Author Topic: Cheap trucks  (Read 2420 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

modern life is war

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1338
  • Rep: -617
Cheap trucks
« on: January 21, 2023, 09:03:20 PM »
Brands like Bullet, Mini Logo, Industrial, Compound (zumiez house brand), CCS' house brand, etc. Price is usually around $10-15 per truck

Who here has tried any of them as an adult and what were your experiences?

I have personally ridden bullet trucks. My experience was that out of the box I had to grind down 3/16 of the kingpin because it caught on the coping and replace the stock bushings but once I did that they were decent and basically felt exactly the same as a pair of indys i had on a different set up. They looked hideous but performed fine.

Some of the other cheap brands look identical to indys, for example https://www.zumiez.com/compound-polished-silver-5-75-skateboard-truck.html or https://socalskateshop.com/Industrial-IV-575-Trucks-Raw-Raw.html
You’re a Florida native, aren’t you?

Acid Drop

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 171
  • Rep: -61
  • Everyone sucks but me
  • User is on moderator watch listWatched
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2023, 11:21:49 PM »
Here's my contribution to the thread.



What-ah? Ah-how-wha? huh? You're confused, you're alone, it's Saturday night, you have no pants on

And_so_it_goes22

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 57
  • Rep: 26
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2023, 11:39:26 PM »
Why even bother with this stuff when you can find a used pair of Indy’s / Thunder / Ace for $25 all day?  There’s also killer deals out there on new gear if you can be patient. For instance, I just got two pairs of new Indys for $30 a set a month or two ago, and one of those sets was hollows. 

I suppose you could come back and say that the Zumiez fake Indys are just as good as the real thing. And I’ll laugh just as hard as I do at the people that claim that an Epiphone is just as good as a Gibson.

Edited to note that I’ll make a caveat for Mini Logo.  Never tried them but I’ve heard good things. But I don’t understand why somebody would want to ride Bullet or Zumiez trucks to save a couple bucks.  Assuming trucks last the average skater a year, you can’t save up an extra dollar a month to buy some quality trucks to do something that brings you joy and that you love? Just seems weird to me. 
« Last Edit: January 24, 2023, 09:35:11 PM by And_so_it_goes22 »

Puddy Smally

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 926
  • Rep: 111
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2023, 01:49:44 AM »
Why even bother with this stuff when you can find a used pair of Indy’s / Thunder / Ace for $25 all day?  There’s also killer deals out there on new gear if you can be patient. For instance, I just got two pairs of new Indys for $30 a set a month or two ago, and one of those sets was hollows. 

I suppose you could come back and say that the Zumiez fake Indys are just as good as the real thing. And I’ll laugh just as hard as I do at the people that claim that an Epiphone is just as good as a Gibson.

Modern Epi’s have dramatically increased in quality in the last 10 years. Huge leap from the decade prior, just thought I’d point that out.
Do you get deja vu, huh?

Acid Drop

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 171
  • Rep: -61
  • Everyone sucks but me
  • User is on moderator watch listWatched
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2023, 02:44:43 AM »
I have a set of Mini Logo 8.38. Overall I find them great to skate and was pleasantly suprised by how good they are.
What-ah? Ah-how-wha? huh? You're confused, you're alone, it's Saturday night, you have no pants on

goodatmeth

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 2117
  • Rep: 609
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2023, 03:11:47 AM »
Mini logo on riser pads all day.

Richard Skidder

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 763
  • Rep: 410
  • Bronze Topic Start Bronze Topic Start : Start a topic with over 1,000 replies.
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2023, 05:32:05 AM »
I’ll cut cost on every part of my board except for the trucks. It’s just not worth it.

fernando the skater

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 491
  • Rep: 88
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2023, 07:37:06 AM »
Here's my contribution to the thread.

Props for the Khiro bushings.

modern life is war

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1338
  • Rep: -617
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2023, 08:11:43 AM »
Why even bother with this stuff when you can find a used pair of Indy’s / Thunder / Ace for $25 all day?  There’s also killer deals out there on new gear if you can be patient. For instance, I just got two pairs of new Indys for $30 a set a month or two ago, and one of those sets was hollows. 

I suppose you could come back and say that the Zumiez fake Indys are just as good as the real thing. And I’ll laugh just as hard as I do at the people that claim that an Epiphone is just as good as a Gibson.

I'm just curious. The bullet trucks surprised me with how adequate they were. I've never tried the Zumiez fake indys but I'm pretty curious to do so, just to see how they compare to the real deal.

I'm wondering if there isn't an expired patent on an earlier stage of indys that allows all these companies to completely copy them.
You’re a Florida native, aren’t you?

