Gear madness support thread

[Sedition]

Does cracked or teared bushings give you madness? Been on a bushing madness every since I switch to Indy from thunders, tried the bones hard but couldnt get my trucks lose enough without my nut falling off, bones medium too soft and exploded, now on bones hard on the bottom and bones medium on the top, seems to be okay but now I'm like dam would trying a harder Indy bushing be a better option instead? Some days I wished I never cared about this stuff lol

Bones Bushings, IMHO, suck. They only come on three duros, and 81a option is obtuse turboclown shit. So, they really only come in two functional duros (91a and 96a). They gap between 91a and 96a is huge, which makes it a real problem if you are really trying to fine tune your set-up. Moreover, they only come in conical shape, and are notorious for blowing out. Indy makes tons of duros, and all come in both barrel and conical shapes, and last way longer. Having options is a good thing, and Bones provides very little in that arena. Try aftermarket Indy or Thunder bushings, or Supercush. 

[LebowskisRug]

The conical shape doesn't make them notorious for blowouts it is the different material (yellow for the mediums, black for the hard) that forms the sleeve and just the general materials used. Thunder and Indy conicals do not blow out nearly as fast or crumble the way that Bones do. My Thunder bushings split from the washer digging in, but with a flat washer they had zero issues whereas Bones are fucked no matter what you do.

Unfortunately Supercush seem to be vanishing from the internet. The Thunder replacements come in 90 and 94 and if the 94 are too hard for you try the stock bottom and 94 top. You will get a lot of lean but the hard top will assist in resisting wheelbite at the end of the turn.

[MetalAnkleMan]

Expand Quote

Does cracked or teared bushings give you madness? Been on a bushing madness every since I switch to Indy from thunders, tried the bones hard but couldnt get my trucks lose enough without my nut falling off, bones medium too soft and exploded, now on bones hard on the bottom and bones medium on the top, seems to be okay but now I'm like dam would trying a harder Indy bushing be a better option instead? Some days I wished I never cared about this stuff lol

[close]

Bones Bushings, IMHO, suck. They only come on three duros, and 81a option is obtuse turboclown shit. So, they really only come in two functional duros (91a and 96a). They gap between 91a and 96a is huge, which makes it a real problem if you are really trying to fine tune your set-up. Moreover, they only come in conical shape, and are notorious for blowing out. Indy makes tons of duros, and all come in both barrel and conical shapes, and last way longer. Having options is a good thing, and Bones provides very little in that arena. Try aftermarket Indy or Thunder bushings, or Supercush.

I agree, thanks for your insight, what bushings you running man? Also if you dont mind whats your weight? I can confirm 6 ft 175lbs will implode bones mediums lol I ride medium tightness trucks

[MetalAnkleMan]

The conical shape doesn't make them notorious for blowouts it is the different material (yellow for the mediums, black for the hard) that forms the sleeve and just the general materials used. Thunder and Indy conicals do not blow out nearly as fast or crumble the way that Bones do. My Thunder bushings split from the washer digging in, but with a flat washer they had zero issues whereas Bones are fucked no matter what you do.

Unfortunately Supercush seem to be vanishing from the internet. The Thunder replacements come in 90 and 94 and if the 94 are too hard for you try the stock bottom and 94 top. You will get a lot of lean but the hard top will assist in resisting wheelbite at the end of the turn.

Same to you man, what bushings are you running and whats your weight? Trying to see what other people are doing to use as a reference point to end this madness haha

[Sedition]

The conical shape doesn't make them notorious for blowouts...

I never implied shape had causal relation to blow outs. Rather, was just listing off problems with Bones. One of which is their blow outs, and another being limited shape options.

[Sedition]

I agree, thanks for your insight, what bushings you running man? Also if you dont mind whats your weight? I can confirm 6 ft 175lbs will implode bones mediums lol I ride medium tightness trucks

I ride Indys with 92a (blue) barrels. 5'11'', and 170-175lbs.

[MetalAnkleMan]

Expand Quote

I agree, thanks for your insight, what bushings you running man? Also if you dont mind whats your weight? I can confirm 6 ft 175lbs will implode bones mediums lol I ride medium tightness trucks

[close]

I ride Indys with 92a (blue) barrels. 5'11'', and 170-175lbs.

