Rad dad is more and more common where I am. Not a bad thing at all. Just weird seeing the rich people drop off their kids. Hopefully your son is stoked, or will be stoked, and you are hanging out with him so that's a win. My child is not into it.
Ventures p-rod low 5.2's are quality for me. The I'll advised 5.0 p rod highs (not the biggest Paul fan, then or now. He was amazing, but never my guy, and now is pretty 'safe' looking. But his name on the hollow trucks soooo) also are awesome. Except they are really tiny. I used to, not unlike my current ridiculous, assholish quest, search for the narrowest boards possible. 7.3 Andy stone, element. And that extreme also sucked. I should probably be on 8" trucks. Board size is really flexible these days, and almost always based off of some weird truck bullshit. Been ranting and pleading for an 8.5 x31.5, because I have a pair of 151's I need to skate. Even tho I can't 3flip 149's. Idiot. I am simultaneously going to hold pat on my 8 sets of trucks (maybe more) on also contemplating frantically buying 5.2 highs, 5.8 highs (not being made anymore?) and the lightest 149s in both Indy and thunder. To make sure that I'm totally fucked. Now that I've over shared.
I agree: stock bushing are better, for me. If I'm an asshole and try and tighten them a bunch, right away they get fucked. No matter what kind. I just acknowledge that I'm gonna be even more of a spazz. Gives me an excuse to just cruise. Or fall and laugh. The clear thunder bushing seem to be good to go, for me, and the white ones get better. I get wheelbite with 50 mm wheels and any truck. Because I can't land on the board correctly. Hopefully they work well for you. My main problem with thunders, 147s more than the others: can't pop 'right' as opposed to my regular mega pop...147s are incredibly consistent in how they work for me tho, so i have that going for me.