To be a good skater, you need to know your suitable wheel tightness, your skills, and your competence.
A controversy among skaters is how loose or tight the wheels should be for a better experience. Neither option is perfect; there are pros and cons to each.
Here are all the necessary details of truck adjustment to help you ride with ease!
Why Tighten Your Skateboard Wheels
Prevent any wheel bite
As soon as your wheels make contact with your skateboard, you experience wheel bite. This causes you to lose control.
If this occurs, you could lose your balance and fall. This is actually dangerous and can cause serious injury.
Unrivaled speed
Fast, and slick, tight wheels are uncompromising. You can also control your speed better when you tighten your wheels, enabling you to ride more smoothly while still being action-packed.
With exhilarating speeds, tight wheels offer versatility with free-riding and cruising. In addition, skateboarding involves the ability to customize your riding style.
Unmatched stability
You will experience more stability and security with tight wheels. No matter what level of skater you are – a beginner or a seasoned rider who loves to dip into skate ramps – tighter wheels will distribute your weight more evenly to keep you safer.
How Tight Should Skateboard Wheels Be?
For cruising
Compared to skating downhill, cruising is the exact opposite. Perhaps you are moving around crossroads and taking sharp turns that needs manoeuvrability.
Crowded areas are not conducive to skateboarding at high speeds and many actually find the slow pace of cruising enjoyable.
For flipping
The skateboard truck should be somewhere in the middle of tight and loose to jump and bounce effortlessly. This will help you land stable and safe on the ground.
For downhill
You will be riding downhill at high speed, so speed wobbles are more likely. Since you will be riding on a straight track, truck maneuverability will not be needed much.
Tight trucks fulfill all the conditions above that makes them ideal for going downhill.
Who Should Tighten the Skateboard Trucks and Who Shouldn’t?
It is up to the rider to choose the skateboard truck set. Faster skateboarding becomes more enjoyable with tighter trucks that can’t wobble too much and are stable.
On the other hand, loose trucks are better suited for tricks and stunts.
Drawbacks of tightening wheels
Tricks are not compatible
The tightness of the wheels restricts your fluidity, preventing you from performing tricks. The tail of your skateboard might need to push down to perform a trick. It is also possible to loosen up your wheels to make stunting more enjoyable
Limited turning radius
When your wheels are tight, you can’t turn or steer quickly. Due to limited manoeuvrability, turning and curving can be challenging. Your wheels may also be hard to adjust to, making your ride less enjoyable.
Landings are less lenient
You can land askew with loose wheels rather than straight on your feet. The wheels need to be pressed down for your skateboard not to drift. If your wheels are tight, you’ll have to find a seamless landing close to the runway. This isn’t always possible.
Benefits of loosened skateboard wheels
- Allows you to pursue your passion
- You can wriggle around every corner and crevice with ease
- Tricks are easy to do
Problems with loose skateboard wheels
- Can cause strong vibrations resulting in damage
- Not suitable for new skaters
- Can cause injuries because of their fast movement speed
- Wheel bite is a possibility
- Slows down the speed
How long should skateboard wheels spin for?
Two seconds is all you need to let your wheels freely spin. After that, you can spend a few minutes pushing while standing on your board. For boards that are hard to push or stop on their own, try loosening the wheels.
Try to tighten each one a little bit whenever you hear the wheels rattling or don’t feel balanced.
If you don’t find the perfect fit, keep testing until you do.
When to change the skateboard wheels?
Every two to three months, you can swap your wheels if you ride your skateboard frequently. If you rotate or swap your wheels, they will last longer and wear more evenly. For example, put the left rear on the right front and vice versa.
Tighten or loosen skateboard wheels: Essential tips
- When skateboard rides to the side
- There are several reasons for a board going to one side but the most common one is wearing on the parts
- Decks wear out over time and the wheels no longer touch the ground
- Spacers on skateboard wheels have shabbiness and abrasions and have lost their shape
- You need to replace a bolt in the center of the truck
| Too tight trucks | Too loose trucks |
| Put your sentiments to the test | Try riding the skateboard to see how it works |
| Simply get onto the deck as you normally would | The feeling of tightness should be sufficient |
| Make many turns on one truck, then the other | Turn each truck so that it doesn’t sway when you ride on it, |
| If the moves feel tight, repeat them again | Increase the torque if the truck moves |
How loosening trucks offers flexibility and precision
You won’t even be able to turn normally if they are too tight. Jumps and other skatepark moves need tight and stiff trucks. If you skateboard in a technical style and ride fast, you may loosen it up.
FAQs
1. Can I over-tighten skateboard trucks?
Ans. Skateboard wheels can be overtightened. This will prevent your board from reaching its greatest speed.
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