Thanks man! Will look into those

[emotional_degloving]

Fuckin, picked up one of the last Darkroom decks at the skateshop. There's a couple more I might get as wall-hangers but I intend to skate this one. It's an 8.38.

I've jumped from 8" to 7.75 back to 8" then up to 8.75" and then to 8.38. I feel like at this point, none of this shit really matters. As long as I can balance on it and know where the pocket is and flip that shit, it's good enough for me.
Gear madness has been poison but fuck it, it is what it is at this point.

I'm gonna donate all my unused shit that I won't use as wallhangers. They got life left in them still.

[manysnakes]

Expand Quote

Does cracked or teared bushings give you madness? Been on a bushing madness every since I switch to Indy from thunders, tried the bones hard but couldnt get my trucks lose enough without my nut falling off, bones medium too soft and exploded, now on bones hard on the bottom and bones medium on the top, seems to be okay but now I'm like dam would trying a harder Indy bushing be a better option instead? Some days I wished I never cared about this stuff lol

[close]

Bones Bushings, IMHO, suck. They only come on three duros, and 81a option is obtuse turboclown shit. So, they really only come in two functional duros (91a and 96a). They gap between 91a and 96a is huge, which makes it a real problem if you are really trying to fine tune your set-up. Moreover, they only come in conical shape, and are notorious for blowing out. Indy makes tons of duros, and all come in both barrel and conical shapes, and last way longer. Having options is a good thing, and Bones provides very little in that arena. Try aftermarket Indy or Thunder bushings, or Supercush.

Agreed 100%. I've skated Indy, Ace, Royal, and to a lesser extent Venture. All of the stock bushings which come with these trucks have been great. I've blown out some Indy bushings after a year or two of regular riding, which I don't really think is a big deal.

The only exception is the dogshit red Indy "Soft" bushings. These are sub-Bones quality.

[AlumarX]

I had a PS stix 8" deck that just wasn't working for me on venture lows, so I bit the bullet on 5.2 v-light hi to get the forged plate and it felt incredible. But for some of my other decks I might try something else, the pivot cup squeak is gonna drive me insane lol, it sounds like my aunt's 1999 Eddie Bouer Explorer suspension.

[Ok]

I had a PS stix 8" deck that just wasn't working for me on venture lows, so I bit the bullet on 5.2 v-light hi to get the forged plate and it felt incredible. But for some of my other decks I might try something else, the pivot cup squeak is gonna drive me insane lol, it sounds like my aunt's 1999 Eddie Bouer Explorer suspension.

lots of solutions for this. soap. cum. bike grease. dish soap. motor oil. bar soap.

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

wax your nub....

[LebowskisRug]

Expand Quote

The conical shape doesn't make them notorious for blowouts it is the different material (yellow for the mediums, black for the hard) that forms the sleeve and just the general materials used. Thunder and Indy conicals do not blow out nearly as fast or crumble the way that Bones do. My Thunder bushings split from the washer digging in, but with a flat washer they had zero issues whereas Bones are fucked no matter what you do.

Unfortunately Supercush seem to be vanishing from the internet. The Thunder replacements come in 90 and 94 and if the 94 are too hard for you try the stock bottom and 94 top. You will get a lot of lean but the hard top will assist in resisting wheelbite at the end of the turn.

[close]

Same to you man, what bushings are you running and whats your weight? Trying to see what other people are doing to use as a reference point to end this madness haha

I run the stock bushings that come in Thunder or Venture. The only truck I really would switch bushings on are Indy Standards and I would run the blue 92a on those.

I have run Supercush 88A in Ventures and liked those and have only run Bones bushings once ever and wasn't super into them at the time.