TwisT

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 6110
  • Rep: 1034
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2023, 09:00:40 AM »
All I know is that anyone here will break a pair of tensor alloy trucks if you actually tried to put them through their paces. But fuck dwindle anyway.

In skated “core” trucks for like 2 years. I think they’re a TGM brand of budget trucks. I’ve never seen them anywhere else except for the skateshop I got them from in like 2006. They were fine. But the baseplate eventually broke into pieces. But that was after a while of teenage abuse.




Currently they make hollows that look like Indys



*update with pics, I would rate them as not bad, but also over it's been over a decade.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2023, 06:34:29 AM by TwisT »

Aquatic Dinosaur

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 444
  • Rep: 90
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2023, 09:56:11 AM »
I would try cheap trucks as tools to try out different heights, dims, and weight for making experimental setups on the cheap, but they don’t have those specs available.  Just the width.  Tactics has some listed but their height measurement isn’t always correct.

Sundaynuggets

  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 956
  • Rep: 124
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2023, 10:27:43 AM »
Mini logos are great. A little low for my taste, but risers negate that. Great turn, nice grind. Totally fine for being in rotation with other big name trucks.


modern life is war

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1338
  • Rep: -617
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2023, 01:35:35 PM »
I’ll cut cost on every part of my board except for the trucks. It’s just not worth it.

Why the trucks?

For me, as far as cost saving goes, i'd cut cost on trucks waaayy before i try to skate a flimsy cheap deck or some super plastic feeling wheels
You’re a Florida native, aren’t you?

Xen

  • Trade Count: (+8)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 8216
  • Rep: 939
  • U neg cuz UR insecure-glad I got under your skin
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2023, 04:02:54 PM »
Mini logos are great. A little low for my taste, but risers negate that. Great turn, nice grind. Totally fine for being in rotation with other big name trucks.



I've got pair setup now with 1/16 ACE risers, great truck if you want to shave costs or just want a low, light, wide truck that turns and grinds great.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2023, 04:49:35 PM by Xen »

Sativa Lung

  • Trade Count: (+11)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 3638
  • Rep: 871
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2023, 02:35:50 PM »
Expand Quote
Why even bother with this stuff when you can find a used pair of Indy’s / Thunder / Ace for $25 all day?  There’s also killer deals out there on new gear if you can be patient. For instance, I just got two pairs of new Indys for $30 a set a month or two ago, and one of those sets was hollows. 

I suppose you could come back and say that the Zumiez fake Indys are just as good as the real thing. And I’ll laugh just as hard as I do at the people that claim that an Epiphone is just as good as a Gibson.
[close]

I'm just curious. The bullet trucks surprised me with how adequate they were. I've never tried the Zumiez fake indys but I'm pretty curious to do so, just to see how they compare to the real deal.

I'm wondering if there isn't an expired patent on an earlier stage of indys that allows all these companies to completely copy them.

I have a couple indy clones. Industrial has been making them for ages, but the compound ones from zumiez are as close to 1:1 as you'll find except the bushings suck. The weight is even pretty close and I had to mark the hangers because otherwise they were basically impossible to differentiate from the spare 144 hangers I have. The industrials feel lighter and have decent bushings but the pair I have are painted and grind weird. The compounds feel pretty much identical to me if you replace the bushings and lube the pivot cups.

There is the caveat that I don't really skate indy standards very often, so I'm probably not going to pick up on the tiny nuances that someone who skates them as their go-to would.

And yes, mini logos are great. I don't care that they're the lamest looking trucks ever and their poster boy is considered the prodigal kook by a large portion of the skate world, they skate really great. Low, light, and very responsive. I kind of want them to make magnesium ones and watch the purists heads just explode with rage.

IpathCats

  • Guest
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #15 on: January 25, 2023, 05:58:19 AM »
Mini logos are regarded as the best "cheap" trucks around these parts. I've never owned a pair but ive ridden around on them for a few minutes and can say they def feel better than any other budget brand ive stepped on

SpuytenDuvyilEphemera

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 391
  • Rep: -172
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #16 on: January 25, 2023, 06:15:47 AM »
Just for fun to add to this- Xenia trucks that used to be on alien completes were not that bad in terms of basic durability especially if stock bushings replaced with bones and rounded like mini logos.  Alien Workshop branded trucks on current completes (at least my sons 7.5 spectrum complete) actually turny for a kid board, but not the same quality.  For reference I generally skate Indys with stock indy bushings.

rawbertson.

