Further Clarification

**SwearDean** · 04-02-2008 02:54 AM

To begin I'd just like say sorry for asking something that has been discussed before. And if it has, I can't seem to find the thread about it.

I'm trying to find out more info on how bushings and trucks affect each other. I've been researching about this on the 'fish but haven't found all of the answers to my questions yet.

So basically, lets say I want to run my trucks loose enough to get good carves, what are the PROS and CONS of a) having soft bushings but with the kingpin somewhat tightened, b) having medium bushings with kingpin a little loose and c) having hard bushings with the kingpin really loose but not too much that the hangers would wiggle by themselves?

What I've learned so far(correct me if I'm wrong) is that having the kingpin cranked down too much could destroy the bushings, on the other hand while having it too loose may result in wheel bite or rattling/squeaking(?) and generally bushing hardness affects the rebound and are a personal preference depending on one's weight as well. But I would also like to know would the three different setups relate to different disciplines(DH, carving, dancing, sliding, etc.)?

Thanks guys

**SteveC** · 04-02-2008 03:04 AM

the main thing is to find the balance between too-soft & too-hard.
And avoid "flop and stop" like the plague
There's no magic formula for figuring this out, though experienced skaters will often be able to predict what's right-
given rider-weight/board/truck/discipline.

Personally i lean towards the soft side, with things tighter, though it does depend on the board, my slalom board's front truck is loose as hell. (though it could be better feeling too...)

Two things to remember
little can account for taste and style
in skatopia we don't adjust our tightness we adjust our durometer and bushing shape.

**Cranks** · 04-02-2008 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by SwearDean

To begin I'd just like say sorry for asking something that has been discussed before. And if it has, I can't seem to find the thread about it.

I'm trying to find out more info on how bushings and trucks affect each other. I've been researching about this on the 'fish but haven't found all of the answers to my questions yet.

So basically, lets say I want to run my trucks loose enough to get good carves, what are the PROS and CONS of a) having soft bushings but with the kingpin somewhat tightened, b) having medium bushings with kingpin a little loose and c) having hard bushings with the kingpin really loose but not too much that the hangers would wiggle by themselves?

What I've learned so far(correct me if I'm wrong) is that having the kingpin cranked down too much could destroy the bushings, on the other hand while having it too loose may result in wheel bite or rattling/squeaking(?) and generally bushing hardness affects the rebound and are a personal preference depending on one's weight as well. But I would also like to know would the three different setups relate to different disciplines(DH, carving, dancing, sliding, etc.)?

Thanks guys

you need to go ride more and find out these things for yourself, young grasshopper.

**Rusty13** · 04-02-2008 09:24 AM

It's really solely preference. Some like A. for such and such style of skateboarding,some like B. or C. for the same,and so on. People on here will try for pages to come up with concrete facts,and while they might come up with something (doubtful) Non of it is really going to help you out. Ride what you got,bushings are cheap, ride yours until you need new ones( in over a decade, i've never actually bought bushings,so that might tell you something). Then play around,if you must, but i have a feeling you wont care by then.

.02 from the tip jar.

in skatopia we don't adjust our tightness we adjust our durometer and bushing shape.

In our Skatopia we ride our skateboards...period.

**hexagon5un** · 04-02-2008 09:24 AM

I'm with Steve, but a slightly different perspective. We agree on not too soft, not too hard, with no play in the center.

If it's a new setup, I'll take the hardest bushing I can still comfortably get max lean for the trucks out of, tightened down so that it's just barely squished and there's no washer rattle. Then ride it around a bunch and go from there.

It's just a personal feel issue and depends on the board and how you ride it. For a board that I pump on a lot or a carver that I like to throw my weight into, harder bushings are nice for the extra rebound. For a DH board, I actually like them a bit softer for easier turns. (But not so soft that they're sloppy in the middle, naturally.)

If you're sorting out bushings, get a variety first and just try them out.

**bucksaw87** · 04-02-2008 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by me, on another forum

i hear "tighten your trucks" freakishly frequently. honestly, 95% of those problems can be solved by spending an extra $6 and getting harder or softer bushings. i think back to when a friend of mine got a brand new complete, with indy trucks. he did a little kickflip and said "these are too loose" so he tightened the trucks (i assume many rampragers do this too)...he did that lke 3 more times, until his bushings were SO tight, that they were squeezing out of the bushing seat and splitting. so, i dug out my box of skate parts and handed him some harder bushings (black doh-dohs). he put them on his indys, and didn't have to tighten the piss out of them. guess what? he LOVED them.

what tightening the trucks does is restrict the turning. essentially, you're taking turning out of your trucks by limiting the motion. bushings, on the other hand, stiffen up the turning...this is different, because the trucks still maintain 100% of their motion, but the effort require to turn is increased.

is what busihngs do...as far as what you'd like, try a bunch out and see for yourself

**SwearDean** · 04-02-2008 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by hexagon5un

For a board that I pump on a lot or a carver that I like to throw my weight into, harder bushings are nice for the extra rebound. For a DH board, I actually like them a bit softer for easier turns. (But not so soft that they're sloppy in the middle, naturally.)

