Notable Pros and Cons of each truck you have ridden

[OldCandy]

I hear a lot about people riding different trucks and having varying levels of loyalty to a certain brand/model. What are the REAL glaring differences between major/minor truck brands? ie: turning, board feel, grind, pinching, speed, and geometry, etc

[yourbreakfsat]

Indy:
Pros
- Awesome turn and carve
- Lasts a long time regarding grinding
- Smooth grind
Cons
- It can feel heavy at times
- Pop feel can feel slow and soggy sometimes, especially with worn in decks
- Sometimes feels too tall

Venture Hi:
Pros
- Stability
- Can make board pop feel strong, no matter the condition of the board
- Harder grind can make it feel you're more in control while grinding
- Lightweight
- Great kingpin clearance
Cons
- No Venture-brand aftermarket bushings. You have to use Indy or Bones bushings as safe options.
- Not the best turn/carve
- Doesn't last long regarding grinds. I hit axle on both hangers within 3-4 weeks of doing slappies.
- Lower height means you can't use bigger wheels

Ace:
Pros
- Feels carvy but stable at the same time
- Very smooth grind
- Light pop feel for anyone that likes that
- Sexy old school design
Cons
- Axle bend
- Sometimes grind feels too smooth and you lose control
- Bushings are a bitch to break in, you're forced to keep them tight until they break in
- Bushings feel kinda hard to turn if you're on the lighter side
- Ace brand aftermarket bushings are the only safe options. Bones bushings will explode if you use them and do hard grinds.
- Smaller wheelbase and lower height makes board pop feel very light, especially on worn in boards.

I haven't rode Thunders in a few years, but those are going to be my next truck after my Ventures are through.

[mynameisnotjeff]

Agree with above and would like to add:
Thunder
Pros:
-Fast response
-Light
Cons:
-Bad kingpin clearance
-More likely to wheelbite
-Occasionally feel too low

[Sluggloaph]

Thunders are definitely on the light side and I dig the turn big time, feels surfy, to me. Cons include the baseplate/ nose/tailslide thing and a Lil wheelbite.

Ventures pop good but I agree the turn could be better. But keep it a bean bro, slappies eat trucks.

Indys- were always too heavy so I never used em.

Phantom 2s were my shit in middle school.... I think they were lighter?

[Crap]

Indy 149
Pro:
- Feels stable
- Height/pop feel are comfortable for me

Con:
- Stock bushings are garbage and disintegrate instantly (heard that they fixed this when they moved to China, but I wouldn't know for sure)
- Feels very heavy - not sure if this is a design flaw, or if 149's are just too big for me
- Turn is a little too deep/surfy to me - I'm too heavy and I don't like my trucks as loose as Indy's were designed to be ridden
- The general vibe of the company - I didn't hate the trucks, but the company/logo/branding aren't for me

Thunder 147 Hollow Light
Pro:
- Very lightweight
- Turn feels comfortable/responsive on slight adjustments

Con:
- Feels too light - I found my board hard to control on these
- Baseplate too far in for nose/tail slides
- Bottom out on deeper turns
- Too low - lots of wheelbite, and I lost the microscopic amount of pop that I have left. I tried them with risers, but they just never felt right.

Venture hi 5.2
Pro:
- Wheelbase extension - I like smaller boards, but the WB's are consistently too short on them
- Turning radius hits a sweet spot between Indy (too deep) and Thunder (not deep enough)
- Height is perfect - pop is where I want it to be, and wheelbite isn't an issue

Con:
- Too small of a truck for me - I determined that I like Ventures, but 8" axles are too small, and I wanted to try skating bigger boards

Venture hi 5.6
- See points above for Venture 5.2, but take away the con of the size - 8.25" axle width is the perfect size for me. I was skating 8" boards on 5.2's, and now I'm skating an 8.18" on 5.6's - I like my trucks being just slightly wider than my board, but never tried it on 8" trucks because it would have felt like a child's board

[Utopos]

I'd add that I think Thunders grind smoother than Indys

[Firebert]

I'd add that I think Thunders grind smoother than Indys

No way. Trucks with a barrel shaped hanger (Indy/Ace) grind smoother than those without (Thunder/Venture).