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 8870
  • Rep: 651
  • yo yo, yo yo yo yo
    • my youtube avatar image
  • SLAP OG SLAP OG : Been around since SLAP was a mag.
  • User is on moderator watch listWatched
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #17 on: January 25, 2023, 06:31:31 AM »
my friend has a setup with bullets. I can skate fine on them, but the turning does feel like shit. they seem to be lasting. if someone said that was all i had to ride for the rest of my life i could definintely make due with them.

on my kids boards there are the tensors bceause they are enjoi completes. i was a bit nervous to evne stand on those without bending the axles. they seem inferior to the bullets in every way.
ONTARIO CANADA

roba

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 2804
  • Rep: 715
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #18 on: January 25, 2023, 06:48:13 AM »
i never had them but i love the industrial logo.

i've always heard that they were the best budget trucks but from what i hear mini-logos are that now? i actually skated around on the mini-logos and they turn very well. i didn't do any grinds though i just cruised.
I'm ok with theft. It happens to me all the time.
I steal too

I’m rich and smart

R.I.P Tate

IpathCats

  • Guest
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #19 on: January 25, 2023, 06:59:42 AM »

Currently they make hollows that look like Indys



Slappy trucks

bbk

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 5151
  • Rep: 278
  • Dopeness
  • SLAP OG SLAP OG : Been around since SLAP was a mag.
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #20 on: January 25, 2023, 07:16:07 AM »
I bought the high end globe complete with gold tensor alloys with hollow pins for like 45 euro because I'm curious and it was a steal.
I might bring that next time I go skate.

https://eu.globebrand.com/products/g2-on-the-brink-shelter

Shit, they're mag too?

Quote
Tensor Hollow Kingpin Trucks

Made in premium Aluminium and magnesium to produce the best quality skateboard truck on the market. All Tensor trucks feature Grade-8 kingpins and high-rebound urethane bushings. Tensor Magnesium trucks are 20% lighter than Aluminium with the same smooth grind. And they’re guaranteed for life.


OhioGuy

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Rep: 72
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #21 on: January 25, 2023, 07:30:42 AM »
Got some CCS trucks when I got into skateboarding last year and they’re okay. But the jump in quality between them and a truck $25 more expensive is HUGE. So only kids and total newcomers should buy them. Anyone who cares enough to join Slap is already too far gone and should know better 😂

Sure someone in the gear madness thread would gladly give you a pair of quality trucks for free lol

modern life is war

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1338
  • Rep: -617
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #22 on: January 25, 2023, 09:53:28 AM »
Got some CCS trucks when I got into skateboarding last year and they’re okay. But the jump in quality between them and a truck $25 more expensive is HUGE. So only kids and total newcomers should buy them. Anyone who cares enough to join Slap is already too far gone and should know better 😂

Sure someone in the gear madness thread would gladly give you a pair of quality trucks for free lol

I'm not surprised the ccs house brand sucks. I used to get their clothes and boards when I was a teenager and they sucked too.
You’re a Florida native, aren’t you?

TwisT

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 6110
  • Rep: 1034
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #23 on: January 25, 2023, 09:56:14 AM »
I bought the high end globe complete with gold tensor alloys with hollow pins for like 45 euro because I'm curious and it was a steal.
I might bring that next time I go skate.

https://eu.globebrand.com/products/g2-on-the-brink-shelter

Shit, they're mag too?

Quote
Expand Quote
Tensor Hollow Kingpin Trucks

Made in premium Aluminium and magnesium to produce the best quality skateboard truck on the market. All Tensor trucks feature Grade-8 kingpins and high-rebound urethane bushings. Tensor Magnesium trucks are 20% lighter than Aluminium with the same smooth grind. And they’re guaranteed for life.

[close]

description on right says tensor alloy trucks.

rosemaryBB

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 578
  • Rep: 26
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #24 on: January 25, 2023, 10:15:49 AM »
Why even bother with this stuff when you can find a used pair of Indy’s / Thunder / Ace for $25 all day?  There’s also killer deals out there on new gear if you can be patient. For instance, I just got two pairs of new Indys for $30 a set a month or two ago, and one of those sets was hollows. 

I suppose you could come back and say that the Zumiez fake Indys are just as good as the real thing. And I’ll laugh just as hard as I do at the people that claim that an Epiphone is just as good as a Gibson.

Edited to note that I’ll make a caveat for Mini Logo.  Never tried them but I’ve heard good things. But I don’t understand why somebody would want to ride Bullet or Zumiez trucks to save a couple bucks.  Assuming trucks last the average skater a year, you can’t save up an extra dollar a month to buy some quality trucks to do something that brings you joy and that you love? Just seems weird to me.

