How to Assemble a Longboard Skateboard

Assemble your own board and hit the pavement.

A longboard in skateboarding is equipped with a longer than standard deck. Longboards are often used to achieve high speeds or to commute around campuses. A skateboard, longboard or otherwise, consists of the deck, two sets of trucks and wheels. The trucks are the shock absorbers that the wheels mount to, giving the surfing ability to the deck. If you have a longboard deck and are ready to put it together, follow a basic formula for building and assembling your own longboard.

Things You'll Need

• C-clamps
• Measuring tape and marker
• Deck
• Deck plugs -- available at skate shops
• Power drill and screwdriver
• Trucks
• Wheels
• Hex wrench
• Deck sandpaper

Instructions

1. Attach the deck, upside down, to a work bench using C-clamps. Measure out the wheel distances on the deck's bottom. For example, if your longboard measures 36 inches, the front trucks go on between 8 inches to 10 inches back fro the front, and the rear trucks at 8 inches to 10 inches from the end of the deck. Mark the screw holes from the trucks to the board.

2. Drill out the deck for the truck mounting holes. Screw the trucks to the deck. If your trucks have bushings and a washer stack, stack them under the truck as directed by your truck maker's instructions. Different truck makers use different setups for washers and bushings.

3. Push the wheels onto the trucks spindles, one wheel per side on each truck. Use a hex wrench to screw the wheels into the spindle. Turn the wrench clockwise until resistance is too great to turn further on each wheel.

4. Remove the skateboard from the clamps. Flip it over. Push a deck plug into each drilled hole.

5. Peel the adhesive from the back of the deck sandpaper. Place the sandpaper onto the deck, making sure to go slow to prevent air bubbles in the adhesive bottom.

References

• The Loangboard Directory: Longboard Construction Tutorials

Resources

• Silverfish Longboarding: How to Assemble a Longboard