How to Mount Skateboard Trucks
Skateboarding is more than just riding along the sidewalk. It's banging against the pavement and railings, and taking falls that can damage the trucks. Skateboard trucks hold your skateboard wheels in place. They're the T-shaped part on the bottom of a skateboard. Replacing your trucks greatly improves your ride, and is an easy thing to do.
After you buy new trucks and remove the old ones, you're ready to begin.
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Instructions
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1
Find the four Phillips head bolts and four corresponding nuts that hold the skateboard trucks to the skateboard deck.
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2
Mount the truck to your skateboard, and begin to tighten all four bolts. However, make sure they all remain somewhat loose.
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3
Tighten one screw with your wrench and screwdriver until that bolt is secure.
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4
Tighten the bolt on the opposite side, diagonally across from the first bolt.
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5
Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the remaining bolts. Do the same for the second truck.
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6
Check your skateboard after mounting your trucks for pressure cracks. Pressure cracks are the small lines spreading from the direction of your truck bolts. If you don't see pressure cracks, and your trucks are not moving around at all, you're ready to skate.
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Tips & Warnings
Tightening two bolts on the same side before tightening bolts on the opposite side can cause pressure cracks, uneven trucks and imbalance.
Tighten the bolts so they're secure, but take care not to over-tighten, which can also cause pressure cracks.
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Comments
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kustardking
Jan 27, 2010
By the way, the original poster forgot to mention that the bolt size should be 10/32. The 32 threads (vs 24) also help keep the nut tight. You should use nylock nuts (nuts with a nylon retention ring). Typical bolt length when *not* using risers is 1". -
kustardking
Jan 27, 2010
Consider using risers, which are plastic spacers you place between the trucks and the deck. Risers come in two flavors: hard and soft (or "shock"). Using a soft riser will take out some of the jitter in a ride, and prevents the mounting bolts from vibrating loose as easily. I use a combination of a "thick" hard riser to give my large wheels more room, and a thin soft riser to reduce shock. Truck->1/2" Hard Riser->1/16" Soft Riser->Deck.
