The Thunder Thread

[PuffinMuffin]

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Has anyone put their Ti Thunders on a diet? Brand new my 149's weighed ~335 grams. Got them down to ~305 which is less than Tensor ATGs (which claims they're 30% lighter than every other truck on the market). Hoping to get sub 300 when 3/8 Ti washers arrive. Not that it matters, just a weird project.

[close]

How?
Does it help?

Knocked out the old kingpins and popped on some titanium nuts and titanium kingpins. Planning on drilling out the baseplates for too, because fuck it, why not, I'm bored and it's raining outside.

It's only a 60-gram difference, but it's noticeable. Feels like you can pop over anything, and the board doesn't hurt too bad when it smacks your shins. The total weight is 5 pounds 1 oz with a 32 x 8.5 deck and ~50mm radial slims.

[Ok]

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Has anyone put their Ti Thunders on a diet? Brand new my 149's weighed ~335 grams. Got them down to ~305 which is less than Tensor ATGs (which claims they're 30% lighter than every other truck on the market). Hoping to get sub 300 when 3/8 Ti washers arrive. Not that it matters, just a weird project.

[close]

How?
Does it help?

[close]

Knocked out the old kingpins and popped on some titanium nuts and titanium kingpins. Planning on drilling out the baseplates for too, because fuck it, why not, I'm bored and it's raining outside.

It's only a 60-gram difference, but it's noticeable. Feels like you can pop over anything, and the board doesn't hurt too bad when it smacks your shins. The total weight is 5 pounds 1 oz with a 32 x 8.5 deck and ~50mm radial slims.

So sick! Heavy mods.
I’m skating a few different setups with thunders, and recently switched to 52 and less wheels. Skating is so much more fun (in this fairly smooth parking lot). I’ve always been the least picky about wheels…but damn if it doesn’t have a huge effect.

[Dan Gerous]

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Has anyone put their Ti Thunders on a diet? Brand new my 149's weighed ~335 grams. Got them down to ~305 which is less than Tensor ATGs (which claims they're 30% lighter than every other truck on the market). Hoping to get sub 300 when 3/8 Ti washers arrive. Not that it matters, just a weird project.

[close]

How?
Does it help?

[close]

Knocked out the old kingpins and popped on some titanium nuts and titanium kingpins. Planning on drilling out the baseplates for too, because fuck it, why not, I'm bored and it's raining outside.

It's only a 60-gram difference, but it's noticeable. Feels like you can pop over anything, and the board doesn't hurt too bad when it smacks your shins. The total weight is 5 pounds 1 oz with a 32 x 8.5 deck and ~50mm radial slims.

Imagine if you started with 149 Titaniums like the set I have, 310gr each, stock and new.

[PuffinMuffin]

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Has anyone put their Ti Thunders on a diet? Brand new my 149's weighed ~335 grams. Got them down to ~305 which is less than Tensor ATGs (which claims they're 30% lighter than every other truck on the market). Hoping to get sub 300 when 3/8 Ti washers arrive. Not that it matters, just a weird project.

[close]

How?
Does it help?

[close]

Knocked out the old kingpins and popped on some titanium nuts and titanium kingpins. Planning on drilling out the baseplates for too, because fuck it, why not, I'm bored and it's raining outside.

It's only a 60-gram difference, but it's noticeable. Feels like you can pop over anything, and the board doesn't hurt too bad when it smacks your shins. The total weight is 5 pounds 1 oz with a 32 x 8.5 deck and ~50mm radial slims.

[close]

Imagine if you started with 149 Titaniums like the set I have, 310gr each, stock and new.

Damn, luck of the draw, huh?

[Ol Nick]

Has anyone put their Ti Thunders on a diet? Brand new my 149's weighed ~335 grams. Got them down to ~305 which is less than Tensor ATGs (which claims they're 30% lighter than every other truck on the market). Hoping to get sub 300 when 3/8 Ti washers arrive. Not that it matters, just a weird project.

That’s with the same race car bolts you had in another set of trucks?

[PuffinMuffin]

Yep, same bolts. They were worth the money.

[Mbrimson88]

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I weigh 160-165 at 6 foot 3 and noticed both of my Thunder ti hangers have bent axles. I don’t skate much other than a curb and some ankle to knee height ledges and low transition so it’s pretty surprising.