[imposter]

-tensor
-tensor

[Xen]

Indy:
Pros
- Mellow carve
- Grind great
- Great all-terrain truck
- Stock bushing were trash, new stocks seem better
- Ti [forged] Indys are very light
- durable
- offers high, mids (soon another mid) and lows and a good amount of hollow options

Average:
- Stability
- Kingpin clearance

Cons
- Standard and hollows are heavy
- Standards are too tall and can feel tippy for some
- pivot cups are trash

Tensor ATG Mag Lights:
Pros
- Lightest of the light
- Grind the fastest/best of any truck (at the cost of wearing down faster)
- Turn great once you sort the bushings (Bones get these trucks singing)
- Great All-Terrain (ATG) truck
- Nice pivot cups
- Quality bushings

Cons
- Stock molded bushings are too hard feeling (tho 90a) and restrict the turn (but snap to center)
- Cost
- Feels sort of tippy at 55mm (Personal preference as I like lower trucks)
- Unique pivot cup sizing
- Feel a bit weird due to being all magnesium, you'd have to grind/ride them to understand
- They don't make a hollow variant of the aluminium truck

Theeve TiKing:
Pros
- Faster turning 'indy' / more stable 'ACE'
- lots of models to choose from
- Stable
- great pivot cups
- Low (52mm - even tho they state 55mm) truck wide sizes

Cons
- Cost
- Stock 'hardcore' bushings are hard as fuck
- Not really that light of a truck given the Ti Axle
- No forged baseplate option
- No longer make the Ti Kingpin (it was soooo light)

Venture Hi Ti (forged):
Pros
- Stable as fuck
- Great pop
- Mid height
- Lightweight
- Best kingpin clearance
- Offer Hi and Lo, forged and cast

Cons
- Harder grind out of all the brands
- Slow to turn, they lean/swerve more than turn/carve
- Hanger design is trash
- Top washer binds during turn
- Didn't like them in bowls
- A bitch to mount with standard tools

Ace:
Pros
- Best turning truck out there
- Stable on center (amazing given how turny they are)
- Softish metal - grinds great tho
- Excellent stock bushings
- Low truck with wide widths
- Available in 8.38" (for now anyway)

Average
- kingpin clearance

Cons
- Quality Control
- Shit pivot cups
- Heavy =(

Crossing my fingers for the 'forged' stage.

Thunder
Pros
- Lightweight (even the standards) - Hollow lights are some of the lightest trucks out there without the cost of Ti
- Low
- Good grind
- Tons of options, hollow, cast, forged, titanium in just about every configuration you could want (tho not sure if they make a 'Team Light' e.g., solid hanger, cast plate hollow pin.
- Quick turn, not carvey
- Don't work well for me in transition - I get pitched in specific bowl pockets on Thunders (and Ventures) whereas with ACE/Indy/theeve/ML/Tensors, I don't.

Cons
- Prone to wheelbite (even with cast plates)
- poor kingpin clearance
- baseplate is short, could cause issues for some with nose/tail slides (yet pros all do fine...)
- Bottom bushing is a unique height among all trucks and bushings

Min-Logo
Pros
- Turn great (they're like an Indy/ACE turn)
- Stable on center
- Price
- grinds great - really in a class by themselves here (like a harder feeling ACE grind)
- Excellent stock bushings
- Low truck with wide widths
- Light without being hollow/ti anything
- has angled hanger ends to help lock into grinds
- Doesn't wheelbite like you'd think for being so low
- Available in 8.38"

Cons
- Might be too low for people, it's 47.5mm (that's venture lo territory)
- Pretty ugly truck
- Not the best kingpin clearance
- Unique pivot cup sizing

Krux (with DL Kingpin):
Pros
- Cost
- Excellent Stock Bushings
- Decently lightweight

Cons
- Turn isn't for everyone - not really carvey and not really twitchy
- Long odd-sized pivot cups

Looking forward to the next rev of Krux

[FROTHY]

Suregrip

Pros:
-They are like 4.5" wide
-Really cute
-Squiggle turns
-Kingpin and axle nuts are standard skate-tool size.

