Which Bushings R U Running?

[Dmng]

Debating getting stronger bushings on the Lurpiv. Currently have 2 threads showing or something like that (realized I struggle learning new tricks on loose trucks even if they are much more enjoyable to ride)
Debating getting medium ace without cuting them if it fits, shortening ace hard, or getting those riptide but they are almost 3 times the price of aces here and I’m a bit confused about the size / shape to buy

Last option is just keeping 2 visible threads

Any thoughts?

[logjammin]

ace standard bushings, not the lows, fit proper on lurpivs, you just have to not use any washers both bottom and top, to keep the geometry and also to have everything fit on the kingpin.

side note: I went bones softs for the first time ever cause the springiness is super fun, much like the rebound you get from aces. literally day 2 and the bottom one broke, I weight 195lbs so I guess I had it coming. forgot to bring my extra bag of bushings to the park so I had to cruise to the shop and ended up getting medium durometer pig bushings 91a. they are excellent. same bottom bushing height as aces. top bushings are normal height like Indy, etc. definitely recommend them for anyone who is curious to try something else.

[Dmng]

Yeah I’m just worried there be more risk of breaking the bushings without washers as I’d ride it a bit tight. That’s why I was thinking about cutting it if it’s not too difficult, or just having it easier and getting riptide Krank even though they are quite expensive

[logjammin]

if you want harder bushings for the lurpivs just go with ace hards or Indy aftermarkets in the 94a. you can run normal washers with the indy bushings since they're the same heights as stock lurpivs. I never notice any difference though if I don't use washers in terms of bushings getting damaged. over time bushings wear away no matter what.

[Mbrimson88]

ace standard bushings, not the lows, fit proper on lurpivs, you just have to not use any washers both bottom and top, to keep the geometry and also to have everything fit on the kingpin.

side note: I went bones softs for the first time ever cause the springiness is super fun, much like the rebound you get from aces. literally day 2 and the bottom one broke, I weight 195lbs so I guess I had it coming. forgot to bring my extra bag of bushings to the park so I had to cruise to the shop and ended up getting medium durometer pig bushings 91a. they are excellent. same bottom bushing height as aces. top bushings are normal height like Indy, etc. definitely recommend them for anyone who is curious to try something else.

I recall some people asking about the Pig bushings.  As I have never seen them in person I didn't have any information on them, but that is good.  So that puts them in about this range?

Pig bushings

Top  10.5
Bottom 14

Thanks.

[logjammin]

yeah seems accurate. really didn't expect Pig of all companies to be on the radar for bushings but they are great so far. no dead turns, rebound is all there. and for each durometer they offer multiple color options if people are into that.

[Hqjdncm]

I just wanted to double check in here real quick but are the doh doh barrel/cone bushings the same height as the conical/cone bushings ?

[Dmng]

God, cutting bushings was actually way more difficult than I thought. I didn’t chop a finger which seems like a performance to me.

Basically impossible to sand down / get the cut side smoother though. What do you use for that ? I’m not sure how perfectly flat the contact has to be as the pressure should do the trick when it’s on ?

Probably the first and last time I’ll do it to be honest. 

[logjammin]

you don't need to cut or sand any bushings? just choose an indy height bushing that's harder if you want to run washers. or go with ace hards without bottom washers, still plenty stable...

[Dmng]

I wanted to use the washers to have as much stability as possible and it seemed pretty easy, I didn’t imagine it’d be this tricky to be honest. I guess I’ll try to sand it a bit more and give it a try !

[Mbrimson88]

I wanted to use the washers to have as much stability as possible and it seemed pretty easy, I didn’t imagine it’d be this tricky to be honest. I guess I’ll try to sand it a bit more and give it a try !

Now you have cut them, keeping the bit you cut off is good cause you can always put that back under there and they still work.

Sanding the uneven bushings on the edge of your grip tape has often been a simple way to go too, or have the tallest bit at the back closest to the pivot point.


This was my revised "How to cut bushings" from not too long ago, but I have tried a number of different options over the years, some working better than others.

A serrated knife, eg kitchen bread knife, steak knife or something similar worked best for me, more so than a smooth blade like a Stanley knife or a box cutter type of thing.


https://www.instagram.com/mbrimson88/p/DOyFF4Pk7B-/


Then this was a very old one from 2018:


https://www.instagram.com/mbrimson/p/BpGf4tGlRyf/


I think people on here have seen these a few too many times, so I put just the link, not the actual post up.

Cutting them on a kingpin or similar thing to hold them in place is way easier than trying to cut them without having something in the middle to hold them.

[Murge]

Hey I’m a moron. I got ace hard bushings and I managed to mix them with the normal ace bushings. I think I got the hard ones on. But is there any solid tells so I know? My back truck feels very loose and I got 2 threads showing.

