The Thunder Thread

[mamba]

We’ve reached the point every year or so where I want to make some drastic change to the trucks I’m riding that I’ll probably end up regretting…

Anyone switch from Indy/Ace to Thunder recently?  If so, what did you like about it and what did you hate?

I switched from Ace AF-1 Hollows to Thunder Team Hollows. I recently tried out my Aces again as well, but came back to my Thunders.

Things I liked on my Thunders more than my Aces:

1. Pop - had a really nice snap to it. Lower than Aces. Quicker for the tail to hit the ground. Took more effort to pop, but with that you get a higher yield. 52mm height vs 53mm height

2. Pinch - I liked how Thunders worked with my pinched tricks. I could really just sit in my crooks and feebles.

3. Turn - I might be the wrong person to give my opinion on this, because I skate tighter trucks, and turning is not that important to me. I switched both Aces and Thunders for harder bushings. (Ace Hards and Bones Hard). The turn on Thunder is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. That being said it is a lot different compared to Ace/Indy. Won't be as carvey.

4. Baseplate - Some people really hate how the baseplate doesn't stick out as far. On any nose/tailslide you will be dragging more wheel. It doesn't bother me, I just changed my technique. You almost have to push the slide.

5. Wheelbase - Thunders are pushed out further. Aces are pushed in, I think the most out of any truck brand but I could be wrong. There are a lot of resources on here about wheelbase that can be articulated better than I can. but I went from skating 14.38-14.5 WB to 14.125-14.25 WB now. So boards are a little easier to find since most have 14.25 WB

6. Durability - Thunders will not last as long compared to Indy/Ace just because they don't have as much metal on the truck. This isn't an issue for me since I don't really skate that much street these days.

I can't really think of anything else. I'd try out the Thunders. They're a fun truck that can work with most boards.

[Rick Trapasso]

We’ve reached the point every year or so where I want to make some drastic change to the trucks I’m riding that I’ll probably end up regretting…

Anyone switch from Indy/Ace to Thunder recently?  If so, what did you like about it and what did you hate?

Pop/snap on thunders is unmatched, but it comes at the cost of a fun, playful, turny setup.

The baseplate "issue" can get annoying at times especially on slappy noseslides and when nose/tail sliding longer than a few feet.  It's not super hard to adjust technique to make them work though. However, as someone who's bounced between the two a lot recently, nose/tail slides are so much easier on indys.

Thunder pinch is great too as others have said.

Personally I prefer the Indy manual point.

I really love riding thunders, they make me feel a bit more precise on my board. But I always end up going back to indys to surf around and have fun.

[Vintagebody]

I find that I tension the board differently with Indy's, because they are more turny.
This makes me have an easier time with scooping tricks, or just fs/bs flips.

[toe_knee]

I keep finding myself coming back to this and the royal thread, when I buy a new complete (with the blessings from my doctor) should I get royals or thunders?

[big_kev_215]

Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed responses everyone! I will update you guys when I have resolved my truck crisis...

[Xen]

I keep finding myself coming back to this and the royal thread, when I buy a new complete (with the blessings from my doctor) should I get royals or thunders?

Man, super tough call.

Best thing about royals is the lack of downsides some whined (BenD included) about the baseplate design being hard to slide; I've slide mine, slides fine?

Royals are faster turning Ventures. They NEED harder bushings if you find them too soft out of the gate, as they never firm up.

What I like about them the most is they give me the best of each 'camp' , i.e, it's a 52mm stable/quick return to center truck with less twitch / wheelbite than thunder (and better baseplate length if that's a thing for you) but has that venture stability yet turns smoothly like an indy and can be a bit squirrly like ACE (stock bushings); pinch venture/thunder style, grind better than ventures but take some break in time get smooth feeling (like that indy feel). Standards are the same weight as indy ti and ultra lights are damn near the perfect weight, and have a neutral effect on WB (much like an indy). Pop is closer to venture than thunder.

Thunders grind a bit better out of the gate, can be lower (forged) and lighter (ti) if that's your thing, pinch ever so slightly better (that wheelbite coming into play here) and come in more styles/colors.

Hot take: Royals are the smoothest, 'responsive/nimble' truck (i.e., Venture / Thunder camp) and not the twitchiest or carviest (ACE/Indy camp), they make thunder feel very 'simplistic' / less refined somehow, re-inforce that venture turn delay and showcase just how slow (but smooth) Indys can be; last time I stepped on indy TI, I instantly went 'ew gross' slow/sluggish/heavy and made my board sound dead).

FWIW I am currently skating 149 Thunder Ti and enjoying them immensely with my current setup. Light and super twitchy - but with 100a hard bushings to help negate wheelbite...still happens...I just get to a point where the truck just says fuck it and tilts all the way, so they're a pretty rigid turn, not tight.

