When To Replace Skateboard Trucks: Solved

Trucks are one of the most durable parts of a skateboard, but they need replacement at some point. In general, skate trucks last more than a year, but they may need to be replaced earlier if they are compromised.

Thus, this article will provide you with some guidelines on when to replace skateboard trucks by showing you some indicators of their ending.

Usually, you should replace skateboard trucks when they start getting wear out, cracking, or creating problems with the baseplate or axle. However, you do not need to replace a complete truck if the problem lies in pivot cups, nuts, washers, hangers, kingpins, and squeaking since you can get these particular parts on the market and solve the issue.

When To Replace Skateboard Trucks

Please do not replace the trucks immediately when you feel they need replacement. First, recall how much time earlier you put the trucks on a skateboard. It is possible that truck attachments need replacing if they were attached 6 months ago; if they are not, however, then the problem must be something else.

The truth is that if trucks are making noise, it’s usually because the tightening is loose, and the trucks are not being lubricated regularly. To find out why skateboard truck is squeaking, please check out our previous guide on squeaky skateboard trucks.

Getting back to the point, once you discover that your trucks are at least six months old, you should keep reading this guide. Because you might be able to alleviate the problem without replacing the truck if they are not old.

1. If you see the trucks clearly cracked and wobbling while riding, that indicates the need for replacement. In the case of cracked parts, such as the baseplate, it is best to buy a new baseplate and replace the damaged one instead of replacing whole trucks.

If you don’t feel the trucks cracking while riding, but you see them cracked, you should change them because this can cause a big accident by breaking unexpectedly at high speeds.

In most cases, cheap skateboard trucks will have this issue even when they are brand new, so we always suggest going with high quality skateboard trucks. 

2. During turning or riding in a skatepark, if your trucks don’t perform as before, this is also a sign that truck replacement is needed. This happens only when the trucks shape changes due to heavy use. Even if you can’t see the external damage of trucks, you can feel it by riding the board. If they are damaged in any way, they will have difficulties turning and riding comfortably.

3. If you begin experiencing wheel bite without changing the size of any skateboard part, this may also be due to the trucks. In addition, if you’re a heavy person and you’re riding the board for a long time, the trucks will get very high pressure and will gradually begin to compress, reducing the size of the trucks, which causes you to experience wheel bite. If you are a heavy rider, don’t make the same mistake again. Look for trucks that can handle your weight, like we have the best skateboard trucks for heavy riders.  

4. If you can’t identify why the trucks are making a problem, remove the trucks and differentiate each part of the trucks like the baseplate, nuts, and pivot cup. Using this method, you will be able to see if the trucks have been damaged from any angle. If they are not broken, well and good, simply lubricate them and attach them again to the skateboard.

5. Whenever the trucks are not performing well, you loosen, tighten, and lubricate them, and if the problem persists, they must be replaced. If you want to test the board, you should ride with loose and tight trucks. A problem can usually be solved if no replacement is needed, but the trucks must be replaced if the issue cannot be resolved.

When To Replace Skateboard Bushings

Truck bushings are very important to their performance, and the moment they start failing, the trucks start becoming unstable and floppy, as well as experiencing wheel bite.

When you notice that the trucks are changing, you should disassemble those bushings and inspect them for cracks. If you find a crack in the glass, the problem can only be solved by replacing them. The bushings are available from different brands in the market, but choose the quality one and always try to go for branded bushings.

To learn when to replace skateboard wheels check our previous guide, as they also play a major role in trucks perfromance.

Bonus Tips

We have provided the above mentioned tips that may be useful in identifying when it is time to replace skateboard trucks, but we also have some other information that you should be aware of. 

1. If you use cheap or non-branded trucks, you cannot enjoy the ride. When using cheap trucks, you may run into different problems, but to resolve all this, simply replace the trucks and switch to branded trucks like Independent or Thunder. 

2. Consider your riding style when choosing a truck. You will likely get in trouble if you own a truck that is designed only for cruising and you perform tricks in it. It’s important to understand that different trucks are made for different riding styles. The same trucks cannot be used for different riding styles.

3. You should choose the truck size based on your deck width. Having a narrower or wider truck than your deck will cause it not to perform as expected. So, check the size of your existing trucks. If they are not the right size, replace them with the right size trucks and solve your problem.

You might find the review article on street skateboard trucks valuable if you’re a street skater.

FAQ

Conclusion

To date, we have given you all the information you need to know about when to replace skateboard trucks, as well as some bonus tips for preventing the need for constant truck replacement. We hope you are clear on when to change the trucks and when not to.