Truck width compared to deck width

edited April 2019 in Powell-Peralta®
An area I dont fully understand is the relationship of truck/deck widths and whether wheels are wider or narrower than the deck. I recently rode a SB with the wheels slightly wider than the deck and liked it. When the trucks are too narrow for the deck I dislike the topsy turvy feel. Can anyone explain the science to help me understand?
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Comments

  • It depends if you are riding a popsicle deck, a pig, or a shaped deck. Then it depends if you are riding a modern narrow width wheel, or an offset wheel, or a wide wheel. For example: Indy 149s are 8.5” axle tip to axle tip, but if you ride a modern narrow wheel you could use 149s on a 8.25” popsicle. The Cab Chinese Dragon is a 10” wide deck, but it tapers a lot so you can use Indy 149s on it as well.... it’s all personal preference and experimentation. I know guys who ride Indy 169s (9.1”) on an 8.6” popsicle....I mostly ride pig shaped boards(10”) with Indy 159s (8.75”) and offset, 40mm wide Rat Bones. Offset wheels make your trucks feel wider than they are.
  • edited April 2019
    Cool thanks I get all that already.
    What I'm trying to understand is the science behind the feel of wheels/axles that are wider or narrower than the deck.
    Its generally accepted that for park and street, wheels should be around the same width as the deck. Cruisers and longboards are wide footed, whilst freestyle setups are EXACTLY the same width [with offset wheel cores] so primo's stands and primo slides will work.
    I dont know what it is I liked about this park board with ever so slightly wider wheels than deck, and I wish to know why I like it.

    Maybe its just the deck concaves wheelbase etc which was to my liking.
    However, I ride a lot of different boards but none which have this wheel wider than deck thing going :)

  • edited April 2019
    If I remember right too-wide trucks will result in you stepping on your wheels while trying to push, but may actually be better for stability, who knows. I only had 215s on a Steadham deck for about 2 seconds, so it wasn't enough time to get a sense of many other benefits. In terms of a "monster" setup, I would prefer a setup with 72mm longboard wheels and 2 inches of risers that is the proper width over one with a pair of way-out, unwieldy trucks.
  • I hate tall skateboards.
    Hate wearing shoes with heels.
    Hate risers unless really needed.
    I just scored some early 2000's 44mm high thunder 5inch trucks for a 7.75 setup I'm making with 42mm stfs [were bigger but flat-spotted and coned, so got them machined down].
    Ultimate low rider.

    re this thread,, the setup wheels are only slightly wider, like less than 1/8 per side.
    Yesterday I rode another SB with the same slightly wider trucks width and liked it again too.

    I'm 225lbs with with big upper body from 40 years of surfing, so yeah maybe the added stability suits my notskater body shape.

    Narrower trucks with lighter wheels are easier to flip the deck with, I get that.

    I'm still a beginner really, so maybe its the stability offered by slightly wider truck setups that is to my liking.

    The internets offers no science for my further understanding though.....
  • Do your own science....experiment!
  • edited April 2019
    I do. I'm riding around 20 skateboards!
    Swapping out components measuring wheelbases and tweaking stuff like bushings all the time.
    It would be good to get quality information online but the net unproductive.
    Sadly it seems there is too much weed around.

  • You can get those Zero wands!
  • I had a neighbor who would consult her crystals for guidance, probably better than the internets
  • edited May 2019
    I dropped some acid and locked myself in a sensory deprivation chamber for 3 days with a nappy on and figured it all out.
    Keeping axle width tucked under inside the deck edge helps the deck rotate and spin during tricks, and reduces minor weight. Axle nuts/threads are protected too. The wider the axles in relation to the deck, the more stable, so its good for older learners like me, and other older guys who aint into street so much. It also helps top heavy skaters a lot.

    So if your a skinny kid who likes technical street skating, keeping axles width less than deck width is ideal. If your heavier and older and dont do kick flips, widening the axles has benefit.

    However, for most setups especially popsicles, the variation in axle width should be no more than 10mm less or more than deck width.

    There, the interweb has some more bytes now on this subject.

    One thing I havnt figured out is the relationship between wheel bite/concave/ axle width interplay.
    With heavy concave, increased axle width can help wheel bite, I think?
    Maybe back to the tank, or if someone has this sorted?
  • Ask your Chinese neighbours @Wheelbyte
  • A pair of Indy’s that I ordered, 159 stage 11’s, arrived today. Double drilled which is awesome....tag on hanger says “Made in China”, and there is no “Made in USA” stamp on baseplate! Still I paid $16 less than the cheapest price I have seen for them so I am not annoyed!
  • take a photo
  • Will do Biebs....once I get home from work in 9 hours!
  • My recent set of standard 159 Indy’s says made in the USA with imported parts. The standard Indy’s baseplate and hangar are still poured in SF. The imported parts are the washers and bushings. I don’t know where the hollow and forged stuff is made...
  • edited May 2019
    The bottom line of the black tag is “Made in China”, not “Yankee doodle dandy!”
  • Are those standard Indy’s @WakeInFright ?Time to ride Trackers!
  • Yes they are standards @ovaldragon , and I do ride Trackers. A little annoyed that their pro model Axis are Bill Danforth and Allen Losi??? They are an unlikely pairing....
  • I’ve been wanting to get some of the axis 161. How high are they? I like standard Indy height (55mm). Gullwing super pro 3 are also 55mm high. I don’t want a truck lower than that....
  • from what i understand the forged ones are china
  • It’s a shame that NHS products are all China made now....
  • edited May 2019
    My neighbors are made in china, they work hard and keep to themselves, better than plenty of others around here


  • edited May 2019
    If a product is made in China then it should cost less.... Indy’s are still the same price...switching to Trackers...maybe
  • edited May 2019
    agreed only problem is that china likes to fuck around with their currency
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