Quick question, what would be the biggest size wheels you guys would recommend on Thunders? Coming from Indys (and Ace classics before that) I usually ride anything between 54 and 56 without issue, I have a set of 55mm spit classics on ice and I'm thinking of replacing my cooked indys with Thunder 149s to switch it up for this summer. Haven't been on Thunders in about 4-5 years, I used to ride them with 53 back then, but I think it would be silly to buy new wheels when I have a brand new set already. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine with 55s, but I wanted you guys' opinion on the matter.
Thanks!
From my regular go to - 149 Indy standards with medium / loose trucks on 56 mm wheels and great turn with minimal issues, I find anything else in the other big brands truck department tends to give me a bit more wheelbite on even significantly smaller wheels, but a 2 mm riser (made my own from some scrap rubber sheeting) on Thunders really makes me feel like I don't have to worry at all about wheelbite on my Team 149s. You could use any 1/8" stock risers to make them have the same clearance as Indy standard trucks, but I found that most risers stick out or don't fit the truck baseplates that well, even the older universal or plastic Thunder risers I had in the misc parts box are a fair bit bigger, but the Bones / Mini logo are about the best fit to not stick out at all or sit just ever so slightly under the baseplate, or make some of your own.
As for the actual question, on stock Thunders without risers, I think around 52 mm wheels worked well enough with minimal wheelbite on a few sets I had on set ups and skated, but the Thunder trucks are significantly lower than Indy and I kept going to turn a whole lot more than I was able until I adjusted how I skated them, more so than change the board to suit how I wanted to or was used to skating.
That is the trade off.
If you like bigger wheels, I would suggest making your own risers to test. You can always take them off or experiment with things until you find some happy medium too.
Thunder are a really good truck, but they perform so differently to Indy, or Venture or Ace, etc.