Cons:
-Stock bushings are kinda wack, but there are all sorts of replacements available.
-Non-traditional bolt pattern and thinner hardware required
-Wheels might rub against kingpin area depending on shape/size. Easily fixable with washers or spacers though.

[Sativa Lung]

Cons
- No Venture-brand aftermarket bushings. You have to use Indy or Bones bushings as safe options.

There are. They just brand them as Deluxe instead of Venture. The 94s are the ones that come stock in ventures.

[Sluggloaph]

Big up mr. Rapedick. Thanks, g.

[johnes]

Thunder - bushings crumble and break for me

[mynameisnotjeff]

Expand Quote

Cons
- No Venture-brand aftermarket bushings. You have to use Indy or Bones bushings as safe options.

[close]

There are. They just brand them as Deluxe instead of Venture. The 94s are the ones that come stock in ventures.

What shop carries them? Or has them in stock and an online store?

[Xen]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Cons
- No Venture-brand aftermarket bushings. You have to use Indy or Bones bushings as safe options.

[close]

There are. They just brand them as Deluxe instead of Venture. The 94s are the ones that come stock in ventures.

[close]

What shop carries them? Or has them in stock and an online store?

Tactics, SoCal skate, Amazon...

[Dancheru]

Mind you I'm a big boy skater (5'11" 240lbs) so experience may differ.

Thunder - I've broken 3 kingpins (they either snap off or detach from the baseplate) otherwise they felt great.

Indy's - last FOREVER but the bushings would always crack on me. They turned well but didn't feel like they excelled in anything particular. Great standard truck.

Krux - probably the best bushings I've ever ridden. They felt broken in right away. The con in my opinion is they lost that magical feeling about a month in an felt generally weak.

Ace - my current favorite. They feel very carvy and the bushings feel great. My only con is the sizing options. They jump from a 8.35" to a 9" but I'm usually riding a 8.75" board. I usually add extra axel washers to even things out.

[yourbreakfsat]

Expand Quote

Cons
- No Venture-brand aftermarket bushings. You have to use Indy or Bones bushings as safe options.

[close]

There are. They just brand them as Deluxe instead of Venture. The 94s are the ones that come stock in ventures.

Oh shit WHAT

I thought these were just for Thunder. They should really rebrand it as Venture bushings or something.

Big ups

[Peepeeboy69]

I've always wondered why thunders wont just make a longer baseplate. Literally like a couple millimeters of extra metal beyond the front bolts and everything would be great

I bet you could diy it.... I might try once my current pair gets really fucked up

[Frank and Fred]

I'm probably echoing above posters here...

Ace

Pros
Best turn. No question. Turns great at slow speeds and seems to stabilize at higher speeds (maybe just my perception). Unmatched on round wall transition.
Best Stock bushings
Tapered hanger, cool feature that means no inside washer necessary.
Best looking truck
Soft metal grinds great on some surfaces.
perfect height
Less wheelbase due to how the truck keep hooking under and turning.


Cons
Soft metal does not grind great on all surfaces.
Least durable trucks. Grind down very fast.
They don't make the size I need (8,75" axle). Too big of a gap between 44s and 55s.
Kingpin wiggle. Doesn't bother me but does make me wonder how much is too much.
Chinese made

Indy

Pros

Amazing history. Cool to nerd out on older stages 8 and before.
Turn good. Good all rounder.
I like the height.
Most durable truck. No question.
Best size range.
Grind great on everything

Cons
Left Ermico for China
Older versions turn better than newer ones
Heavy (not a huge concern for me personally)
Dogshit image.
Stock bushings not as good as they could be.

