Honestly, if you're already sizing your whole setup down it's going to be a whole lot lighter already.
You could probably make do with thunder standards if that is your desired height and the team hollows are too expensive.
I think you're right in assuming the forged plates would be a bit too much.
I rode indys for the longest time, standard and forged plates. I've ridden thunder standards and team hollows for a little over a year now and def don't want them any lower/lighter. Team hollows almost feel too light for me in some situations. But that's what I'm on currently.
I've only been on this size deck for about 4 months, before that I had Indy 126 Stage 8's on a 7.75" deck before that I had the same trucks on a 7.5" with raiser pads etc. I had cancer on and off for 5 years and have been cancer free for 2 years but my strength still hasn't returned 100% and might never return 100%.
Which is why I thought I'd be best off getting the Thunder Team Hollows being a bit higher than forged but lighter than a Indy.
Don't go chasing hollows, keep to the standards available everywhere.
I might pick up some Standards, a local shop is selling off all its skateboard stock at the moment and I can get a pair for $41.70. Its the low height that worries me the most of all.
take mine with a large helping of salt: i’m not good, and i’ll find something about every truck that i try, that i like.
i have some thunder 148s that are are the forged baseplate/hollow kingpin, solid axle variant (lights), and they are great. i currently have them setup with some 56 spitfire classics, and yes i get wheelbite, but it is manageable. i also prefer the solid axle, on all trucks. the weight savings in the baseplate, and kingpin, along with the height reduction, is great for me.
i really like the height of the forged baseplate with the 148s.
i enjoy a lower truck.
i don’t like indys, in part because of the height. i liked older stages of indys that were lower.
now thunder 147s on a forged baseplate are a commitment, those are looooooow.
I used to run 1mm Shock pads under my Indys, IDK why I did, it was too tall and I'm embarrassed to admit it took me years to figure out to remove them. The low height concerns me a little with the forged plate, hence wondering if using raisers would matter, feels like you can always bump up the truck a bit higher but you cant lower them.
Trying hollow indys could be the solution, but if you're trying Thunder... 148 cast are still lighter than 159 (and 149) standard indys. Soo, do you enjoy the height on Indy or no? If so, grabbing the hollow lights and some DLX (or some other deluxe truck friendly brand) riser pads can give you the desired height, reudce wheelbite, and even add some weight if the hollow lights were "too light." Personally, hollow light Thunders are too light to me. They're Tech Deck toy light and are not responsive at all.
Hope that helps!
I do like the height of Indy's but not for flipping. Flipping was the one thing I preferred on my friends setups as a teen but I hated feel and turning of their trucks, however no one had Thunders in my group, I tried them once briefly when I borrowed some random guys setup at the park and remember thinking they were the next best thing to Indy.
Indy's would be safe but I would like to try something new, I'm not going to be cruising or carving the bowl with this setup.
I don't like that Tech Deck feel, I remember that's how some of my mates setups felt maybe I should avoid the hollow axle if that's the main cause but as I said above my strength may never return to 100% so I'm trying to save my legs as much strain as much as possible.
No harm in using risers. Actually coming from riding Indy for a long time, I would almost recommend risers on any Thunder trucks no matter what, but that is just me. Getting used to a lower truck is a funny thing, some people taking to it easily, others wheel bite every other landing, or even just rolling and anticipating having a bit more to lean than you actually do.
Any which way, Thunders are a good truck and as people have said, are lighter even in the most basic team editions than any Indy truck, as well as having a more narrow hanger on 8.25 wide compared to 8.75 wide trucks, so I wouldn't be going for ultra light so much as I would just be getting a decent set of trucks to get me through the testing of something new, again just my own thoughts on it.
Indy standards 55 mm in height, forged baseplates 53.5 mm, then Thunder team 52 and forged baseplate 50.5 mm so that is a significant step down in height no matter what you do, especially with 54 mm wheels.
Any which way, good luck with your new board. It will feel weird and you might think "Why did I get this?" but give it a few sessions before really making up your mind on anything, including tightening trucks, as the bushings do wear in nicely, it just takes a bit of time.
It's good to learn raisers aren't going to cause me any issues. The way some people hate on them, I started assuming there was a better reason than just preference to not use them.
So the Standard Thunder would be a little lighter than a Standard Team but lower due to base plate, correct? I can get a pair of Standard Thunders at the moment for $41.70USD which is insanely cheap here in New Zealand, half the usual price, maybe its fate and I should buy them.
Little bit of concern I might regret not spending the extra on lighter Thunders, as I've said above re. my past health issues I want to make sure i'm doing all I can to help make life easier for me. Except going any smaller than 8.25" on the deck width .... As a teen I would of killed for these wider boards, the age of the skinny deck was painful for me, hunting down a 7.75" was nearly impossible, long live the wide deck revolution.
Topic: The Thunder Thread (Read 146697 times)