I'm one of those people with the unpopular opinion that the trucks have actually gotten better since they moved. They had problems at Ermico too over the years. The stage 8 had a whole run of bending axles back in the early 2000"s. Broken baseplates on the stage 9. The stage 11 has suffered from the cracked hanger occasionally. I don't think it's as frequent as it was a few years ago. I think they've tightened it up since the early days of the move. Those forged plates on your beloved thunders are from China by the way.
I can't really speak for Indy's before the move since I hadn't skated them back then but having the hangers bend or snap is still happening a lot on the current Stage 11's. I have been skating this pair for over a month now though and weigh 100kg and there hasn't been any dramas so far! I actually didn't know that, I'm sure that would be a shock to the die hard Thunder guys that despise Indy's moving to China as well 😂 What do you think of the Stage 4's that have been rereleased?
@@LeonPaxtonthey dont surf as well as stage 11s and certainly like aces, stage 4 is a boring truck. Turn is crazy tight but still feels limited cause no surf. Manuals lock in easier than any truck but still feels weird and.. limited
After 30 years of riding Indy’s I recently tried thunder lights and Ace Af1, and now returning back to Indy titanium 149. Couldn’t handle the geometry of the thunders, felt like I had to learn to skate again. The Aces felt a little better but had to switch out the bushings to the harder ones which makes the turn weird as in they just kind of turn easy and the stop turning. Got to say the Indy titanium 149s on an 8.5 or 8.38 are a great truck! Middle aged madness over! Keep up the good work, great session
Yeah dude, it's funny how different Thunder's and Indy's actually are to each other! Oh true, I'm looking at trying Ace next so I wonder how I'll find them to skate 🤔 Haha thanks man 🙏🏼
Just got myself Indy stage 4 size 151 for curiosity. Amazing turn and no wheelbite. Just one session behind, but first impression really good. I have tried thunders and aces, but always return to indys. All time favourite truck independent hollow 159.
I’m no pro, but I have been skating Independent Stage XI, Hollow Stage XI and Stage IV. They are all great. I’ve been comparing them with Thunders and Ace AF1. It’s no wonder I get a little overwhelmed when deciding which board to take to the park and often pack four to five in my trunk…😂😂😂 They all have a purpose and I’m feeling out the mini-fleet with various decks and wheels; so much to grow into!
I was an Indy lifer but made the switch to Thunders a few years ago as my ledge, rail and flatground improved. I pretty much only skate smooth skateparks and straight line setups, before I was focused on wallies and slappies in the streets.
Just wanna point out the holes are drilled on the baseplates in different positions - nobody really points this out much, but it definitely affects the way they turn and feel compared to each other, as well as how stiff they make the tail feel. Also, living over here in Asia, I’m pretty sure thunder at least has a factory making trucks in China. Thunders cost considerably less over here compared to Indy’s, so there’s no way imported thunders could cost less than locally made Indy’s…. You should now do a comparison with venture hi’s, I feel like they’re kinda like a combination of Indy and thunder haha
Yeah dude, that's a really good point and I hadn't noticed that either! Damn that's heaps interesting 🤔 I definitely think I'm going to have to try some Venture's at some point in the near future 👍🏽
Thunders are less expensive everywhere. Standard Indy Stage 11 will run you about $10-12 more than standard Thunders. I just bought two sets, standard and Titanium Lights, both made in Mexico.
Been skating since 96' and have tried most of the major truck brands..From Ventures ,Tensors, Trackers, Gullwings, Krux, Silver, Fury's, Indy, Thunders and Aces. In my first years of skating my setup was super small..7.4 board and 48mm wheels and I would mainly skate Ventures..as I progressed in skating, my setup started getting bigger, wider board, bigger wheels and wider trucks. Around 2002 was the last time I rode a pair of Ventures and switched to Thunders..7.8 board with 7.75 Thunders and 51mm wheels..fast forward to 2023 and now I ride an 8.5 board with 149mm Indy's and 54mm spitfires...now that I've tried almost very truck under the rainbow, i will only skate Indy's or Aces. Best turning without having to get Bones Bushings. Worst trucks out of the bunch are Krux Truck...but thats just my opinion.
