Independent Trucks Guide
Established and co-founded in 1978 by Richard Novak, Jay Shiurman, Fausto, the Independent Truck Co. is based in Santa Cruz, California and owned by NHS, Inc.
Independent sponsors an huge list of some of the best skateboarders on the planet and their trucks are as legendary as the people who have, and still, ride them. If you're looking to ride the best, you can not go wrong with a set of Indys. Independent Trucks are Built to Grind and Guaranteed for Life.
If you want to more about Independent, check out our blog here for a short history of the brand.
Buying Independent skateboard trucks can be confusing for first timers, so we've put together this concise guide on the range of trucks, what they are best for and most importantly, sizing as different companies use different naming conventions. Independent keep it simple and name their trucks by hanger width.
What size skateboard trucks should you buy?
The right trucks can make a massive difference to your board set up and your skateboarding, so we’ve put together this 3-step guide to help you find the right truck.
Step 1. Match your truck width to your board width
Matching your board and truck width means you’ll have a more stable board for flip tricks plus, you know exactly where your wheels are when grinding rails or hitting the ramp coping. Skateboard truck companies have different size and naming conventions for their trucks, which does not make it easy for the beginner, so we’ve outlined below what you need to know about the actual size of the trucks.
A 7.75" deck matches a 5.0" truck and an 8.0" deck matches a 5.25" truck. The truck width is determined by the the width of the hanger, however, when you measure the axle itself, you’ll see a truck size of 5.0" has an overall width, when including axle, of 7.75” which fits a 7.75" deck perfectly. If it’s your first time buying a skateboard, just ask one of our team and they will make sure you’ve got the right trucks for your board.
Step 2. Chose a truck height
Skateboard trucks also come in three different heights: Low, Medium and High.
Low: Fast turning, responsive pop, better stability when grinding and a more stable center of gravity. Ideal for technical skateboarding, flip tricks, ledge grinds and skateparks. Make sure you choose a wheel between 48mm to 53mm to avoid wheel bite.
Mid: Want the best qualities of the lows and and highs all in one truck? That’s essentially the mid height truck. Good for street and skatepark skateboarding.
High: Tighter turning, more room to pivot and can run larger wheel and looser trucks. You’ll get a faster, smoother ride however the board will be harder to balance on. Highs are also perfect for transition skateboarding.
Step 3. Chose what feels right for you
This is only a rough guide and everyone skates differently so, at the end of the day, choose what feels best for you.
Truck Weight
Trucks come in different weights so you can decide on heavier or lighter to suit your skateboarding.
Our in-depth skateboard truck guide can be found here.
Now you're got all the info, time to choose some Indys.
Independent Trucks Guide
Stage 11 Trucks
Durable all purpose truck for any type of skateboarding. The truck that build Independent. Bolt them on and go for a shred. BUILT TO GRIND!
Stage 11 Standard
Durable all-purpose truck for any type of skateboarding.
55mm tall.
Available in 109, 129, 139, 144, 149, 159, 169 and 215mm.
Stage 11 Hollow
7% lighter, lightweight version of the Stage 11 with hollow axle and kingpin.
55mm tall.
Available in 109, 129, 139, 144, 149, 159 and 169mm.
Stage 11 Forged Hollow
10% lighter, super lightweight mid profile truck with forged baseplate and hollow axle and kingpin.
53.5mm tall.
Available in 129, 139, 144, 149, 159 and 169mm.
Stage 11 Forged Titanium
15% lighter, ultra-lightweight mid profile truck with the highest strength to weight ratio.
53.5mm tall.
Available in 129, 139, 144, 149, 159 and 169mm.
Stage 4 Trucks
An update of the original Stage 4, single wing hanger design introduced in 1986. The new Stage 4 features the original Stage 4, single wing hanger design on a universal 6 hole baseplate. With tried and true, classic Indy geometry - Stage 4s are super quick and responsive. Fitted with perfectly sized, original cushions for superior stability, rebound, and snap.
Stage 4 Standard
55mm tall for optimal performance and wheel clearance with wheels 56mm and under.
Available in 136, 146, 151 and 166mm.
MID Trucks
New Independent MiD trucks feature a lower profile hanger for optimal contact point angle on your nose and tail for flip tricks, ledges, and all-around street skating with a recommended wheel size of 53mm and under.
The newly designed and first ever Independent inverted kingpin can be used with either a 5.5mm Allen key or standard 9/16" hex wrench. The innovative new Shaft Nut in the baseplate creates a rigid and durable solution to lateral movement found in most inverted kingpin designs and increases adjustability.
MID Standard
High performance mid-profile truck.
52mm tall.
Available in sizes 129, 139, 144, 149 and 159mm.
MID Hollow
Lightweight hollow axle.
52mm tall.
Available in 129, 139, 144, 149 and159mm.
MID Forged Hollow
Lightweight hollow axle and forged baseplate.
50.5mm tall.
Available in sizes 129, 139, 144, 149 and 159mm.
Size Chart
| Truck Size | Axle Width (Inches) | Deck Size (Inches) |
|
215 |
10.00 | 9.5 - 10.5 |
| 169 | 9.125 | 9 - 9.5 |
| 166 | 9.0 | 8.5 - 9.5 |
| 159 | 8.75 | 8.6 - 9 |
| 151 | 8.625 | 8.375 - 8.875 |
| 149 | 8.50 | 8.375 - 8.6 |
| 146 | 8.375 | 8.125 - 8.625 |
| 144 | 8.25 | 8.2 - 8.375 |
| 136/139 | 8.00 | 7.8 - 8.2 |
| 129 | 7.60 | 7.4 - 7.8 |
| 109 | 6.90 | 6.25 - 7.6 |
Check out our Independent Truck Co. range here.