Truck set-ups

[skunty]

I guess it can be fun, but in this case I'm just not convinced that you're perfecting it but rather just making things more complicated and worse for yourself.

Wheelbite and clearance related issues are problems you're going to be creating for yourself. And the solutions come with their own set of problems. Risers will alter the timing for all your tricks, and probably not in a good way because it sounds like you wouldn't skate risers without this wheelbite issue caused by removing the top washer. Inverted kingpins sometimes have a tendency to loosen and in my experience are generally a pain in the ass. You also can't see how many threads you have showing or if your kingpin nut is flush, not a problem to most people but definitely messes with me a little bit.

Plus like the homie said, this is probably going to wear out your pivot cups even faster.

If I were to try a new truck brand from scratch I feel like I'd might as just get used to it the way it was designed to be and see if I like it that way before involving all these workarounds that sound more problematic than they are helpful.

true... it's all perspective I guess. I was recognizing the riser pads changing the pop but regarding it as a likely good thing - basically interested in the arguments that Professor Schmidt makes in favor of riser pads. That said, if I'm going with a new brand, no point in fucking with something I don't know. I think the next trucks I ride will just be AF1s raw from the package, but rather than buying them when I head to the store in 30 minutes, I'm just gonna get riser pads and keep squeezing the last bit of life out of these melted Indys with the missing washer.

I guess I'm kinda shocked that the only brands that do downlow king pins are Indy, Krux (both NHS), Grind King, and Lurpiv. There's gotta be something else right?

[tzhangdox]

The new royals have inverted kingpins and apparently are pretty good. Besides that I don't know of anybody else. Thunder had a few prototypes in the works a few years ago but nothing made it to production. Ventures have very good clearance already, possibly more than some inverted kingpin trucks (don't quote me on this).

The riser pad thing is a bit more nuanced than what professor schmidt said in that video. On paper you get more maximum potential pop, but you have to have the leg strength, jump and technique to make use of it. In practice, depending on what you're used to, what kind of skating you do, the rest of your setup, and most importantly your technique, it may be better or worse.

Thats also just for getting maximum pop on tricks too. A lot of flatground tricks, grinds and slides are harder if the tail requires more time and effort to hit the ground, though some are also easier. Thats why many people like low trucks. I know that personally I don't like going over 54mm on ventures at the very most, despite a higher board giving me more theoretical pop.

[skunty]

The new royals have inverted kingpins and apparently are pretty good. Besides that I don't know of anybody else. Thunder had a few prototypes in the works a few years ago but nothing made it to production. Ventures have very good clearance already, possibly more than some inverted kingpin trucks (don't quote me on this).

The riser pad thing is a bit more nuanced than what professor schmidt said in that video. On paper you get more maximum potential pop, but you have to have the leg strength, jump and technique to make use of it. In practice, depending on what you're used to, what kind of skating you do, the rest of your setup, and most importantly your technique, it may be better or worse.

Thats also just for getting maximum pop on tricks too. A lot of flatground tricks, grinds and slides are harder if the tail requires more time and effort to hit the ground, though some are also easier. Thats why many people like low trucks. I know that personally I don't like going over 54mm on ventures at the very most, despite a higher board giving me more theoretical pop.

Good shit.. my local has Royals and AF1s so I've got 2 to consider while I melt the last bit of these Indy's experimenting with riser pads.

[tzhangdox]

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The new royals have inverted kingpins and apparently are pretty good. Besides that I don't know of anybody else. Thunder had a few prototypes in the works a few years ago but nothing made it to production. Ventures have very good clearance already, possibly more than some inverted kingpin trucks (don't quote me on this).

The riser pad thing is a bit more nuanced than what professor schmidt said in that video. On paper you get more maximum potential pop, but you have to have the leg strength, jump and technique to make use of it. In practice, depending on what you're used to, what kind of skating you do, the rest of your setup, and most importantly your technique, it may be better or worse.

Thats also just for getting maximum pop on tricks too. A lot of flatground tricks, grinds and slides are harder if the tail requires more time and effort to hit the ground, though some are also easier. Thats why many people like low trucks. I know that personally I don't like going over 54mm on ventures at the very most, despite a higher board giving me more theoretical pop.

