What are the best skateboard parts?

What are the parts of a skateboard?

• Answer:

  Skateboard Parts Deck: The deck is the main part of the board. It's what you stand on. Trucks: Consist of a hangar, a base-plate, a kingpin bolt/nut, two truck bushings, a pivot cup, a riser pad* (optional) and a set of four nuts and bolts that are used to fasten the truck to the skateboard. The base-plate is the rectangle shaped portion of the truck that is fastened to the skateboard. This is also where the kingpin is located. On the circular portion of the bottom of the base-plate is where one of the truck bushings is located. The wide portion of the truck, known as the hangar, is where the wheels are fastened. The second truck bushing is located on the circular portion of the hangar, similar to the base-plate, and sits right above the other bushing. The pivot cup is the small black circular hole that is located on the base-plate. This is another important, but often over-looked part of the truck. The tip of the bottom of the hangar fits into the pivot cup, and if the pivot cup is damaged, the truck may not turn at all, which may be dangerous. Note, there are two trucks per skateboard. Bushings: Bushings are what allows the truck to turn. They do wear over time, so check them regularly, just like any other part of the skateboard. If the bushings are damaged, they can start to split apart. This can cause the board to turn improperly, or jeer to the left or right when attempting to ride straight. Wheels: Wheels are probably replaced more than any other part of a skateboard. They can wear down, crack, and even "cone" after prolonged usage, especially if you like to slide your skateboard. There are four wheels to each truck, and each wheel must have two bearings. Wheels may also have two wheel-washers, and one bearing-spacer** (optional, but recommended). Bearings: Bearings, like wheels, are often replaced quite quickly, due to wear. Bearings are the small, circle-shaped, metal pieces that go into your wheels. They are fairly cheap and are important for going fast on your board, and for going for a long time. If your bearings are too worn-down, your ride will not be as enjoyable. To test your bearings, simply pop them out of your wheel, and spin them on your truck hangar or by holding one carefully with the tips of your fingers. If the bearing chunks, or makes a cracking noise and does not spin well, then it is recommended you replace said bearing. *Riser pads lift the truck from the board, and depending on the material, can cushion the ride. Riser pads can also prevent the skateboard from getting wheel-bite, if the risers are large enough. Wheel-bite occurs when the wheels are too big for a skateboard, and they "bite" the bottom of the board when the rider attempts to turn. Certain skateboards are crafted with wheel-wells, which allow the wheels to be larger, due to a cut-out in the wheel-area of a skateboard. **Wheel-washers and bearing-spacers are not exactly needed, but they reduce tension on the bearing, which prolongs the life of the bearings, and allows you to go faster and longer when skating.