[Mbrimson88]

Expand Quote

Does cracked or teared bushings give you madness? Been on a bushing madness every since I switch to Indy from thunders, tried the bones hard but couldnt get my trucks lose enough without my nut falling off, bones medium too soft and exploded, now on bones hard on the bottom and bones medium on the top, seems to be okay but now I'm like dam would trying a harder Indy bushing be a better option instead? Some days I wished I never cared about this stuff lol

[close]

Bones Bushings, IMHO, suck. They only come on three duros, and 81a option is obtuse turboclown shit. So, they really only come in two functional duros (91a and 96a). They gap between 91a and 96a is huge, which makes it a real problem if you are really trying to fine tune your set-up. Moreover, they only come in conical shape, and are notorious for blowing out. Indy makes tons of duros, and all come in both barrel and conical shapes, and last way longer. Having options is a good thing, and Bones provides very little in that arena. Try aftermarket Indy or Thunder bushings, or Supercush.

Along with everything else being said, more than anything, I think the main thing people forget is going very easy on bushings for the first few sessions / how ever long you skate them to just nicely wear them in, so then they will have way more chance of being decent for the life of your trucks.

That said, I don't know too many people who really get the most out of Bones bushings, except for the hard versions, which at first are almost impossible to turn on at all, but once they really break in they come out about a firm medium and skate a lot better.  Taking that time is sometimes not an option for some people, but I am also usually not interested in them because of the splitting of the softer part to the harder hub, which is almost always the cause of Bones bushings to be replaced on most setups I have seen with them on - some in a matter of minutes, yes minutes, from setting them up, but more often a few weeks to a month.

I use the Indy aftermarket bushings (usually 92 duro), which really do work so well for me and I don't have any issues with them, but I have had other people try to crank them down right from go and they blow out in the first session, so again, just ease into it with them, first session just roll around and get nice and comfortable before tightening them down, no matter what the duro / option you go with.

Even the Indy black hard or yellow super hard actually break in really well, even though at first they seem like there is no chance of a decent turn on them at all, they end up feeling about medium firm to me on Indy trucks with the nut flush, or at least these used ones from other people I have are like that.


If any bushing is too soft it will give you more trouble than it is worth, as more often it will split or cause wheelbite or be unstable on your setup until you either crank them down (and maybe split them) or get sick of them and need to put in new ones that are harder.

If any bushing is too hard that you can't get the nut on fully, try to wear them in or even use the harder bottom bushing and a softer top, which will give a little more stability and still keep things safe.  Don't want the nut falling off, the way I have seen some people skate.  I know you said you do this with your own, but it is worth noting for anyone.

Lastly, I have cut down the top bushing on many, many sets for myself and for others, so the bushings overall still do what they are supposed to do, stay at the same geometry with the bottom one holding the hanger in place, but having a single mm or two at most off the lower part of the top bushing, you can keep things more turny, but get the kingpin nut on cleanly and even have a bit more clearance in that regard too.


Sorry if that is a bit too much, but in doing this and fixing boards for a long, long time, I am familiar with all the ins and outs of bushings, what works, what doesn't work and even what you can do with bushings if you find they are too firm, such as wax all the contact surfaces of bushing and hanger, which make them way more turny, almost too turny for some, but it does work and makes harder bushings wear in really nicely if you want a more medium feel without having to cut or change anything much.

[Sedition]

^ Yeah, when I worked at a shop, I constantly told people “bushings get stiffer as they break in, so don’t over tighten them at first.”

I also ride the 92a Indy bushings. I find that it takes me about 25 min of carving around to get the initial “broken-in” feel, and then they are absolutely perfect about a day later.

[rikki]

Bones bushings get way too much hype in my opinion. Stock bushings in Indys and Ventures cover most needs and last longer than Bones. And as Slappers above stated, if the orange stock Indys feel too soft (GIVE THEM TIME FIRST), the blue 92s are the bee's knees.

[DarkPools]

Bones bushings get way too much hype in my opinion. Stock bushings in Indys and Ventures cover most needs and last longer than Bones. And as Slappers above stated, if the orange stock Indys feel too soft (GIVE THEM TIME FIRST), the blue 92s are the bee's knees.

Just bought some conical 92s to throw in my cruiser so I can be surfing but stable while rolling around. If I like em enough may get an extra set for my main setup. Currently on 90 conical

I was a Bones bushings fanatic  (medium hard was my go to) when I was a teenager. Their gimmick (be it valid or placebo) was that the bushings were good to go right away. That appealed to me as a teenager because I was impatient and didn't wanna break in bushings for whatever trucks I skated. However, like Lakais that break in quick, they wear out quick so I do recall getting 50-70% of lifespan in them compared to my Indy bushings. I had quality at the cost of durability.