[Mbrimson88]

Hey I’m a moron. I got ace hard bushings and I managed to mix them with the normal ace bushings. I think I got the hard ones on. But is there any solid tells so I know? My back truck feels very loose and I got 2 threads showing.

Squeeze test works best on any bushings like that.

Get a pair of pliers or grips or really anything that you can squeeze the bushing, side to side, so the softer ones will compress a whole lot more, with the harder ones being way more firm for the same squeeze.

Harder on the left, softer on the right with the same amount of force applied:

[Murge]

Mbrimson88 You always come to the rescue. Thank you! Gnarred.

[Mbrimson88]

Mbrimson88 You always come to the rescue. Thank you! Gnarred.

Easy!

I do find it funny how some bushings, all the same colour, can get mixed up way more easily than some people might think, eg Ace bushings quite often, Slappy bushings definitely, even the new Pig bushings which you can get in three different duro options in the same colours, could be a funny one.  They are all white, but all look exactly the same per brand.  Some others like the white Indy or even white Thunder bushings, I can tell well enough, but I had to do the same test with some Thunder black bushings the other day - stock 90s and aftermarket 100s.

For future reference, any lighter colour or white bushings, I mark on the top / bottom what they are, which you can't see when you have them set up, even just a couple of dots on one set or something which you can then tell them apart if they do happen to end up in the same place.

The pen ink sinks in a bit, so even with heavy use, I can still see what was on there.

[Dmng]

thanks @Mbrimson88 for the bushing cutting methods! it's very clear like that and it'd have been easier : )

I've managed to sand the cut side with a flat disc for sandpaper that goes in a drill! very easy. weirdly the ace hard cut to the correct measures seemed a but short (I think the top as as different shape and is not as wide or something like that?) so I used the cut barrels + old used cones top and it works like a charm : )
they seem a bit more stable and a bit more turny than the lurpiv so I won't complain

[Cthulhu!]

For cutting bushings, I use a set of extra long needle nose pliers from work, and one of those very sharp kitchen knives that went missing when we moved...ended up in the garage somehow...
You can hold the bushing further away, and then real careful you start to slice. It does take a few minutes but it's worth it I think.

[Mbrimson88]

BUSHING HEIGHT CHART - ALL BUSHINGS INCLUDED IN ONE POST

Anything else to note and I can change this post to reflect the correct measurements / heights as well.

From the site, the Ace low are lower in general but still fairly tall.


Low Bushing Set

Top 10mm tall | 91a hardness
Bottom 12mm tall | 86a hardness


Classic Bushing Set

Top 12mm tall | 91a hardness
Bottom 14mm tall | 86a hardness



As I had posted earlier in another thread, but this time using Ace aftermarket measurements:

Ace low
Total  22 mm
Top  10 mm
Bottom  12 mm

Ace classic
Total  26 mm
Top  12 mm
Bottom  14 mm

Ace Inverted
Total 23 mm
Top 9 mm
Bottom 14 mm


Slappy
Total 22 mm
Top 9 mm
Bottom 13 mm

Slappy ultra low
Total  21 mm
Top 8 mm
Bottom 13 mm


Venture stock 90a
Total  22.5 mm
Top  9.5 mm
Bottom  13 mm

Venture low top kits
Total  21 mm
Top  8 mm
Bottom  13 mm


Thunder stock 90a and aftermarket (same) 90a, 94a, 95a, 98a, 100a
Total  23.5 mm
Top  9.5 mm
Bottom  14 mm

Thunder T-II
Total 23 mm
Top 9.5 mm
Bottom 13.5 mm


Indy stock 90a and aftermarket (same in both cylinder and conical) 78a, 88a, 90a, 92a, 94a, 96a
Total  23.5 mm
Top  10.5 mm
Bottom  13 mm

Then Indy low head bushings 92a
Total  21 mm
Top  8 mm
Bottom  13 mm

Indy Stage 4
Total 27 mm
Top 12.5 mm
Bottom 14.5 mm


Pig bushings
Total 24.5 mm
Top 10.5 mm
Bottom 14 mm


Bones bushings
Total 26 mm
Top 12 mm
Bottom 14 mm

* The "extra height" on Bones bushings is due to them being used without the usual truck bushing washers and they come with only one very thin flat black washer, but they can be put on with the normal truck bushing washers if needed, or when they squash down.



That post was more in response to the question of bushing measurements, given the new NFG bushings come in many different options.


https://www.nfgmfg.com/shop


They have these:

Top conical (5 options)
95a  in 8mm, 9.5mm, 10mm, 10.3mm and 11mm

Bottom (5 options)
90a and 95a barrel 13mm
90a and 95a half conical 14mm and 14.5mm


Seems perfect to work out exactly what you want and get those, between the softer bottoms and slightly harder lower tops, I could get things exactly how I usually ride my other bushings.