You really can get on eBay depop or some other reselling site and find any of the top of the line trucks right now for much cheaper. I just scope them all on a pretty regular basis and grab any particularly good deals when I feel like changing things up. For some reason decks and wheels are never much cheaper than MSRP but trucks are frequently.

manysnakes

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 6626
  • Rep: 1117
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #25 on: January 25, 2023, 11:01:32 AM »
Expand Quote
Why even bother with this stuff when you can find a used pair of Indy’s / Thunder / Ace for $25 all day?  There’s also killer deals out there on new gear if you can be patient. For instance, I just got two pairs of new Indys for $30 a set a month or two ago, and one of those sets was hollows. 

I suppose you could come back and say that the Zumiez fake Indys are just as good as the real thing. And I’ll laugh just as hard as I do at the people that claim that an Epiphone is just as good as a Gibson.

Edited to note that I’ll make a caveat for Mini Logo.  Never tried them but I’ve heard good things. But I don’t understand why somebody would want to ride Bullet or Zumiez trucks to save a couple bucks.  Assuming trucks last the average skater a year, you can’t save up an extra dollar a month to buy some quality trucks to do something that brings you joy and that you love? Just seems weird to me.
[close]

You really can get on eBay depop or some other reselling site and find any of the top of the line trucks right now for much cheaper. I just scope them all on a pretty regular basis and grab any particularly good deals when I feel like changing things up. For some reason decks and wheels are never much cheaper than MSRP but trucks are frequently.

You can go to most online retailers and buy them for dirt cheap. Skate Warehouse has (had? maybe they're gone) Indy Mids for $35, Zumies has Ventures for $25, etc.
This is not my SOTY. I'm telling my kids there was no SOTY for 2021

Richard Skidder

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 763
  • Rep: 410
  • Bronze Topic Start Bronze Topic Start : Start a topic with over 1,000 replies.
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #26 on: January 25, 2023, 11:15:36 AM »
Expand Quote
I’ll cut cost on every part of my board except for the trucks. It’s just not worth it.
[close]

Why the trucks?

For me, as far as cost saving goes, i'd cut cost on trucks waaayy before i try to skate a flimsy cheap deck or some super plastic feeling wheels

Trucks generally last the longest so I want some I can trust. I like my grooves and my worn in bushings and the feeling of consistency from board to board. Most of the legit companies tend to have price point equipment that is close to or the same quality as their regularly priced products. With the exception of trucks. I suppose say Minilogo trucks might be acceptable but buying a set of whatever other off brand truck is most likely a waste of money. At the end of the day did you save $10- $20 buying the off brand truck or did you waste $30 and now you’ve got to buy something else because your axle is bent/ slipped/ baseplate broken /etc. Those things happen to name brand trucks too but not near as often.
A price point name brand deck with cheap bearings in price point name brand wheels with Thunder/ Indy/ Venture/ etc will typically be more dependable than some blank truck, even if some of those blank trucks are made by the big distros.

jakeumms

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 5260
  • Rep: 1274
  • Runnin through the house with a pickle in my mouth
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #27 on: January 25, 2023, 06:14:51 PM »
Just to back up others points, you can find name brand trucks being blown out all the time so you don't have to commit to months of misery if you're trying to save some bucks. The big hook up is Zumiez sales online. They routinely blow out standard Ventures, Aces and usually the goony Thunder colorways at $30ish a pair with free shipping. Maybe snag some Mini-Logos for now and keep your eye out for those deals.
them cats are out getting mashed up to jungle, he's out mashing up jungle cats. it's just not gonna work.

rocklobster

  • Trade Count: (+18)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 10129
  • Rep: 1888
  • SLAP OG SLAP OG : Been around since SLAP was a mag.
    Gold Topic Start Gold Topic Start : Start a topic with over 10,000 replies.
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #28 on: January 25, 2023, 07:04:02 PM »
https://sopdistribution.com/collections/trucks/products/blacksmith-low-raw-polished

I got these on a whim during a sale but haven't set them up yet, and low trucks above 8.0 were hard to find prior to Ace AF1 Low. These are 1.75" (44.45mm) which are even lower than Tensor Lows (46mm).
Venture Truck Height:

5.0 & 5.2 LO
STANDARD - 1.88” - 47.75mm
FORGED - 1.85”- 46.99mm

5.0 ,5.2, 5.6, 5.8 & 6.1 HI
STANDARD - 2.09” - 53.09mm
FORGED - 2.04” - 51.82m

Tom Pearl

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • SLAP Pal
  • ******
  • Posts: 1068
  • Rep: 203
Re: Cheap trucks
« Reply #29 on: January 25, 2023, 07:13:02 PM »
no