Understanding Skateboard Trucks

Trucks are a fundamental component to a skateboard. It is important to understand how a skateboard truck works and how each part contributes to its overall function. Knowing the anatomy of a skate truck will ensure that you are properly equipped to maintain them.

  1. Axle

    • The axle is a single metal rod that runs through the entire length of truck's hanger. It has a wheel on either end of it affixed with a hex nut.

    Hanger

    • The hanger contains the axle and allows it to pivot on the base of the truck. It is a metal casing that forms an obtuse triangle, where the axle runs along the hypotenuse.

    The Baseplate

    • The baseplate is the part of the truck that attaches to the skateboard deck. It is a square piece of metal with a hole on each of its four corners. A pivot cup is located in the center of the baseplate, where the obtuse angle of the hanger sits. The axle pivots on this point.

    Kingpin

    • The kingpin penetrates the center of the hanger so that equal portions of the axle lie on either side of it. The kingpin runs perpendicular to the axle, leading all the way down through the baseplate. If you loosen the kingpin, the trucks will allow the skateboard to turn more sharply.

    Bushings

    • Two rubbery, doughnut-shaped disks sandwich the hanger along the kingpin to ensure that it remains stable. In other words, when the kingpin is tightened, the bushings squeeze against the hanger harder and therefore lessen how much they can pivot.