Was on Ventures for months (that's long for me when I hopped back on thunders and royals I had that "oh, right instant turn vs delayed and have had a tough time skating ventures after (even just dropping the board down and cruising)...Thunder had that 'yeah it's thunders' feel (gotta watch the wheelbite) were I felt like I always had to be 'balancing' to stay center, but as soon as I hopped on the royals they just felt right, just so damn smooth (ACE hard bushings if you want tighter, ACE mediums for a bit more play); I'm currently running the MEDIUM bottom but the HARD top (medium top is softer by 5 duro)

TL:DR I'd say give them a fair shot if you've ridden thunders before and want something different that's very EASY to 'just skate' just expect to have loose as hell trucks with the stock bushings and pick up some ACE bushings.

[toe_knee]

Expand Quote

I keep finding myself coming back to this and the royal thread, when I buy a new complete (with the blessings from my doctor) should I get royals or thunders?

[close]

Man, super tough call.

Best thing about royals is the lack of downsides some whined (BenD included) about the baseplate design being hard to slide; I've slide mine, slides fine?

Royals are faster turning Ventures. They NEED harder bushings if you find them too soft out of the gate, as they never firm up.

What I like about them the most is they give me the best of each 'camp' , i.e, it's a 52mm stable/quick return to center truck with less twitch / wheelbite than thunder (and better baseplate length if that's a thing for you) but has that venture stability yet turns smoothly like an indy and can be a bit squirrly like ACE (stock bushings); pinch venture/thunder style, grind better than ventures but take some break in time get smooth feeling (like that indy feel). Standards are the same weight as indy ti and ultra lights are damn near the perfect weight and have a neutral effect on WB (much like an indy). Pop is closer to venture than thunder.

Thunders grind a bit getter out of the gate, can be lower (forged) and lighter (ti) if that's your thing, pinch ever so slightly better (that wheelbite coming into play here) and come in more styles/colors.

Hot take: Royals are the smoothest, 'responsive/nimble' truck (i.e., Venture / Thunder camp) and not the twitchiest or carviest (ACE/Indy camp), they make thunder feel very 'simplistic' / less refined somehow, re-inforce that venture turn delay and showcase just how slow (but smooth) Indys can be; last time I stepped on indy TI, I instantly went 'ew gross' slow/sluggish/heavy and made my board sound dead).

FWIW I am currently skating 146 Thunder Ti and enjoying them immensely with my current setup. Light and super twitchy - but with 100a hard bushing to help negate the wheelbite (still happens...I just get to a point where the truck just say fuckit and tilts all the way, so they're pretty rigid turn, not tight.

Was on Ventures for months (that's long for me when I hopped back on thunders and royals I had that "oh, right instant turn vs delayed and have had a tough time skating ventures after (even just dropping the board down and cruising)...Thunder had that 'yeah it's thunders' feel (gotta watch the wheelbite) were I felt like I always to be 'balancing' to stay center, but as soon as I hopped on the royals they just felt right, just so damn smooth (ACE hard bushings if you want tighter, ACE mediums for a bit more play); I'm currently running the MEDIUM bottom but the HARD top (medium top is softer by 5 duro)

TL:DR I'd say give them a fair shot if you've ridden thunders before and want something different that's very EASY to 'just skate' just expect to have loose as hell trucks with the stock bushings and pick up some ACE bushings.

Dude…it never ceases to amaze me, thank you for such a detailed and honest response, with that I’ll prolly go with the new royals and some aftermarket bushings thanks again xen

[rawbertson.]

I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

[mamba]

I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

Same on that bit of not really needing the turn. I dont really skate bowls and mainly skate parks in a straight line with tighter trucks. So just didnt really make sense with my skating

[danmasontree]

I have 149 lights, my stock bushings are toast. Can anyone recommend new bushings that work well with Thunders? I’m a bigger dude, should I get hard bushings? Never really dove into the bushing madness till now

[Mbrimson88]

I have 149 lights, my stock bushings are toast. Can anyone recommend new bushings that work well with Thunders? I’m a bigger dude, should I get hard bushings? Never really dove into the bushing madness till now

Thunder make quite a few options for bushings, as per the Thunder site:

https://www.thundertrucks.com/


You have the option to buy just the tube of bushings, stock being 90 duro, so either the clear orange or the plain white, then the harder options as per the pic there.

If you want to spend a bit more and get the rebuild kit, which has bushings, washers, nuts and pivot cups, 90 stock red, or the harder options as per pic.

Some shops will get the rebuild kit more so than just the bushing tube, so I guess whatever is available, but all of them work well enough, as long as you give them time to break in nicely, even the stiffest bushings, which might take a little longer, but they do break in nicely.

The 94 / 95 duro options are pretty good for a reasonable step up, but if you want a really solid ride, the 97 or even 100s do work and still do turn.  They just take longer to get comfortable with the higher duro options and wear in nicely, as long as you don't go too hard too soon on them.

[Obijuan91]

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I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

[close]

Same on that bit of not really needing the turn. I dont really skate bowls and mainly skate parks in a straight line with tighter trucks. So just didnt really make sense with my skating

This right here. as I get older I’m convinced ima get more into transition skating,even tho my local parks practically all street. Really considering switching to some thunders with pig bushings after my current set or royals tho

[Xen]

I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

I'm not riding bowls/hitting parks with transition these days so yeah, no need for that style of truck.