It took a while to find this post again from Feb 2021, so this time maybe I should include some key words like bushing measurement height and similar so it is easier to find.

Anyway, some of these might have had some changes required, eg the Indy aftermarket black bushings have been said to be 14mm tall for the bottoms, which is curious.

[moykky]

That post ^ should be in the first post of this thread, thanks!

I have been testing different bushings in T1's, and like somebody said here (or Thunder thread) - if you run anything but Thunder bushings, they're not thunders anymore. I tried Slappy bushings, and I noticed that they don't wheelbite anymore, the turn is not so quick, overall more stable (feel like they're ventures without the hefty pop feel). Slappy 90A and Thunder blue (95a?) bushings were used.

So basically the barrel shaped Slappy bottom bushing will give progression to the lean, the deeper you lean more resistance there is and I hardly ever got any wheelbite. With the thunder conical bushings you just lean until it wheelbites. It would be no brainer to user the barrel shaped bushings but now I realized, the responsive, quick and unrestricted turn is what makes the trucks special and if you take that away.... I don't know if this makes any sense

[rikki]

That post ^ should be in the first post of this thread, thanks!

I have been testing different bushings in T1's, and like somebody said here (or Thunder thread) - if you run anything but Thunder bushings, they're not thunders anymore. I tried Slappy bushings, and I noticed that they don't wheelbite anymore, the turn is not so quick, overall more stable (feel like they're ventures without the hefty pop feel). Slappy 90A and Thunder blue (95a?) bushings were used.

So basically the barrel shaped Slappy bottom bushing will give progression to the lean, the deeper you lean more resistance there is and I hardly ever got any wheelbite. With the thunder conical bushings you just lean until it wheelbites. It would be no brainer to user the barrel shaped bushings but now I realized, the responsive, quick and unrestricted turn is what makes the trucks special and if you take that away.... I don't know if this makes any sense

To each their own, but I wouldn't really call the Thunder turn "responsive" myself. I mean, the definition of the term may of course vary, but for me the turn is somewhere between nonexistent and twitchy. As for "responsive", I think Ace and Indy are actually that. With them there's a wide spectrum in the turn with room for actual responsive control.

That said, I haven't ridden Thunders in years so what do I know. I used to have tons of bushing (and turning) issues with them back in the day (used to ride 148 Teams), the memories don't really encourage me to try them again. Maybe the bushings are better these days.

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

I think the first 20% of a thunder turn is responsive…..then it’s all lean and the inevitable wheel bite…..

The twitch is arguably the responsive part….

[Mbrimson88]

To each their own, but I wouldn't really call the Thunder turn "responsive" myself. I mean, the definition of the term may of course vary, but for me the turn is somewhere between nonexistent and twitchy. As for "responsive", I think Ace and Indy are actually that. With them there's a wide spectrum in the turn with room for actual responsive control.

That said, I haven't ridden Thunders in years so what do I know. I used to have tons of bushing (and turning) issues with them back in the day (used to ride 148 Teams), the memories don't really encourage me to try them again. Maybe the bushings are better these days.

I would agree with you as far as they are a different turn, but people who are more used to Venture and Thunder trucks get on Indy and Ace and feel like they have minimal control, or they turn too much, so it is all relative.

The main thing for me was that on Thunders without wheel wells or risers, I go to turn and then get wheel bite more quickly than I can handle, so I had to either ride tighter trucks or add risers, or just ride very small wheels compared to what I would usually ride, when I was riding Thunders back in the early 00s for a while.  This was proved again when I was setting up a lot of different boards post 2020, just to see what everything felt like while trying to figure out what would work best or how I could change things to make them work for me.

I had all but given up on riding normal Thunders until the inverted kingpin option came out and then went back again for another serve, so I have quite a few boards on original Thunders now, although most are modified with DIY inverted kingpins, or a couple with the stock inverted kingpins - all with taller bottom bushings and shorter tops, to change geometry to increase turn, same as I did with Venture trucks too, but I guess that is a whole different story and not one that we need to get into regarding the normal original Thunder turn.

For what is maybe the lowest regular truck on the market of the bigger brands, Thunder still gets a lot of love from people who like it for what it is, but then a good number of people do think it is too low, doesn't turn enough, or has other issues with the truck, like the short baseplate.

Bushings in Thunder are maybe about the same as they were, but with everything I have said above, I think that is where things are going to make or break the experience of riding Thunder trucks.

One guy I know swears by them, regular Thunders with stock bushings on 52 mm Classics and they just work, nothing else needed.  The turn on his trucks is pretty significant and his boards usually have wheelbite marks but he says that is not a problem to him.

[rikki]

Yeah, maybe I'm not just good/adaptable enough a skateboarder for Thunders. I know peeps who swear by them, and a lot of them are really good at skating. Most of them ride setups on the techier/narrower side with wheel size below the 52mm mark. Maybe Thunders are not the best ATV truck for a mediocre skater who prefers bigger wheels.

