How to Adjust Skateboard Trucks So the Wheels Turn Easier

The fundamentals, as well as the mechanics, of skateboarding typically go unnoticed by most spectators, and much more is involved than meets the eye. A skateboard wobbles slightly on trucks. The trucks are bolted to the skateboard and carry the wheels. A small polyurethane disc known as a bushing--wedged into the trucks around a kingpin--allows the board to wobble slightly atop the trucks. This entire apparatus will make the wheels either harder or easier to turn based on the bushing composition and tightness of the kingpin. Learning how to appropriately adjust your trucks--to allow for easier turning--is a skill that all skateboard enthusiasts should learn in order to ride the board efficiently.

Things You'll Need

  • Screwdriver or skate key
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the kingpin from the truck center. The kingpin is the largest bolt at the truck center. Unscrew the nut with a screwdriver or use a skate key, then pull out the kingpin and take off the bushing.

    • 2

      Identify the type of bushing you have on your trucks. A rigid bushing won't allow a great deal of play (wobble) for the trucks to bend, thus resulting in a harder-turning board. A soft bushing will allow for the most play and much easier turning. Bushings of different "durometers" ( a measurement of hardness used with skateboard wheels and bushings) are available where skateboarding equipment is sold.

    • 3

      Replace the original bushing with a softer bushing, then reinsert the kingpin and tighten it into position.

    • 4

      Test the board out to see if the turning has improved to your satisfaction. If the board still has trouble turning, try loosening the kingpin a quarter turn, then try again.