I have 149 lights, my stock bushings are toast. Can anyone recommend new bushings that work well with Thunders? I’m a bigger dude, should I get hard bushings? Never really dove into the bushing madness till now

How heavy? I'm 193-ish and was riding the aftermarket 94s, the newer ice blue ones, and have recently tried the 97a (red rebuild kit) and 100a (black rebuild kit), the 100a feeling the best while curbing wheelbite as best as the trucks will allow; there was a bigger difference from 97 to 100 than 94 to 97.

No clue how the newer aftermarkets hold up against the rebuild kits (or vice versa) as the rebuild kits are for sure old stock.

[danmasontree]

Expand Quote

I have 149 lights, my stock bushings are toast. Can anyone recommend new bushings that work well with Thunders? I’m a bigger dude, should I get hard bushings? Never really dove into the bushing madness till now

[close]

Thunder make quite a few options for bushings, as per the Thunder site:

https://www.thundertrucks.com/


You have the option to buy just the tube of bushings, stock being 90 duro, so either the clear orange or the plain white, then the harder options as per the pic there.

If you want to spend a bit more and get the rebuild kit, which has bushings, washers, nuts and pivot cups, 90 stock red, or the harder options as per pic.

Some shops will get the rebuild kit more so than just the bushing tube, so I guess whatever is available, but all of them work well enough, as long as you give them time to break in nicely, even the stiffest bushings, which might take a little longer, but they do break in nicely.

The 94 / 95 duro options are pretty good for a reasonable step up, but if you want a really solid ride, the 97 or even 100s do work and still do turn.  They just take longer to get comfortable with the higher duro options and wear in nicely, as long as you don't go too hard too soon on them.

Thanks for the info.

[danmasontree]

Expand Quote

I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

[close]

I'm not riding bowls/hitting parks with transition these days so yeah, no need for that style of truck.

Expand Quote

I have 149 lights, my stock bushings are toast. Can anyone recommend new bushings that work well with Thunders? I’m a bigger dude, should I get hard bushings? Never really dove into the bushing madness till now

[close]

How heavy? I'm 193-ish and was riding the aftermarket 94s, the newer ice blue ones, and have recently tried the 97a (red rebuild kit) and 100a (black rebuild kit), the 100a feeling the best while curbing wheelbite as best as the trucks will allow; there was a bigger difference from 97 to 100 than 94 to 97.

No clue how the newer aftermarkets hold up against the rebuild kits (or vice versa) as the rebuild kits are for sure old stock.

250ish. Sounds like the 100a would work best. Thanks!

[CarcassToss]

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I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

[close]

Same on that bit of not really needing the turn. I dont really skate bowls and mainly skate parks in a straight line with tighter trucks. So just didnt really make sense with my skating

[close]

This right here. as I get older I’m convinced ima get more into transition skating,even tho my local parks practically all street. Really considering switching to some thunders with pig bushings after my current set or royals tho

Dan Drehobl rode Ventures on transition for years and fucking cranks his Indys. One of my longtime skate buddies rips on big transition and rides Ventures as they come. They're not as responsive as an Ace, but he likes that he can really lean into carves and not worry about bottoming out. I've seen him get pitched plenty of times from wheelbite on Ace, especially in a specific tighter bowl pocket. Also, for years he was trying to do crooks around the corner of a tight bowl and when he was on Ace would kinda flop into the transition. On Ventures he does a nice little push and comes back in perfect.

So it's really in your head. I see plenty of 40+ bowl trolls in full pads on traditional transition setups and they're lucky to hit coping. There's a few local kids on Thunder flow and it's similar to my buddy on Ventures- the stability can be an advantage if you know how to use it and are not riding them prohibitively tight. One kid has 58 radials on Thunder cast with no risers and rocks them super loose and I've got no idea how he hasn't died yet, but it works.

[juniormint]

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I rode Royals for a bit and that is actually how I remember em
I am actually starting to find indy and ace a bit too turny lol i can handle it but i think I just dont like it / need it

[close]

Same on that bit of not really needing the turn. I dont really skate bowls and mainly skate parks in a straight line with tighter trucks. So just didnt really make sense with my skating

[close]

This right here. as I get older I’m convinced ima get more into transition skating,even tho my local parks practically all street. Really considering switching to some thunders with pig bushings after my current set or royals tho

Risers on thunders make them a perfectly capable bowl truck imo. It also doesn’t hinder them in a more street oriented scenario. Worth a shot to just feel how good they are with a bit more height. I’ve been on 161s lately and I think they are 53mm so pretty ideal without risers for me. But my usual 151s on 1/8 risers are so good all round.

[tom]

Chris Miller rides Thunders in big bowls. His son Zach Miller is also on Thunder and absolutely rips transition. Then you have the best current vert skater, Jimmy Wilkins, riding Thunders. Theyre a fully capable transition skater truck. On the flip side you have John Shanahanz skating vert and bowls with Ventures