[close]

Good shit.. my local has Royals and AF1s so I've got 2 to consider while I melt the last bit of these Indy's experimenting with riser pads.

Two very very different trucks, depends on your priorities and what you like to skate.

[skunty]

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The new royals have inverted kingpins and apparently are pretty good. Besides that I don't know of anybody else. Thunder had a few prototypes in the works a few years ago but nothing made it to production. Ventures have very good clearance already, possibly more than some inverted kingpin trucks (don't quote me on this).

The riser pad thing is a bit more nuanced than what professor schmidt said in that video. On paper you get more maximum potential pop, but you have to have the leg strength, jump and technique to make use of it. In practice, depending on what you're used to, what kind of skating you do, the rest of your setup, and most importantly your technique, it may be better or worse.

Thats also just for getting maximum pop on tricks too. A lot of flatground tricks, grinds and slides are harder if the tail requires more time and effort to hit the ground, though some are also easier. Thats why many people like low trucks. I know that personally I don't like going over 54mm on ventures at the very most, despite a higher board giving me more theoretical pop.

[close]

Good shit.. my local has Royals and AF1s so I've got 2 to consider while I melt the last bit of these Indy's experimenting with riser pads.

[close]

Two very very different trucks, depends on your priorities and what you like to skate.

Mmm... my modified Indy's turn similar to AF1s so I'm partial to that, but the downlow king pin is really intriguing to me because I still deal with hang up issues, though that might be becuase of my mods and might not be an issue on a stock AF1.  How do the royals with the downlows turn?

edit: wtf, crailstore shows the royal inverted have an 8.25 axel and 8.75, but no 8.5?? Damn I think if I wanted inverted kingpin I'd have to not go with the local shop anyways, so I'd probably go Indy mids. Or I can go traditional kingpin and just take my pick of the non-NHS litter, which would I'd probably go with AF1s. damn it's hard to decide because I'm probably going to ride them for like a year.

[LebowskisRug]

I don’t think people like inverted kingpins much as they tend to come loose and don’t offer much benefit if you don’t get something like the Krux downlow. I don’t think kingpin clearance is an issue for most people on modern high trucks once they nut gets some scrapes. Kingpin nuts are always softer than an inverted pin.

[tzhangdox]

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The new royals have inverted kingpins and apparently are pretty good. Besides that I don't know of anybody else. Thunder had a few prototypes in the works a few years ago but nothing made it to production. Ventures have very good clearance already, possibly more than some inverted kingpin trucks (don't quote me on this).

The riser pad thing is a bit more nuanced than what professor schmidt said in that video. On paper you get more maximum potential pop, but you have to have the leg strength, jump and technique to make use of it. In practice, depending on what you're used to, what kind of skating you do, the rest of your setup, and most importantly your technique, it may be better or worse.

Thats also just for getting maximum pop on tricks too. A lot of flatground tricks, grinds and slides are harder if the tail requires more time and effort to hit the ground, though some are also easier. Thats why many people like low trucks. I know that personally I don't like going over 54mm on ventures at the very most, despite a higher board giving me more theoretical pop.

[close]

Good shit.. my local has Royals and AF1s so I've got 2 to consider while I melt the last bit of these Indy's experimenting with riser pads.

[close]

Two very very different trucks, depends on your priorities and what you like to skate.

[close]

Mmm... my modified Indy's turn similar to AF1s so I'm partial to that, but the downlow king pin is really intriguing to me because I still deal with hang up issues, though that might be becuase of my mods and might not be an issue on a stock AF1.  How do the royals with the downlows turn?

edit: wtf, crailstore shows the royal inverted have an 8.25 axel and 8.75, but no 8.5?? Damn I think if I wanted inverted kingpin I'd have to not go with the local shop anyways, so I'd probably go Indy mids. Or I can go traditional kingpin and just take my pick of the non-NHS litter, which would I'd probably go with AF1s. damn it's hard to decide because I'm probably going to ride them for like a year.

