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Useful information
Bushings. What are they and what bushings do you recommend for my weight?
The basics: Bushing setup can be a highly subjective topic, but really it all comes to personal preference. The bushing durometer defines how hard the bushing is. The higher the durometer the harder it is, and vice versa. Typically bushings go from 60a - 100a. But different materials for bushings can ride harder or softer than they test and certain companies will provide indication of this. In turn, ultimately it may take some playing around with and experimenting with different duro bushings alongside mixing duros roadside (rs) and boardside (bs) to find whats right for you.
(But as a general rule, if your mixing bushings, place the harder duro bushing (bs), with the softer (rs).)
Stubby trucks (complete) come supplied in two configurations, Front and Rear; and are based on an average rider weight of 65-85Kg. (Bushing configuration can be altered by request based on rider specification and weight.)
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Front Truck Configuration: RipTide APS 0.6″ Barrel bushings 80a - Orange - RS (Road side) + Riptide APS 0.6″ FatCone 85a - LFW Blue - BS (Board side)
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Rear Truck Configuration: RipTide APS 0.6″ Barrel bushings 90a - Yellow - RS (Road side) + Riptide APS 0.6″ FatCone 90a - Yellow - BS (Board side)
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If you require an indication of what bushings might correspond with your weight and ride preference have a look at RipTides table below:
More general information on the following is available from the Riptide website:
Bushing Recommendation Form & Bushing Shapes Explained & Bushing Colors Explained & Weight Charts
Hangers. Spherical Bearing or Kore Bushing?
Within the Stubby Truck hanger sits either a COM6T spherical bearing (with a ptfe lining to enable self lubrication) or a Riptide Kore Bushing (88a for a front truck, and 93a for the a rear truck), and this will depend on your order selection.
What are they used for? Simply put both the spherical and kore options provide the hanger with a pivot point alongside anchorage.
Ride experience? A spherical bearing is often described to offer a very precise turn with little to no 'slop' - (the hangers behaviour and tendency to wobble, alongside disproportionate lean to turn factor), but this can sometimes be considered to rigid in behaviour by some riders.
Kore Bushing inserts by comparison, offer a softer and surfier turn. Whilst Kore inserts have typically been used more consistently by downhill riders in the past, Kore bushings are considered as a 'Safe mode' within the LDP community due to the bushing inserts exerting less stress on the KP than a spherical option, and in turn the reduced number of KP (kingpin) breakages as a result of the high levels of dynamic stress translated through from the hangers 'oscillation' during pumping.
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Need help swapping your Kore Bushing for a Spherical bearing, or vice vera?
Watch the following:
What angle should I set my trucks to to get pumping?
Similarly, to bushings, what angle you should set your baseplate to can be a point of controversy. But as with anything it comes down to personal experience and preference. But there are some basic principles and rules you can apply that will help you get started.
Understanding the basic principle. The adjustment of the angle of the baseplate alters the behaviour of the truck as it alters the position of the point of pivot and in turn the rotational behaviour of the hanger. In essence when it comes to behaviours you get 'Turn' and 'Lean'. Turn as it suggests corresponds to a trucks ability to turn, and equally lean corresponds to a trucks ability to lean from side-to-side.
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So how does this apply in the real world? For RKP trucks like our Stubby truck, if we were to tilt the truck such that the kingpin was perpendicular to the ground with the pivot set inline with the ground, the truck would be set to 0° and would be able to lean but not turn. Equally, if we hypothetically set are truck to an extreme of 85° you would have a lot of turn and little lean (aka you lean a little turn a lot). In LDP, we typically to use higher angles (50° - 65°) at the front and a lower angle and the rear (0° - 30°) which enables pumping and rectification of directional movement during pumping to allow you to move straighter and in a more forward directional way.
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To adjust the angle of the Stubby trucks, simply loosen the fixings (M5 socket cap screws - Location pictured in the image below). Adjust to the desired angle. In turn, tighten anew the fixings. (Markings start at 0° in the centre marked with a cross, and spread either side depicting 15° separations).
Stubby trucks offer an enormous possible angle adjustment of 135°. 0°-90° in one direction and 0°-45° in the inverse direction. This in turn enables these trucks to be incredibly versatile, and offers the possibility for these to be used as both front and rear trucks, with adjustments being possible without the need of removing the truck.
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Rake? What is it?
(and no I don't want a bucket or a shovel)
Rake... Bucket... Spade... Shovel... No we're not talk about gardening tools. Axle Rake also sometimes referred to as “Axle Offset” refers to the amount the axle is offset from the axis or line that defines the point of pivot of a hanger in relation to the baseplate. Its a bit complicated to explain in a matter of words, but in practice essentially it does not determine how much the truck turns, but how that turn feels and how progressive it is.
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If drawn on a graph it looks something like the following:
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So what does this mean when riding?
Having an offset truck axle ('Raked') provides you a "divey” turn. In essence the proportion of lean to turn ratio is offset giving a very progressive turn as you lean on your board. So to speak, as you start to lean the board through a turn the truck won't turn very much to start with, but as you continue to lean the amount of turn substantially increases.
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On the counter-side, having no truck axle offset ("Rakeless") provides a very precise and linear lean to turn ratio. In practice you get a proportional turn to the amount you lean which can make it feel more responsive.
Whether Raked or Not Raked, this is very much down to personal choice, particularly within the LDP skaters community alongside other disciplines of skateboarding & Longboarding.
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The Stubby truck offers the ability to adjust the axle rake in 4 different positions, 2 raked positions and 2 rakeless positions. (The rake offset is enormous at 14mm.)
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(Note: Due to the nature of the design of Stubby trucks and its adjustable parts it is imperative to regularly check fixings are securely fastened. This is particularly important when adjustments have been made to the adjustable rake and baseplate angle. (Accidents happen when we least pay attention. Riding with unsecured bolts linking the adjustable rake module to the hanger could result in the deformation, damage, or breakage of the M10 socket cap screws and linking parts, and result in injury). Whilst unlikely it is advised to routinely inspect your axles, nuts and bolts for deformations and abnormalities.)