I tried them in Thunders, Royals, and maybe Silvers.  Not sure if I tried them in Indy once I committed to riding those full time since 2010. Anyone try Bones in Indy? I feel like they're too short in height and would fuck up the geo instead of compliment it.

[OhioGuy]

Took my 8.27 setup with Indy 149s out this morning cause it was a little wet outside (just a mist). It’s crazy how much easier it is to maneuver than my 8.5 setup with Indy 159s and Radial Fulls. Still, I’ll take speed and stability over maneuverability.

As more time passes I’m starting to realize how insane it is to have multiple setups if you only skate 2-3 times a week.

Even if you skate daily. It’s best to say, “This is my skateboard. I’ll make it work.” It’s like choosing a partner, at some point you have to stop searching and pick someone’s who’s “good enough.”

Online dating is really bad right now cause everyone always thinks there’s a better person out there, so they become addicted to meeting new folks. It’s like that with madness too. There’s so much cheap gear out there, it’s easy to become addicted to finding the perfect setup that doesn’t exist.

Idk, rant over 🥲

[rikki]

I tried them in Thunders, Royals, and maybe Silvers.  Not sure if I tried them in Indy once I committed to riding those full time since 2010. Anyone try Bones in Indy? I feel like they're too short in height and would fuck up the geo instead of compliment it.

I had Bones Mediums on my 159 Indys (pool setup), and yeah, for me too the thing was the nonexistant break-in time. Height was no problem and the turning was great, but eventually as I switched back to the stock Indy bushings I felt the real mojo of them. There's just something to properly broken-in Indy stock bushings that none other can achieve in my opinion. No wonder peeps like Chris Russell et al ride 'em.

[rikki]

Took my 8.27 setup with Indy 149s out this morning cause it was a little wet outside (just a mist). It’s crazy how much easier it is to maneuver than my 8.5 setup with Indy 159s and Radial Fulls. Still, I’ll take speed and stability over maneuverability.

As more time passes I’m starting to realize how insane it is to have multiple setups if you only skate 2-3 times a week.

Even if you skate daily. It’s best to say, “This is my skateboard. I’ll make it work.” It’s like choosing a partner, at some point you have to stop searching and pick someone’s who’s “good enough.”

Online dating is really bad right now cause everyone always thinks there’s a better person out there, so they become addicted to meeting new folks. It’s like that with madness too. There’s so much cheap gear out there, it’s easy to become addicted to finding the perfect setup that doesn’t exist.

Idk, rant over 🥲

I hear you, I feel you. BUT the more the merrier, no? I don't think I can be properly monagamic, ever. At least I gotta have a specific setup for big transition that is obviously quite a bit different from what I ride when I want to hit curbs and flatground. I mean, yeah, if you're good enough, one setup can be enough, but I'm not Grant Taylor.

Having said that, I've also steered towards a one setup approach recently. If I'm not hitting something like near-vert transition, I tend to ride an 8.25 with 144 Indys or 5.6 Venture His pretty much everywhere. But still, that 8.125 in the corner keeps whispering in my ear when I plan to hit the techier street spots...

[Sedition]

Expand Quote

Took my 8.27 setup with Indy 149s out this morning cause it was a little wet outside (just a mist). It’s crazy how much easier it is to maneuver than my 8.5 setup with Indy 159s and Radial Fulls. Still, I’ll take speed and stability over maneuverability.

As more time passes I’m starting to realize how insane it is to have multiple setups if you only skate 2-3 times a week.

Even if you skate daily. It’s best to say, “This is my skateboard. I’ll make it work.” It’s like choosing a partner, at some point you have to stop searching and pick someone’s who’s “good enough.”

Online dating is really bad right now cause everyone always thinks there’s a better person out there, so they become addicted to meeting new folks. It’s like that with madness too. There’s so much cheap gear out there, it’s easy to become addicted to finding the perfect setup that doesn’t exist.

Idk, rant over 🥲

[close]

I hear you, I feel you. BUT the more the merrier, no? I don't think I can be properly monagamic, ever. At least I gotta have a specific setup for big transition that is obviously quite a bit different from what I ride when I want to hit curbs and flatground. I mean, yeah, if you're good enough, one setup can be enough, but I'm not Grant Taylor.

