i used to ride thunder trucks, but i just cant get down with them anymore. like the dude above me said, you cant ride them as loose as you can ride your indies. on top of that they seem too low for me personally, and this is coming from someone that used to ride venture lows and thunder lows in the 90's. i also kind of feel that indys are more stable and stronger than how thunders were for me. indys have also been consistently reliable throughout the years and have always treated me well, some better than others, but well nonetheless.
your results may vary, but id lean towards independent better. idk what you personally look for in a truck, so like others suggested maybe you should try out thunders and see which one feels most comfortable to you. i still know skaters (average skaters to pros) that still ride venture lows and shit like that, so its all up to personal preference.