But yeah, as someone wise once said, wheelbite is not a defect, it's a feature. Gotta land on bolts hey. And you can always wax the wheel wells.

[moykky]

Yeah, I should have given more context, I was comparing Thunder with Venture. I don't think I've ever owned a pair of Indys and I know I've never had ACEs. I have tested some other peoples setups but that's about it. ACE felt really unstable for me.

I have never played around with bushings, always stock. Sometimes I've replaced a blown out Venture bushing with some other brand, but that's about it. This whole thing started since I was fed up with the stock bushings blowing out all the time (and the wheelbite, but I didn't realize I could fix it). I think I try one more thing, ACE bottom bushing (soft) and Slappy top bushing (harder) and then get back to stock if the turn still feel too sluggish.

 I was just so amazed how much the bushing shape made a difference.

[rikki]

Yeah definitely a barrel bottom makes a difference. I can't ride my Indys with a conical bottom if my life depended on it. I wanna be able to lean without sinking in a jiffy. 

[moonordie]

Yeah definitely a barrel bottom makes a difference. I can't ride my Indys with a conical bottom if my life depended on it. I wanna be able to lean without sinking in a jiffy.

Amen brother.

[rikki]

I mean, for all I know, it's ultimately all about how the top and bottom bushings work together.

Case in point: if one wants quick response without too much wheelbite in a truck, they should go for a softer top combined with a harder barrel bottom.

The initial turn feel and how quickly the truck reacts is more affected by the top bushing. To make the reaction more lively, go for a softer top.

The overall stability (and potential for wheelbite) is more affected by the bottom bushing. If you don't want the turn to be too deep too easily, go for a barrel-shaped, harder bottom. If you wanna dive-bomb easier into surfy wheelbite land, go for a softer and/or conical bottom.

As for the question of how a certain truck "should feel", I'm kinda in the fuck all that camp. Just make them your own. As for me, I prefer not messing up too much with bushings. With Indy, I ride either stock or blues, no mix and match. Ventures treat me fine with stock bushings.

I'm repeating myself here, but the reason I gave up on Thunders long time ago was the endless dissatisfaction with how the stock bushings and the truck's turn interacted with what I wanted to get out my skating.

Not to piss on Thunders per se -- as said, some peeps love 'em. I mean, on the other hand, I can't skate Aces with stock bushings, they feel like woollen socks.

[Mbrimson88]

I mean, for all I know, it's ultimately all about how the top and bottom bushings work together.

Case in point: if one wants quick response without too much wheelbite in a truck, they should go for a softer top combined with a harder barrel bottom.

The initial turn feel and how quickly the truck reacts is more affected by the top bushing. To make the reaction more lively, go for a softer top.

The overall stability (and potential for wheelbite) is more affected by the bottom bushing. If you don't want the turn to be too deep too easily, go for a barrel-shaped, harder bottom. If you wanna dive-bomb easier into surfy wheelbite land, go for a softer and/or conical bottom.

As for the question of how a certain truck "should feel", I'm kinda in the fuck all that camp. Just make them your own. As for me, I prefer not messing up too much with bushings. With Indy, I ride either stock or blues, no mix and match. Ventures treat me fine with stock bushings.

I'm repeating myself here, but the reason I gave up on Thunders long time ago was the endless dissatisfaction with how the stock bushings and the truck's turn interacted with what I wanted to get out my skating.

Not to piss on Thunders per se -- as said, some peeps love 'em. I mean, on the other hand, I can't skate Aces with stock bushings, they feel like woollen socks.

I could experiment all day with all sorts of weird and wonderful creations for trucks and bushings, but my usual Indy standards with 92 duro bushings just work so well, I really don't need anything else.

That doesn't mean I can't have a little fun with other trucks and bushings though, but getting back on any of my usual boards, I know what home feels like.


As you said though, "Just make them your own" is pretty much what some people need to hear, not to set up a board with bushings like their favourite pro or anyone else, but what will work for them.

Simple as that (even though I know it can often be anything but simple really).

[Texas_Tone]

Yea truck madness is prolly the only one I let in, I definitely like to explore options when I comes to bushings and what I like, I am not a fan of the metal ace uses for their trucks, but I swear by the ACE hard bushings, perfect for the constant changes in temp we get here in Texas, currently I’m on T2s with the deckside an ace hard barrel (because I like the stable feel of the barrel) and the street side the stock bushing that came in the T2s, still pretty surfy but helps keep me centered when setting up for stuff, trucks are highly subjective, easy to tweak, and fun to mess around with, let the madness in boys

[coast2coast]

i skate ace af1's and i run the ace stock bottom bushings and ace hard bushings for the top. still loose as a goose but gets stabilizes you better when setting up