Having said that, I've also steered towards a one setup approach recently. If I'm not hitting something like near-vert transition, I tend to ride an 8.25 with 144 Indys or 5.6 Venture His pretty much everywhere. But still, that 8.125 in the corner keeps whispering in my ear when I plan to hit the techier street spots...

My .02 cents...

I think it also depends on why you have different set-ups. I have three. 8.25, 8.75, and a Black Label Street Thing. The 8.25 is my main ride. But, as I've said many times before, sometimes shit just feels better on a bigger board. Without question, I actually skate better on the 8.25, but at least for me, skating is not always about skating at my maximum potential 100% of the time. Sometimes I just like the better feeling of Smith grind on my 8.75. I really love Chicken Korma, but if I had to eat it every single meal of my life, I'd prolly grow sick of it. Sex is fun, but always doing in the same position wouldn't feel as good. Reasonable variety can make things better at times.

[AlumarX]

Expand Quote

I had a PS stix 8" deck that just wasn't working for me on venture lows, so I bit the bullet on 5.2 v-light hi to get the forged plate and it felt incredible. But for some of my other decks I might try something else, the pivot cup squeak is gonna drive me insane lol, it sounds like my aunt's 1999 Eddie Bouer Explorer suspension.

[close]

lots of solutions for this. soap. cum. bike grease. dish soap. motor oil. bar soap.

I do it every 3 months, it always comes back.

[Ok]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Took my 8.27 setup with Indy 149s out this morning cause it was a little wet outside (just a mist). It’s crazy how much easier it is to maneuver than my 8.5 setup with Indy 159s and Radial Fulls. Still, I’ll take speed and stability over maneuverability.

As more time passes I’m starting to realize how insane it is to have multiple setups if you only skate 2-3 times a week.

Even if you skate daily. It’s best to say, “This is my skateboard. I’ll make it work.” It’s like choosing a partner, at some point you have to stop searching and pick someone’s who’s “good enough.”

Online dating is really bad right now cause everyone always thinks there’s a better person out there, so they become addicted to meeting new folks. It’s like that with madness too. There’s so much cheap gear out there, it’s easy to become addicted to finding the perfect setup that doesn’t exist.

Idk, rant over 🥲

[close]

I hear you, I feel you. BUT the more the merrier, no? I don't think I can be properly monagamic, ever. At least I gotta have a specific setup for big transition that is obviously quite a bit different from what I ride when I want to hit curbs and flatground. I mean, yeah, if you're good enough, one setup can be enough, but I'm not Grant Taylor.

Having said that, I've also steered towards a one setup approach recently. If I'm not hitting something like near-vert transition, I tend to ride an 8.25 with 144 Indys or 5.6 Venture His pretty much everywhere. But still, that 8.125 in the corner keeps whispering in my ear when I plan to hit the techier street spots...

[close]

My .02 cents...

I think it also depends on why you have different set-ups. I have three. 8.25, 8.75, and a Black Label Street Thing. The 8.25 is my main ride. But, as I've said many times before, sometimes shit just feels better on a bigger board. Without question, I actually skate better on the 8.25, but at least for me, skating is not always about skating at my maximum potential 100% of the time. Sometimes I just like the better feeling of Smith grind on my 8.75. I really love Chicken Korma, but if I had to eat it every single meal of my life, I'd prolly grow sick of it. Sex is fun, but always doing in the same position wouldn't feel as good. Reasonable variety can make things better at times.

so you have sex and can smith grind.
fuck you.

[LebowskisRug]

I've been riding Venture V-Cast with the all hollow bullshit or V Lights for the last 6 weeks. My deck is almost dead so I tried my Thunders on it today.

It took a long time to adapt my flip tricks and they weren't any better. I'd need 3 sessions just to adjust for questionable benefits. I frankly don't get how I ever made such drastic or frequent changes or how others do so with confidence. I can't imagine going back and forth constantly especially between options that effect timing.

[Mbrimson88]

Anyone try Bones in Indy? I feel like they're too short in height and would fuck up the geo instead of compliment it.

