The Thunder Thread

[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

[diplodocus]

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

[Obijuan91]

Might give in to the urge if I can find some cheap 148s, enjoying my royals rn but the pop on the thunders keeps calling me

[ridethegutter]

Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

[moonordie]

Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

Opposite, went from Aces to Thunders and I feel manuals are a little easier.

[tuesday]

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Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

[close]

Opposite, went from Aces to Thunders and I feel manuals are a little easier.

Same for me. Think it's easier to lock into manuals with Thunders.

[pops]

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Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

[close]

Opposite, went from Aces to Thunders and I feel manuals are a little easier.

[close]

Same for me. Think it's easier to lock into manuals with Thunders.

I also have harder time doing manuals with Aces. My manual game was on point when I rode Thunders. Now on Stage 4 and much better lock into manuals than Ace.

[ridethegutter]

Expand Quote

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Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

[close]

Opposite, went from Aces to Thunders and I feel manuals are a little easier.

[close]

Same for me. Think it's easier to lock into manuals with Thunders.

[close]

I also have harder time doing manuals with Aces. My manual game was on point when I rode Thunders. Now on Stage 4 and much better lock into manuals than Ace.

My manuals on aces are pretty good. Pop shuvs suck ass though.

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

I think if you know what you're doing ACES are great, you have more control but you don't lock in like thunders.  Venture IMO is better than Thunder but they are pretty similar......

[flintstagram]

Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

I can relate. Felt like I had way better manuals on Indys, but Thunders just feel the best to me for everything else, so they’re all I ride now. I feel like after a while you find that sweet balance point.

[Mbrimson88]

Expand Quote

Does anyone else have trouble with manuals on thunder? I love the pop but my mannies are non existent.

[close]

I can relate. Felt like I had way better manuals on Indys, but Thunders just feel the best to me for everything else, so they’re all I ride now. I feel like after a while you find that sweet balance point.

Yes totally this.

Every truck is different in the pivot / manual point, as well as pop point and so on.  Getting used to one truck usually means that if you were to jump on another truck, more often than not it would be a little bit different, sometimes easier, sometimes harder.

Maybe the longer the wheelbase, the more likely the manual point will be a little more difficult to hit straight away, feeling way heavier in the lift, but as you get used to the new trucks, everything evens out, to the point where if you had skated them long enough, going back to something shorter like Ace will often end in too light a feeling in the tail for a bit, again until you get used to them.

This can be made easier or harder on some boards too, which is often why some people pair some things together, some trucks with certain decks, eg Thunder or Venture with shorter wheelbases / longer kicks.

That is not to say it is always the way, but there are definitely some nice combinations in there.

[Vintagebody]

Ive been mostly on Thunders, like 80% of the time. Recently bought some 149s as I stepped up to 8,5 decks.
I find that Indys have much bigger margin for error, larger balance point, but yes they dont "lock in" like Thunders to.

[douchenozzle]

Is the wheelbite a bigger issue riding Thunder compared to Indy due to the height difference?

[Frank and Fred]

Is the wheelbite a bigger issue riding Thunder compared to Indy due to the height difference?

And the turning radius/ truck geometry. Other lower trucks avoid Thunder amounts of wheel bite with a continuous tight arc turn. just a theory....

[tuesday]

I've got a set of 'old' (pre size mark on the hanger) 149 Titaniums. I ride them fairly lose with 52mm wheels. On the first deck wheel bite was anoying. But that was never an issue again after I switched to a deck with wheel wells. (Sorry that I keep bringing wheel wells up again in conncetion with Thunders, but they make a difference. And you might have the pleasure to ride a Hjalte deck with wells.)