Types of Longboard Trucks – Must Read Before Buying! 

 September 25, 2020

By James Mason

Types of Longboard Trucks

Riding the plain street on your skateboard is fun, isn’t it?

Well, indeed skateboards came first, but for real, it couldn’t manage to bring that sensation we were looking for.
That’s why by recreating longboards with some wheels on or if I say some sort of trucks under it, we have buckled up what we wanted!

Wait! Don’t you want to know about the truck types?

Today, in this article, I will sum up the types of longboard trucks and list all the perks of having them.
Read on to find out!

For you kind information, you can also check this article too. Here we have reviewed some amazingly good longboard trucks, we hope you will love it.

Types of Longboard Trucks Explained!

As I have told you earlier, there are basically two styles of longboard trucks you are going to see. They are;

  1. Reverse Kingpin Longboard trucks
  2. Traditional Kingpin Longboard Truck

Now, let us see what they have to offer and what are the differences! But first, you need to know about each of them individually.

What is a Kingpin in Longboard Trucks?

First of all, the kingpin isn’t a particular type of longboards. It is a pivot system found in longboard trucks. In fact, it is one of the most exclusive mechanisms that features a thin and lightweight longboard that bears enough strength and longevity.

However, reverse kingpin trucks are named as such because the kingpin on these trucks is placed on the other side of the axle as opposed to the traditional ones.

Where is the kingpin located?

Well, it’s sort of a robust bolt that is located just inside the bushing. The main role of this kingpin is to hold the whole foundation together so that it can provide some durability and safety for the rider.
That was all about kingpin.

Kingpin Truck Specifications

To explain what the reverse kingpin is, you need to know about the other parts of a longboard truck. So, there is the axle, hanger, kingpin, and bushing in every kingpin truck.

You already know about the kingpin. Now, the axle is the two long pins adjusted with the wheels. And, it keeps going with the support of the hanger.

The hanger is fortified for supporting the axle, and it is typically the most significant part of the whole truck structure. Moreover, it is made of metal, and for clearing your confusion, it is triangular-shaped.

Lastly, the bushing is a small sort of oval-shaped ring fixed to the kingpin for rotating and pivoting the board all the way swiftly.

Reverse Kingpin Longboard Trucks

Now, let us come to reverse kingpins. It is that type on which the kingpin is located on the opposite side of the axle.
However, if your longboard truck has a setup of kingpins facing away from each other, then you surely have a reverse kingpin truck. Just check if the kingpins are facing opposite directions or not.

Because of their structure, reverse kingpins turn more, and this makes turning and carving easier.

Things You Can Do with Reverse Kingpin Trucks

  • Carving
  • Downhill
  • Longboarding
  • Cruising
  • Freestyle longboarding
  • Free-riding

Perks

  • Strong base
  • Sufficient stability
  • Diverse skating facility
  • Used by pro longboarding clubs
  • Absolute fun

Traditional Kingpin Longboard Trucks

Well, traditional kingpins have the same parts; axle, hanger, bushing, and obviously kingpin. But the difference here is, the axles don’t face the opposite directions. If you look into them carefully, you will see that they are positioned face-to-face.

Another thing is, these trucks are comparatively taller than the reverse kingpin trucks. Also, they only can sit on top mount decks.

That is the reason why skaters prefer reverse kingpins more than the traditional ones. However, the fun fact is, traditional ones are basically used for skateboards, but over time they have been modified, and now they are extended to fit into longboards.

Things You Can Do with Traditional Kingpin Trucks

  • Tech sliding
  • Park sliding
  • Cruising
  • Carving

Perks

  • Good for newbies
  • Smooth and safe
  • More control

Bottom Line

Okay! That was it for the two types of longboard trucks.

While choosing between these two, you need to look within yourself as in how much time you’ve spent on longboarding. As reverse kingpins aren’t an easy toy to handle, you need to be careful with it and have to master it through some practice.

However, controlling reverse kingpin trucks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Keep that in mind. Besides, traditional kingpins are great for controlling, but it is quite challenging to keep them stable.

Anyway, that was fun sharing some sporty stuff with you. I wish you have an enjoyable ride soon. Cheerio!

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About the author

James Mason here. Surfing, skateboarding, and longboarding enthusiast currently living in Rio, Brazil. Started boarding since I was old enough to wear a helmet, except I often didn't. Think that explains a lot :)