A few people I know ride the Bones bushings in anything and everything and customise the height / angle with or without added washers depending on whether the bushings are new, old or whatever truck they are in.

Bones hards are the usual go to though, starting off just the bushings and maybe the Bones flat washer on top, then as they break in and soften up some / flatten down, they add in the usual washers, or two top Indy washers - the smaller ones - on both top and bottom as you would for any other set of conical bushings.

I have skated one guys board from just putting them in to being well worn in and they work in any trucks - Indy, Venture, Thunder being what they ride, so although I am not really a fan of how they perform, the Bones hard bushings hold up well enough for the most part for the skating that they do and they don't go easy on them, that's for sure.

To note, this guy switches things out every other month or less as well, so there are a lot of sets of well used Bones hard bushings floating around in my spare parts area, way more than any other brand of bushings, but that is what he rides, so I don't argue.

[Ok]

Expand Quote

Anyone try Bones in Indy? I feel like they're too short in height and would fuck up the geo instead of compliment it.

[close]

A few people I know ride the Bones bushings in anything and everything and customise the height / angle with or without added washers depending on whether the bushings are new, old or whatever truck they are in.

Bones hards are the usual go to though, starting off just the bushings and maybe the Bones flat washer on top, then as they break in and soften up some / flatten down, they add in the usual washers, or two top Indy washers - the smaller ones - on both top and bottom as you would for any other set of conical bushings.

I have skated one guys board from just putting them in to being well worn in and they work in any trucks - Indy, Venture, Thunder being what they ride, so although I am not really a fan of how they perform, the Bones hard bushings hold up well enough for the most part for the skating that they do and they don't go easy on them, that's for sure.

To note, this guy switches things out every other month or less as well, so there are a lot of sets of well used Bones hard bushings floating around in my spare parts area, way more than any other brand of bushings, but that is what he rides, so I don't argue.

bones hards are the best, of that brand.
i use to see this person that has since left us, whom i very much admired from a far, use bones mediums in stage 10 indys. he was early to the skating of 149s, and made everything he did look really good. much if my gear madness, was sparked in part by watching this dude.
once stage 11s came out i saw less people using bones in indys. couple of older guys that went full into bushings were buying both mediums and softs, and using the soft tops….that’s just too much. not sure why you’d want to make life that much more difficult.

i first used bones when i messed up my orion’s bushings, by cranking and exploding them. now, before ye jest, at the time orion had some dudes. and i think they were just supposed to skate like a lower, lighter indy. maybe i was on the tail end of that tho….no one check the timeline of these products, but i ‘remember’ all of this happening in the early 2000s. ish. the orions were actually kinda sick. i probably skated them for a week and then quit for a months, per usual for me, at this time.

[lamfordie]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxTJvxitrGl/?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg==
An inverted hollow titanium magnesium truck for only $60. Sounds too good to be true.

[Creachteach]

I've given myself madness. Suddenly im skating Venture 5,8 V-Hollows. I kinda like it them, but not. I'd really like a more mellow setup that doesnt require as much force all the time.
Considering going back to indy, but I do find them too twitchy at center. Any way to make them more stable center?
Also consider buying a pair of Ace AF1 Hollows.

As a larger than average individual I’ve fucked around with bushings a lot. To try and make skateboard trucks just work, and not get kills by wheelbite.
I’ve come up with this. I found these washers that really hug the bushings. They go on the bottom, with a hard barrel bushing, and then I just put a bones har bushing on top, cause I love the snap and response of bones, but I want more resistance at the end of the range.
Haven’t skated that much lately, but I think this how I’m getting down going forward.

[manysnakes]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxTJvxitrGl/?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg==
An inverted hollow titanium magnesium truck for only $60. Sounds too good to be true.

I guess it was only a matter of time until we got Alibaba brand skateboard components.

[rocklobster]

Expand Quote

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxTJvxitrGl/?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg==
An inverted hollow titanium magnesium truck for only $60. Sounds too good to be true.

[close]

I guess it was only a matter of time until we got Alibaba brand skateboard components.

If weight was the sole factor for truck performance then Tensor trucks alone then Dwindle would be thriving and be sold for 5x the original price.