Sounds like AF1 is the move. If hang up is really a dealbreaker you can always swap out the kingpin afterwards. I've never really had a problem with kingpin hang up on any truck in recent memory except maybe Thunders. But even then, once you do a bunch of smiths, grind down the kingpin nut a little bit and its smoothed out you can't really feel it.

[Beeker]

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The new royals have inverted kingpins and apparently are pretty good. Besides that I don't know of anybody else. Thunder had a few prototypes in the works a few years ago but nothing made it to production. Ventures have very good clearance already, possibly more than some inverted kingpin trucks (don't quote me on this).

The riser pad thing is a bit more nuanced than what professor schmidt said in that video. On paper you get more maximum potential pop, but you have to have the leg strength, jump and technique to make use of it. In practice, depending on what you're used to, what kind of skating you do, the rest of your setup, and most importantly your technique, it may be better or worse.

Thats also just for getting maximum pop on tricks too. A lot of flatground tricks, grinds and slides are harder if the tail requires more time and effort to hit the ground, though some are also easier. Thats why many people like low trucks. I know that personally I don't like going over 54mm on ventures at the very most, despite a higher board giving me more theoretical pop.

[close]

Good shit.. my local has Royals and AF1s so I've got 2 to consider while I melt the last bit of these Indy's experimenting with riser pads.

[close]

Two very very different trucks, depends on your priorities and what you like to skate.

[close]

Mmm... my modified Indy's turn similar to AF1s so I'm partial to that, but the downlow king pin is really intriguing to me because I still deal with hang up issues, though that might be becuase of my mods and might not be an issue on a stock AF1.  How do the royals with the downlows turn?

edit: wtf, crailstore shows the royal inverted have an 8.25 axel and 8.75, but no 8.5?? Damn I think if I wanted inverted kingpin I'd have to not go with the local shop anyways, so I'd probably go Indy mids. Or I can go traditional kingpin and just take my pick of the non-NHS litter, which would I'd probably go with AF1s. damn it's hard to decide because I'm probably going to ride them for like a year.

Royal's turn good, but not as sharp/responsive as Ace. They definitely have 8.5 inverted kingpin versions (I have a pair).

[logjammin]

Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[skunty]

I ended up getting AF1s, plus some new 53 conical fulls and a fresh baker 8.47 with 14.25wb, and a set of riser pads to throw under my modified Indys, so now I've got 2 set ups. The modded Indy + riser + old wheels (approx 50mm) is almost identical deck height to my AF1s with brand new 53s. I've only been able to ride them around a few feet in my house so I can't give a full report. The modded Indy is definitely more responsive than the stock AF1s, but I'm not gonna mod the AF1s because I think the added stability will probably help once I get used to it. I think I'll swap the wheels on the modded Indy board for some big honkers and make it my cruiser/transition board.

[LebowskisRug]

Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

[skunty]

I ended up getting AF1s, plus some new 53 conical fulls and a fresh baker 8.47 with 14.25wb, and a set of riser pads to throw under my modified Indys, so now I've got 2 set ups. The modded Indy + riser + old wheels (approx 50mm) is almost identical deck height to my AF1s with brand new 53s. I've only been able to ride them around a few feet in my house so I can't give a full report. The modded Indy is definitely more responsive than the stock AF1s, but I'm not gonna mod the AF1s because I think the added stability will probably help once I get used to it. I think I'll swap the wheels on the modded Indy board for some big honkers and make it my cruiser/transition board.

Update: new set up is awesome for flip tricks, landed the first fs flip of my life in my basement last night.

[Chavo]

Anyone have experience with Minilogo bushings?

It's a little disconcerting how small the stock Indy top bushing is. It seems like the top washer will hit the yoke and I want to replace it with something similar yet taller.

[LebowskisRug]

Of Thunder, Indy, and Venture the Indy washer hits the yoke the least.

[logjammin]

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Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[close]

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

I can't speak to the bushing crumble or washer issue because I don't skate any truck stock without messing with bushings/washers to some degree. I usually don't even run a top washer and if I do it's the flat Bones washer. Not hard to mess with those things and that's why Ventures work great for me because that's the extent I have to go to besides maybe a little wax in the pivot cups. The clearance and overall design of the truck is unique and makes sense, a very non-complicated truck.