These are the stuff that I'm curious about! I just want to hear people's preferences and how the bushing duro comes into play with their riding style

I'd want to buy a bushing kit but I've already burned a hole in my wallet on some other stuff and given I don't have an extensive quiver, I wouldn't want the rest of the bushings to go to waste.

Thanks for the help and patience though guys!

**Brute379** · 04-02-2008 02:55 PM

Bushing shape will also play a part in how it rides.

**SwearDean** · 04-03-2008 12:24 AM

How about for the style of riding?

All I know is that soft bushings for carving and hard ones for DH so there's more stability.

But what's the preference of people who do sliding?

Or pumping?

Or board walking?

Just to add, I currently have the Randal 180s and the stock bushings. I like the feel however I want something with more rebound and thats not too sensitive to turn when board walking (I weight about 180lbs). I've been looking at Khiro's but can't figure out what duro to get, would you guys suggest the blacks, the yellows, or maybe even the reds?
(I've been seeing blues recommended a lot but then I noticed those riders are usually light.)

And sorry, I don't have enough money to buy the bushing kit.

**SwearDean** · 04-04-2008 01:50 AM

Bumppp...

**SwearDean** · 04-04-2008 01:55 AM

Bumppp...

oops, sorry about the double bumping.

**SteveC** · 04-04-2008 02:24 AM

try Randal reds on the bottom only.

**SwearDean** · 04-04-2008 02:33 AM

I'm looking for an upgrade from Randal bushings though, thats why I'm considering Khiro's. Would the black Khiro's (95a) be as good as the Randal reds since they're in the same duro?

**SteveC** · 04-04-2008 02:37 AM

the barrel shape will behave quite differently, this may well not be a bad thing though.
I'd say that the reds will lean over further before binding up and stopping.
but the khiros will have a more solid center feeling.

classic trade off.

**garciawork** · 04-04-2008 02:43 AM

Well, I ride veerrry soft bushings, because everything I do is based off of getting the best pump. Black khiro's too me are hard to the point where I would not touch them. I won't get harder than khiro blues anymore. I have all sorts of weird combo's in my boards, mixing khiro barrel's, khiro bitches, holey smoke bushings, and bones soft harcores, but my favorites are the holey smokes, bitches and the hardcores. I love khiro barrels and such for their cheapness and availability, but I feel like others work better for me. If you are looking for more rebound in your randal's, if it were me (and some may do something different) and I weighed 180 and was doing a lot of boardwalking, I would probably get some red or blue khiro's, maybe just blue, or some blue or smoke holey bushings. I personally think the hole smoke bushings have the best rebound I have ever felt, its like have a superball down there. Bet really, buy a buch of bushings, try stuff out, see what you like, thats the best thing, it seems like you have a lot of info on here, so get going! PM me if you have anymore questions.

**SwearDean** · 04-04-2008 03:05 AM

Thanks guys! Really helpful advice! I'll probably get 3 sets of different duros then just to experiment around on.

See you around the fish

**SteveC** · 04-04-2008 04:21 AM

That's a good plan, try the larger barrels on both sides too.
Most people prefer the bottom bushing to be harder than the top when mixing duro's
Try khiro bottom Randal top too.

**hexagon5un** · 04-04-2008 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by garciawork

...if it were me (and some may do something different) and I weighed 180 and was doing a lot of boardwalking, I would probably get some red or blue khiro's, maybe just blue, or some blue or smoke holey bushings.

Word. At 170lbs, I'm liking red or smoke Holeys and red or blue khiros. The Khiro blacks are crazy hard.

Originally Posted by SwearDean

Thanks guys! Really helpful advice! I'll probably get 3 sets of different duros then just to experiment around on.

That's the way to go, IMO. At 180, I'd get Khiro 2x blues, 2x reds, 1x orange, and 1x white. Or go with 1 each red and blue if you're real cheap, but you'll have to run different front/rear. With the softer (orange and white) you can play around with running soft top bushings which'll get you more turn.

Once you've run all the combos out of that set, you'll be the bushing master.