How to Measure Skateboard Truck (A Complete Guide) (2024)

The skateboard trucks that are best suited for your deck will be just as wide as the board. This means that if you have an 8-inch deck, your trucks should measure 8 inches from bolt to bolt. However, the measurement that truck companies use is typically the width of the hangar.

Making things just a little bit more confusing, each company that designs trucks uses their own methods of measurement. But don’t worry, we’ll go over everything that you need to know about skateboard trucks in this article.

For right now, just place the trucks on your board, if the bolts on the axle match up with the edge of the deck, you found the perfect fit.

That being said, you’ll be okay to get trucks that are +/- 0.125” — allowing you to get 7.875” to 8.125” trucks for an 8.0” deck.

Choosing The Right Truck Width For Your Deck

The truck size of a skateboard is measured by either axle width or hanger width. The hanger is the thicker piece of metal that houses the axle.

The width of your trucks can influence the performance of the board. That being said, the most common setup for trucks is when the axle comes out to the edges of the board – this setup provides the most stability.

6″ to 7.25″ truck axle for 6.5″ to 7.25″ skateboard decks
7.5″ truck axle for 7.25 to 7.5″ skateboard decks
7.75″ truck axle for 7.5” to 8″ skateboard decks
8.0″ truck axle for 8” to 8.5″ skateboard decks
8.5″ truck axle for 8.5” to 9″ skateboard decks
9.0″ truck axle for 9” to 10” skateboard decks
10.0″ truck axle for 10” wide and above skateboard decks

Now you may be thinking, “I’ve seen longboards with trucks that stick out much farther than the board.” This is true.

Longboards use a different truck setup that gives them much more stability but they’re not weighted properly for flip tricks.

Skateboard Truck Size Guide

Here at Boardcoast, I have handpicked the most common skateboard truck brands and had them measured in order to give you an accurate table for comparison.

Take a look at the table below for the recommended optimal deck widths for each truck size.

For example: 7.75″ Deck = 5.0″ Trucks 8.0″ Deck = 5.25″ Trucks 8.25″ Deck = 5.5″ Trucks.

If you’re not exactly sure how tight or loose your trucks should be, then be sure to read this article that goes over the different ways to set up your trucks for your skateboarding style.

Truck Brands & How They Differ

There are quite a few truck brands to choose from on the market and they only seem to complicate things further. Many different brands use their own system for naming and sizing their trucks.

Each brand makes trucks that fit the ¼ inch scale, beginning at 5.0” and increasing by 0.25 inches for each size up.

Thunder and Independent use the metric system for their sizes, looking something more like 129 or 139, which is the size of the hanger width in millimeters (mm).

129 Independent skateboard trucks are the same size as a 5.0” hanger from other brands.

Krux, Royal, Venom, and Venture are all companies that measure their trucks in inches, starting at 5.0” to 5.5” and higher. That being said, although Royal marks their trucks 5.5”, the hanger is closer to 5.8” with an 8.75” axle – making it best for 8.75” boards.

The naming convention really isn’t important though if you measure your board and measure the axle on the trucks from bolt to bolt. That will always be your best way to guarantee that you’re getting the right set of trucks for your skateboard.

Components Of A Skateboard Truck

The trucks of a skateboard are assembled with a few main components:

Axle

The axle on the trucks is the long piece of steel that runs through the hanger and attaches the wheels and bearings. To get the best size trucks for your skateboard, the ends of the axle should line up (or come close to) both edges of the deck.

Pro Tip: All axle nuts use a ⅜” wrench socket, the same wrench that is part of every skate tool.

Hanger

The hanger of the skateboard is a piece of metal that looks somewhat like a triangle. It supports the axle.

Kingpin

The kingpin is the large bolt in the center of the trucks. It houses the bushings and holds all of the components of the trucks together.

More recently, hollow kingpins have been gaining traction and popularity because they’re lighter but don’t compromise the strength or durability of the trucks.

Keep in mind, any kingpin can break. When debating on going with a solid or hollow kingpin, think about whether you need a lighter board.

Pro Tip: All kingpin nuts use a 9/16” wrench.

Bushings

What Materials Are Skateboard Trucks Made From?

Typically, hangars will be made from aluminum and axles are made from steel. That being said, there are a few other options such as titanium, brushed steel, and carbon fiber.

What materials your trucks are made of will depend on what kind of skateboard you have or on your riding style.

If you skateboard hard and often, go for heavier but more durable metals.

If you want a lighter skateboard, go for light metals like aluminum or carbon fiber.

Regardless of what type of skateboard you ride, you need to get yourself quality trucks.If you’re brand new to the sport, I suggest getting an 8.0” complete skateboard. But if you’re starting to get more into skateboarding and are looking for an upgrade then I suggest measuring your board and getting one of the following trucks.

Durable Skateboard Trucks

• For a 7.75” skateboard – Independent 129mm skateboard trucks
• For an 8.0” skateboard – Independent 139mm skateboard trucks
• For an 8.25” skateboard – Independent 144mm skateboard trucks
• For an 8.5” skateboard – Independent 149mm skateboard trucks

Lightweight Skateboard Trucks

• For a 7.75” skateboard – Thunder Polished Hollow Lights (145)
• For a 8.0” skateboard – Thunder Polished Hollow Lights (147)
• For a 8.5” skateboard – Thunder Polished Hollow Lights (149)