[Xen]

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Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[close]

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny.

Dude, do you EVER read posts, thoroughly, to comprehend the message before you post?

[Bunk Moreland]

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Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[close]

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

Because those people are not indicative of venture riders as a whole. They’re freaks that blame their equipment for their lack of skill.

[LebowskisRug]

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Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[close]

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

[close]

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Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny.

[close]

Dude, do you EVER read posts, thoroughly, to comprehend the message before you post?

I did, which is why if you read the last fucking sentence “…the least truck you need to mess around with” it’s a direct contradiction to what you bolded. Especially considering most people don’t replace washers and bushings on their trucks on other brands to avoid the top washer binding with the hanger and shredding the bushing. That and Venture wearing out much faster to me shows that the post I quoted is incorrect as both of those things would represent a design or construction flaw.

[LebowskisRug]

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Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[close]

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

[close]

Because those people are not indicative of venture riders as a whole. They’re freaks that blame their equipment for their lack of skill.

I know some pretty good skaters that rock Ventures and can’t think of one that has the stock washers and bushings in, mostly because the top ones often shred.

[Xen]

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Venture Hi's are the answer for anyone with gear madness that hates the average kingpin clearance of most trucks. The yoke also sits tucked behind the baseplate which no other truck design has. Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny. I've still gone back to Ace and even vintage Indy's with little to no kingpin clearance but at the end of the day Ventures are like the least truck you need to mess around with to check all the boxes in terms of function, design, and durability.

[close]

Then why do 95% of people on here replace the top washer and fuck with the bushings? Don’t get me wrong I think Ventures turn and do everything fine, but they do crumble top bushings faster with the stock washer due to how it digs into the bushings and hanger.

[close]

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Dial in the bushings and pair them with a shorter wheelbase board and they're definitely plenty turny.

[close]

Dude, do you EVER read posts, thoroughly, to comprehend the message before you post?

[close]

I did, which is why if you read the last fucking sentence “…the least truck you need to mess around with” it’s a direct contradiction to what you bolded. Especially considering most people don’t replace washers and bushings on their trucks on other brands to avoid the top washer binding with the hanger and shredding the bushing. That and Venture wearing out much faster to me shows that the post I quoted is incorrect as both of those things would represent a design or construction flaw.

You're not getting it. He's clearly talking about ALL THE OTHER MERITS OF THE TRUCK, over other trucks, and once you dial in the bushings to YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE it does 'everything' great.

[LebowskisRug]

I don’t read it that way, but it’s written quite poorly and I still think his point is contradictory as written. I guess we can debate grammar, but it’s fairly obvious how the sentence structure and wording could be read both ways.

[Mr. Stinky]

Just thought I’d pop in and say that Venture 5.8s with Bones mediums and the little top washer have been so great for me recently that I will most likely just keep skating them with blue eagles for the foreseeable future. Like, madness receding type thing.

Anyway, bushings are easy to figure out if you don’t like how they feel. Everyone knows you might like a truck but not like the bushings, which is why they sell different bushings. Shout out to LebowskisRug for being an old fashioned message board crank about this very uncontroversial point.

[tzhangdox]

The original post was a little confusing to me too... can def be read both ways.

I do stock bushings in ventures with a flat bones top washer but have to replace the top bushing pretty frequently (or use a blue indy top bushing).

Flat top washer makes it feel a bit better. Stock ventures are fine too, but the weak bushings are definitely a problem for a lot of people. Sucks because around about when my ventures with stock bushings feel their absolute best in terms of turn and responsiveness, I know that I'm going to have to swap the bushings out soon.

Kinda unrelated, but if having to replace the hanger/baseplate is also considered "messing with the truck", then Ventures also fall a little short because the the hanger grinds down to the axle and the baseplate wears to the pivot cup much quicker than on say an Indy or Thunder and you definitely have to replace them more frequently. Axles can bend a little too, unsure how that specifically compares to other trucks but definitely happens on ventures.

