The steering system of your skateboard

Trucks are the metal components mounted underneath your skateboard. They connect your wheels to the deck and control how your skateboard turns, balances and responds while riding.

Although they often don't get as much attention as the deck or wheels, trucks play a huge role in how your skateboard feels. A quality set of trucks can make turning smoother, improve stability and provide a more predictable ride, helping beginners build confidence from their very first session.

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Why Quality Trucks Matter

Not all skateboard trucks are made the same.

A quality truck is built to withstand years of skating while maintaining its strength and performance. Better materials, tighter manufacturing tolerances and quality bushings all contribute to a smoother, more responsive ride.

Lower-quality trucks may:

• Feel difficult to turn.

• Wear out more quickly.

• Bend or break more easily.

• Use poor-quality bushings that don't rebound properly.

• Make learning tricks and balance more difficult.

When you're learning to skate, equipment that performs consistently makes progressing much more enjoyable.

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Choosing the Right Truck Size

Your truck width should closely match the width of your skateboard deck.

A properly matched setup gives your board balanced handling and helps your wheels sit correctly beneath the deck.

As a general rule:

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Manufacturing Quality

The manufacturing process plays a significant role in the strength and durability of skateboard trucks.

Gravity Cast Trucks

Gravity casting is the most common manufacturing method used for quality skateboard trucks. Molten aluminium is poured into precision moulds under gravity, producing strong, consistent trucks that offer excellent durability and value. Most quality skateboard trucks—including those used by many leading brands—are gravity cast.

Other Casting Methods

Some budget trucks are made using faster or lower-cost casting processes such as die cast, these often produce a rougher finish and less consistent material properties. While they may look similar, they often don't offer the same long-term strength or durability as well-made gravity cast trucks.

For most skaters, a quality gravity cast truck provides the best balance of strength, performance and affordability.

Hollow vs Solid Trucks

Some premium skateboard trucks use hollow components to reduce weight.

Solid Kingpin & Axle

Solid trucks are the industry standard and are trusted by the vast majority of skateboarders.

They offer:

• Excellent strength.

• Great durability.

• Outstanding value.

• Reliable performance for all styles of skating.

Hollow Kingpin & Hollow Axle

Premium trucks may feature a hollow kingpin, hollow axle, or both.

By removing material from these components without significantly affecting strength, manufacturers can reduce overall weight while maintaining performance.

Benefits include:

• Slightly lighter setup.

• Quicker board response.

• Easier flip tricks for experienced skaters.

For beginners, however, the difference is generally quite small. Most new skaters will benefit far more from choosing a quality truck with good geometry and bushings than from paying extra for hollow components.

Bushings – The Part That Makes You Turn

Bushings are the small polyurethane cushions inside your trucks that allow the skateboard to lean and turn.

They might be small, but they have a big impact on how your board feels.

Softer bushings:

• Turn more easily.

• Feel more responsive.

• Suit lighter riders.

Harder bushings:

• Provide more stability.

• Resist turning.

• Suit heavier riders or those who prefer a firmer feel.

Quality bushings provide smooth, predictable turning and return to centre after each turn, giving the skateboard a stable and controlled feel.

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Our Recommendation

If you're buying your first skateboard, don't get caught up comparing every truck specification.

Choose a quality truck that's correctly matched to your deck size and built using durable materials. A well-made gravity cast truck with quality bushings will provide years of reliable performance and help you develop confidence as your skating progresses.

As your skills improve, you can always experiment with different truck heights, bushings or lighter hollow models to fine-tune your setup.

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