[close]

I noticed curbs will always bend my axles (thunders or otherwise) but I've never tried TI hangers. I would think those would avoid the bending more.

It might just be me, but I feel like I have seen more bent Ti axles than regular or hollow, especially in proportion to how many there would be around, compared to regular or hollow.

The other troublesome thing is I can never hammer or bend Ti axles back straight, the way I can with regular or hollow.

[goodatmeth]

Thunder instagram story announced a 10" axle thunder.
size "181"

Not excited though, I just want some damn titaniums back in europe again. It's been over 2 years

[Frank and Fred]

Every time Thunder put out a wider truck, I get super intrigued. I have no need for 10" trucks but can't wait to see what the 181s look like. Still haven't tried 161s...

[Ok]

Every time Thunder put out a wider truck, I get super intrigued. I have no need for 10" trucks but can't wait to see what the 181s look like. Still haven't tried 161s...

I do appreciate the larger sizes, even tho I’m not trying to skate them (at this time): it’s nice to settle in on a brand, some of it is some weird consumer shit on my part, some of it is it’s nice to have some consistency across setups. Been on a thunder bender lately, works.

[goodatmeth]

300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

It's really weird to me that your titaniums started off so heavy. Where's all that mass? My titaniums (148) were around 305g new.

According to skatedeluxe, the 149 hollow lights are 324g. Titaniums should definitely be lighter

[PuffinMuffin]

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300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

[close]

It's really weird to me that your titaniums started off so heavy. Where's all that mass? My titaniums (148) were around 305g new.

According to skatedeluxe, the 149 hollow lights are 324g. Titaniums should definitely be lighter

I'm guessing the hanger has more meat for some reason, as the baseplates only weigh 70 grams each. But I don't understand it either.

[Ol Nick]

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300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

[close]

It's really weird to me that your titaniums started off so heavy. Where's all that mass? My titaniums (148) were around 305g new.

According to skatedeluxe, the 149 hollow lights are 324g. Titaniums should definitely be lighter

[close]

I'm guessing the hanger has more meat for some reason, as the baseplates only weigh 70 grams each. But I don't understand it either.

Oh, I didn’t realize this was in the Thunder baseplates, I figured those other plates you were modding maybe helped get it lighter. Can I see a pic of the baseplate/nut side or are they already set up?

[PuffinMuffin]

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300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

[close]

It's really weird to me that your titaniums started off so heavy. Where's all that mass? My titaniums (148) were around 305g new.

According to skatedeluxe, the 149 hollow lights are 324g. Titaniums should definitely be lighter

[close]

I'm guessing the hanger has more meat for some reason, as the baseplates only weigh 70 grams each. But I don't understand it either.

[close]

Oh, I didn’t realize this was in the Thunder baseplates, I figured those other plates you were modding maybe helped get it lighter. Can I see a pic of the baseplate/nut side or are they already set up?

I set them up already.

[Ol Nick]

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300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

[close]

It's really weird to me that your titaniums started off so heavy. Where's all that mass? My titaniums (148) were around 305g new.

According to skatedeluxe, the 149 hollow lights are 324g. Titaniums should definitely be lighter

[close]

I'm guessing the hanger has more meat for some reason, as the baseplates only weigh 70 grams each. But I don't understand it either.

[close]

Oh, I didn’t realize this was in the Thunder baseplates, I figured those other plates you were modding maybe helped get it lighter. Can I see a pic of the baseplate/nut side or are they already set up?

[close]

I set them up already.

It’s cool. I’ve been at the stage where the race car bolts just have their own permanent browser tab for a month or two now. Probably have a couple more before I take it to the next level. And I don’t even know what that level is.

[PuffinMuffin]

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300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

[close]

It's really weird to me that your titaniums started off so heavy. Where's all that mass? My titaniums (148) were around 305g new.

According to skatedeluxe, the 149 hollow lights are 324g. Titaniums should definitely be lighter

[close]

I'm guessing the hanger has more meat for some reason, as the baseplates only weigh 70 grams each. But I don't understand it either.