Thunder

Pros
You can ride wide trucks and they still feel really light, even without forged, hollow, titanium nonsense.
Grind great.
Very quick responsive turn.
Never had speed wobble on Thunders. Stable when you need them to be but still turn fast.
Snappy pop. I find it takes more effort to get a good pop but when you do the response is powerful and I seem to be more glue foot on Thunders.
great stock bushings. White please.
Still mostly made in SF

Cons
Wheel bite. (But I do like the way they turn/destabilize with risers.)
Take longer to break in.
Not as durable as Indy. (More durable than Ace)
The location of the axle can be an issue for some people on nose and tail slides and you're not always sliding on base plate as much.
Turn isn't deep. While quick, it stops before Indy and well before Ace. This can help with stability on flat, hills and halfpipe but its not so good round wall or loose slappy type skateboarding (just a preference)
Good size range. Really want to try some 161s at some point.
Some really bad color ways and graphics...

Long story short when and if Ace come out with their new versions. I will likely commit to their 8.6/8.75" hanger. Until then its 44s, 151s and 55s with the occasional foray into 159s.

[DA BIG BODY BENZ]

Expand Quote

I'd add that I think Thunders grind smoother than Indys

[close]

No way. Trucks with a barrel shaped hanger (Indy/Ace) grind smoother than those without (Thunder/Venture).

Yeah at first but they all flatten out the same, its not like they keep their shape once you start grinding them

[shingles]

Ace

Pros:

- Best stock bushings
- No break in at all
- very turny

Cons:

- weird sizing (55s are too small for my boardsize and 66s are pretty big)
- not as smooth grind-feeling as indy
- dont lock into grinds as well
- shorten your wheelbase
- low availability in shops
- not very long lasting


Indy

Pros:

- High availability in shops
- good sizes
- perfect grinding feeling
- last a long time

Cons:

- heavy
- worst stock bushings of all time
- worst pivot cups

[rocklobster]

Lots of talk about Indy, Thunder, Ace & Venture. Any word on Theeve Tiax or Destructo?

[Paperclip20]

Indy 144 Hollows:
Pros - Great turn, New stock bushings are quality, look great, Manual point works perfect for me
Cons - The snap when popping flip tricks is not quite as steep as I like but they do the job well still. Weight is also a good point but I ride hollows which helps that a lot.

Thunder 148 team edition:
Pros - Excellent snappy turn, great pop, great pinch, height and weight are great.
Cons - Wheelbite is my biggest issue with thunders I can't explain it but I get the most on them.

Venture 5.6 HI standard:
Pros - Best kickflips i've ever done were on ventures and the stability is great if you enjoy skating ledges
Cons - If you enjoy surfy sharp turning these are probably lowest on my list in that department

Ace 44:
Pros - Excellent grind, others may have mentioned but the metal feels like it grinds smoother than some of the other trucks on rough ledges, excellent turn while remaining stable when needed.
Cons - Similar to indy the pop feel is not my favorite but they still will get the job done

[Noble Experiment]

Indy
Pros:
Very smooth grind
Nice feeling turn
People complain about the weight but I don’t mind the weight at all, makes your board feel more solid

Cons:
I don’t know if it was just me, but every set I’ve ever had I’ve had to be constantly tinkering with them to get them to feel right, and I’ve had a loooot of sets over the years. Whether it’s the back truck loosening up on me like once a week and constantly having to tighten them back up, or having to switch the pivot cups out cuz they got too blown out too quickly, or having to switch out baseplates cuz the kingpin hole got too stretched out and the kingpin is wiggling, it seems like I always had to tinker with them to get them right, and that became such a pain after a while.
Also, because indys set your wheelbase in more, for certain setups it made your tail feel too light and flimsy, almost like you’re skating on a board with a cracked tail already, making popping tricks and flipping your board more of a pain in the ass.

Ventures
Pros:
Stable as fuck
I’ve had em for a while now and I’ve barely had to tinker with them at all, maybe just a small handful of times; once you got them broken in and set to how you prefer em they’re pretty much good to go.
Because they extend your wheelbase out more it gives the tail a more solid feel, it makes popping the board feel way better and more powerful and it’s better for flip tricks, at least for me

Cons:
Not quite as turny/surfy feeling as Indy, it still turns, but it’s just a different less surfy turn.
Definitely a bit rougher feeling of a grind, so grinding chunkier ledges might take a bit more wax and a few more pushes to do than you would need with indys

[Xen]

Lots of talk about Indy, Thunder, Ace & Venture. Any word on Theeve Tiax or Destructo?