[LebowskisRug]

Just thought I’d pop in and say that Venture 5.8s with Bones mediums and the little top washer have been so great for me recently that I will most likely just keep skating them with blue eagles for the foreseeable future. Like, madness receding type thing.

Anyway, bushings are easy to figure out if you don’t like how they feel. Everyone knows you might like a truck but not like the bushings, which is why they sell different bushings. Shout out to LebowskisRug for being an old fashioned message board crank about this very uncontroversial point.

I don’t care about swapping bushings at all, I just thought the original thing I responded to sounded a little weird so I pointed that out. Do whatever makes your trucks feel solid.

The way I judge design and construction might be different than others but I’d say if something has to be modified in the majority of cases and wears out prematurely then it’s a flaw to be noted, but zero trucks are perfect hence the whole notion of madness. There’s a lot I like about each truck minus Ace so far and I actually love the Venture stock bushings and find them to be a solid truck, just not necessarily my choice.

[Mr. Stinky]

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Just thought I’d pop in and say that Venture 5.8s with Bones mediums and the little top washer have been so great for me recently that I will most likely just keep skating them with blue eagles for the foreseeable future. Like, madness receding type thing.

Anyway, bushings are easy to figure out if you don’t like how they feel. Everyone knows you might like a truck but not like the bushings, which is why they sell different bushings. Shout out to LebowskisRug for being an old fashioned message board crank about this very uncontroversial point.

[close]

I don’t care about swapping bushings at all, I just thought the original thing I responded to sounded a little weird so I pointed that out. Do whatever makes your trucks feel solid.

The way I judge design and construction might be different than others but I’d say if something has to be modified in the majority of cases and wears out prematurely then it’s a flaw to be noted, but zero trucks are perfect hence the whole notion of madness. There’s a lot I like about each truck minus Ace so far and I actually love the Venture stock bushings and find them to be a solid truck, just not necessarily my choice.

You’re a good sport, I was just giving you a hard time. Ventures definitely go quicker on curbs than most, but like I say, they work great for my skating and feel very nice.

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

I find thunders to be way worse in that there is less meat on them, plus they seem softer/grind better.  With the better clearance, Ventures will last me longer.  Indy’s on the other hand would last longer. 

[Justrollingthru]

Venture V-lights 5.6 (hollow kingpin, forged baseplates)

•Independent 94a conical feet side

•Ace Af1 pivot cups

//

Just need to get a flat washer that actually fits to replace the street side rolled washer and it's good to go. Haven't skated yet but I'm stoked so far.

Excuse the picture quality I still have barely a clue of what I'm doing with pictures here.

[LebowskisRug]

Why didn’t you ride em stock first?

[Justrollingthru]

I've only ever ridden stock trucks. This is the first board I've had in a long time. I'm getting back into it. I'm just making it special ya know?

I have all of bushings and pivot cups still. If I need them, they'll be there.

I wanna be that guy that with the nicest setup in the park that has no idea what he's doing haha

[Sativa Lung]

Venture V-lights 5.6 (hollow kingpin, forged baseplates)

•Independent 94a conical feet side

•Ace Af1 pivot cups

//

Just need to get a flat washer that actually fits to replace the street side rolled washer and it's good to go. Haven't skated yet but I'm stoked so far.

Excuse the picture quality I still have barely a clue of what I'm doing with pictures here.

A man after my own heart. This is very close to what I skated  the majority of last year on, except indy 92 conicals (blue) and riptide cups. They're my favorite all-around truck and if I ever do stick with one it'll probably be these. They're so much lighter than most people realize too... Like 330g out of the box. I never did flat washers, mostly because even switching from stock bushings to conicals was a big enough change for me. I love the stability they have and don't want to get away from that too much.

Edit: With those OG classic F4s monster truck tires your shits gonna feel like a limo in the best way. Just point it where you wanna go and hang on. You'll just plow through shit that used to knock you off your board. Perfect for hill bombs. If you like that wheel shape but not the formula NFG/loophole have a 95a v-cut that's similar shape but a little better suited to crust.