[close]

Oh, I didn’t realize this was in the Thunder baseplates, I figured those other plates you were modding maybe helped get it lighter. Can I see a pic of the baseplate/nut side or are they already set up?

[close]

I set them up already.

[close]

It’s cool. I’ve been at the stage where the race car bolts just have their own permanent browser tab for a month or two now. Probably have a couple more before I take it to the next level. And I don’t even know what that level is.

Haha, I feel you. It's not too bad compared to cycling. Some dudes I knew dropped hundreds of dollars on hub bearings that'd save them 1/8th of a watt. All so they could be pack fodder in a charity Gran Fondo.

[LebowskisRug]

I love how a few years back all the major bike brands were pushing these super integrated aero bikes that rode like ass and were a pain to work on and it turned out none of their wind tunnel testing transferred to real world conditions like they thought and now people are back on much more traditional frames. My teammate had a Venge Vias and it was the ugliest piece of shit and the internal cabling was heinous to work on. Oh and he was terrible so it was all for naught.

[yourbreakfsat]

300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

Ditch the baseplate and kingpin to shed more wieght :v

https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cbn5MlqN9Sr/?utm_medium=copy_link

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

I ran krux down-los, cast baseplate and ti hangers….it was a good set up. 

[Skatebeard]

After two years of skating constant flatground (around 500 hours I estimate), I've finally snapped a kingpin on my hollow light IIs.

For a hollow kingpin I feel like that's not terribly bad going, weird trick for it to happen on though, switch FS pop shuv.

Love the trucks so have already got a new kingpin on order. I'm on Venture lows on my spare setup in the meantime and whilst they don't suck for flatground at all, I'm missing the Thunder turn already.

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

If all else fails DM DLX/Thunder, they have pretty good customer service and may be able to help.  I barely got the kingpin out of my cast plates…

[JugeL]

I remember my father breaking his wrist trying to hammer out kingpin out of Thunder baseplate 15 years ago

Shoutout to my dad who has broken more bones than me with skateboards despite not skating

[Skatebeard]

If all else fails DM DLX/Thunder, they have pretty good customer service and may be able to help.  I barely got the kingpin out of my cast plates…

Yeah man I'm not looking forward to hammering it out tbh, think it'll be a vice and centre punch job. That splined section looks like it's pretty well in there.

[PuffinMuffin]

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300 and 302 grams. So close to sub 300. I tried drilling out the baseplates but the material was much harder than Indy forged plates, not worth the effort without a drill press.

[close]

Ditch the baseplate and kingpin to shed more wieght :v

https://www.instagram.com/tv/Cbn5MlqN9Sr/?utm_medium=copy_link

Thank you for sharing this! Ingenious considering he used Krux trucks so no turning radius was lost.

[Vintagebody]

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If all else fails DM DLX/Thunder, they have pretty good customer service and may be able to help.  I barely got the kingpin out of my cast plates…

[close]

Yeah man I'm not looking forward to hammering it out tbh, think it'll be a vice and centre punch job. That splined section looks like it's pretty well in there.

My trucks was rather new, so I got a new pair, but I tried hammering the kingpin out. I actually bent the kingpin instead. Its seriously tight... Seriously need to attach the baseplate to something solid, and then have a giant hammer, or the best would probably be a hydraulic press

[Skatebeard]

Mine actually snapped down inside the baseplate so I'm hoping that makes it a bit easier to hammer out as there isn't a load of kingpin to try and get back through the hole.

Guess i'll find out!

[timv]

I broke two hollow kingpins on venture forged baseplates and used a drill press to drill most of it out and then was able to hammer out the rest fairly easy.  Had to be careful not to drill out the splined edge inside baseplate.  I put down lows in with jb welded nuts though……

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

My impression is that the older ones were easier to get out, so I’d keep my eye out for them.  Ie. Craigslist or friends. 

[Damoforce]

If all else fails DM DLX/Thunder, they have pretty good customer service and may be able to help.  I barely got the kingpin out of my cast plates…

Thunder its self customer service was really bad imo. Never resolved my issue. I ended up going to where I bought them from and they were super helpful.

And on the kingpin, I couldn't get one out of a forged plate. The only way I see is drilling.

[freidnly guy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkjyz3jPrf4

thunder 181 in this Stock Report