Theeve TiKing: (just slightly lighter than the TIax)

Pros
- Faster turning 'indy' / more stable 'ACE'
- lots of models to choose from
- Stable
- great pivot cups
- Low (52mm - even tho they state 55mm) truck wide sizes

Cons
- Cost
- Stock 'hardcore' bushings are hard as fuck
- Not really that light of a truck given the Ti Axle
- No forged baseplate option
- No longer make the Ti Kingpin (it was soooo light)

Been back on theeve [of Venture] for a week now and won't be going back to Venture/Thunder for a bit. Riding a 31.5" with a 6.5" tail, so pretty short and stupid mellow kicks (plan B).

I'm enjoying the tighter WB of them on a 14.25" WB, the Ventures just push out too far for me an I can't ride 14" WB it seems (on anything but Primitive decks).

[Sativa Lung]

Oh shit WHAT

I thought these were just for Thunder. They should really rebrand it as Venture bushings or something.

Big ups

Nah the thunder ones are different, they look like this

[jay_nev]

big ups to those supercush (bait and tackle) in venture (6.1 at least). love em

[Nth syd bear]

I'm kinda hooked on tensor mag light coming from Indy forged hollows ..

Cons.. tensor mag light I could be crazy but the stock bushings feel so good one day than others they feel off and I find myself loosening
My trucks a couple times a week at the moment
The hangers wear quick but that's a given they be magnesium 
They feel weird at first very hollow feeling I found even more so with shieldless bearings

Pros..  some days they feel so on point for me
 obviously weight nice to have a 8.5 truck that is light as ...
You can grind a lot of shit and you can grind very far 
My axles don't seem to get fucked up like indys do for me haven't need to re-thread

I'm an older dude who is just messing around mainly so I'm not the greatest judge but my 2c

[LordManHammer]

Indy:
Pros
- Awesome turn and carve great for pools and gaps
- Lasts a long time regarding grinding
- Smooth grind
Cons
- It can feel heavy at times
- Pop feel can feel slow and soggy sometimes, especially with worn in decks
- Sometimes feels too tall

Venture Hi:
Pros
- Stability
- Can make board pop feel strong, no matter the condition of the board
- Harder grind can make it feel you're more in control while grinding
- Lightweight
- Great kingpin clearance
- Great for tight tech gnar wizards manuals and flip in and flip out.
Cons
- No Venture-brand aftermarket bushings. You have to use Indy or Bones bushings as safe options.
- Not the turn/carve is sketchy
- Doesn't last long regarding grinds. I hit axle on both hangers within 3-4 weeks of doing slappies.
- Lower height means you can't use bigger wheels
- Weak baseplates and hangers broken several pairs

Ace:
Pros
- Feels carvy but stable at the same time
- Very smooth grind
- Light pop feel for anyone that likes that
Cons
- Axle bend
- Sometimes grind feels too smooth and you lose control
- Bushings are a bitch to break in, you're forced to keep them tight until they break in
- Bushings feel kinda hard to turn if you're on the lighter side
- Ace brand aftermarket bushings are the only safe options. Bones bushings will explode if you use them and do hard grinds.
- Smaller wheelbase and lower height makes board pop feel very light, especially on worn in boards.

Thunders
Pros
- Stability great centered feeling on rails and ledges
- Lighter than Indy's
- Turning is a good in between Ace and Indy's

Cons
- Weak kingpins
- Baseplates are kinda fucked
- Slides on ledges are fucked from wheel contact

In summation there's a top tiered list and I can simplify it like this
Venture= tech gnar manuals tight trucks

Thunders/Indy's= great rail chompers and street trucks with a bit of heft on Indy's part.

Ace= I honestly think they were a great surf inspired bowl troll truck but they do make a great street trucks as well apart from the bowing or curvature they have.

[weedgod94]

i mostly ride indys and my biggest complaint is that they handle best on a 14.5 wb, but they're too heavy on a 14.5 wb. nobody makes a 31.8" deck with a 14.38" wb either. they also feel kinda tall when you have a narrow setup. i might try out the forged or ti version next time because that would solve both of these issues.