.

[rikki]

Never had an axle slip on Titaniums.

[CarcassToss]

Haven't slipped an axle since Obama's first term.

[Xen]

they are for sure less tipy at the 149. I had tried some thunder 149s on the same set up and they didn’t feel anywhere as good as the Indy’s did on the 8.25 just blew me away. Finally get to experiment in my old age just to see what different set ups feel like I guess. Might run this one later down the road tho

While not Indy specific, I find that quite a bit of my madness is related to 149s vs 144/148s. There is a comfort/stable feeling with the 149s (duh wider) that feels 'right' I can 100% ride smaller trucks but it never quite feels perfect - surely .25" can't provide THAT much more stability to where it's noticeable? Right?

[mattchew]

For the Indy Stage 4s... anyone have success with non-stock bushings?  Do Ace fit?  Reg indy?   

Call me petty, but i'm not into red bushings. 

I use the Indy super soft white bushings in my stage 4’s and like them.

[Mbrimson88]

For the Indy Stage 4s... anyone have success with non-stock bushings?  Do Ace fit?  Reg indy?   

Call me petty, but i'm not into red bushings. 

Guessing it comes down to how much you want the trucks to feel like they were intended to feel like stock, given they have taller bushings in both bottom (the main one of concern) and top.

Ace bushings are in between the Indy Stage 11 bushings and the Indy Stage 4 bushings, so they would still work well enough, but even trying some other regular bushings in the taller Indy 215s, they still work, although the turn is a little different.

Info from the bushing list I compiled:


Indy stock 90a and aftermarket (same in both cylinder and conical) 78a, 88a, 90a, 92a, 94a, 96a
Total  23.5 mm
Top  10.5 mm
Bottom  13 mm

Then Indy low head bushings 92a
Total  21 mm
Top  8 mm
Bottom  13 mm

Indy Stage 4
Total 27 mm
Top 12.5 mm
Bottom 14.5 mm


Ace classic
Total  26 mm
Top  12 mm
Bottom  14 mm

[CarcassToss]

These Stage 4 are cool, but I'm not really understanding their purpose. They seem to not pinch any better than Stage 11, does anyone REALLY need more turn than a normal Indy, and the KP clearance is somehow worse than Thunders for me on back feebles. I really am struggling to understand why they didn't use a shorter top bushing and improve that and maybe trim the weight down a bit.

[Rick Trapasso]

These Stage 4 are cool, but I'm not really understanding their purpose. They seem to not pinch any better than Stage 11, does anyone REALLY need more turn than a normal Indy, and the KP clearance is somehow worse than Thunders for me on back feebles. I really am struggling to understand why they didn't use a shorter top bushing and improve that and maybe trim the weight down a bit.

The purpose was to reissue the truck that ace based their geometry on, and trying to keep it as true to the original as possible.

New bushings and pivot cups, and slightly beefed up hangers over the originals to prevent bending. Pretty sure those were the only major changes aside from using modern, up to date, manufacturing methods.

Pinch and kp clearance weren't really concerns.

[CarcassToss]

Weren't Ace based on Stage 3?

[Frank and Fred]

The purpose of a reissue is nostalgia. Stage 4 turn and grind amazing but if you want a cutting edge truck for a specific purpose you look elsewhere. Personally, I'd rather see a Stage 5 reissue, but again its more of a novelty. Heavy, limited KP clearance.. etc...

And yes Ace are supposedly based off Stage 3. In recent years I've skated Stage 3s, reissue stage 4s, stage 8s and 11s and I think the Ace turn is an improvement on all of those.