That seems like a pretty spot on opinion though man! Especially from all of the experience you have had with different trucks 👌🏼 I think I will be trying Ace trucks next 🤔
I cannot decide between getting Indys or Ace or Thunder, any help would be appreciated, kind of new to skateboarding but want to get into tricks and take skateboarding more seriously
I was blessed to find random skateboards in the canal when they drained it sometimes, I got to skate some rusty grind kings and they were amazing from what I can remember. I also found a pair a Krux but never knew what they were! The hole mystified me never saw that before. And there was something about the grind kings that were different I can’t remember lol
@@LeonPaxton I'm curious why you never touch the kingpin nut? I thought it was meant to be adjusted.. I weigh 220 lbs so I always have to buy bones hardcore bushings and crank them down.. I blow out the stock bushings.. I ride ACE right now.. great video bro
@@LeonPaxton IMO Venture bushings are the best that I have tried out of Thunder, Independent, and Venture. I can't use stock Thunder or Independent bushings.
@@LeonPaxton Ventures were my first trucks back in 04. They've upgraded a lot from their classic red bushings. I've also tried indies, thunder, and currently riding aces. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but for some reason I always go back to venture. Sometimes I Frankenstein them and mix parts. Thunder does have good bushings.
I guess I never dealt with breaking since im still riding stage 10s from like 2008 lol. I vowed never to ride thunders again after three pairs warped around the same time
I’ve had pre and post china Indys and neither have ever broken, indys and thunder are the 2 best trucks IMO. I like indys cause i don’t need risers or bushings but thunders have unparalleled control
I would say that mine would have snapped easier since I weigh around 100kg but I've had little homies that weigh around 60kg that have snapped these trucks too 🤷🏽♂ Yeah dude, I would say they are the top 2 truck companies as well. That being said, I haven't Tried Ace or Slappy trucks and haven't ridden Ventures since I started skating lol
@@LeonPaxton Yeah, will be a bit small for the size your riding. I threw some nano cubics on and I feel I need to size up from 8.625 to 8.75. Use to use 3 speedrings on the axle side of the wheel to kick them out farther, before I got those cubics.
Since I got my first part of Indy 169's Hollows a few years back I've wanted to skate nothing else. They just suit my style. I put em under decks from 8.6 all the way up to 10". I just love em. I mainly skate bowls & pools. I have never had any issues with them. The only thing I change are the bushings. I always swap em out for Bones Hard Bushings.
Ace/Independent. tried thunders but just riding them does not feel fun for me. I have ace af1 55's with Hockey 8.5" deck. I am a heavy guy(100kg) but still enjoy those stock bushings. My style and overall feeling is much more relaxed than on any other truck. Indy forged hollow mid 149's are also nice and my flatground stuff is better on those but I don't enjoy flatground skating as I do just going around the skatepark. After these trucks I will try the ace af1 hollows or maybe independent standard forged hollows :) deck plays a big role there too so who knows what I might choose :D
I want trunks to be reliable and stable with sharp turn and a little jump of tricks ? Which should i get? I have a board with 8" wide , 31.875 long , possible require with 14" wheelbase.. which trunks suits this information? Thank You
Thunders are more stable but Independent turns sharper so you could try putting harder bushings in your Independent trucks to make them more stable but still give you wide turns and they also create a shorter wheel bas eon your board 👌🏼 149 Independents will fit your 8" board perfectly too
that park is so cool and Australia is the shiznit. My thunder super hollows or whatever they call them are 49mm with forged baseplate. You didn't even talk about the hanger angle and how that it effects the turning ease compared to the two trucks.
Yeah dude, this park is so unique and fun! You mean the hanger angle or the kingpin angle? I mentioned that the kingpins sit in a different position on the baseplate between both trucks and that's what has a lot to do with how much each truck turns 🤔
Duuuude, that's a tough call to make lol I'm always going to love Thunder's and am still keeping my eye out for a set of Hollow Lights in a 161 but for now alternating between the Indy Hollows & Stage 4's have been sick! The Stage 4's are still ridiculously good at turning and carving with not one bit of wheel bite at all and both Indy trucks have amazing pinch because of the turning circle plus my back tails are sliding better than ever on both Indy's 🤷🏽♂ It just depends how durable these trucks end up being and how long they last to what decision I make for me next set. I'd say it definitely depends on what you want to do on your skateboard to which trucks you should set up, so I'm having fun swapping things around depending on what I want to skate. I would really like to try either Ace or Slappy trucks next though 🤔
i used to ride thunders but broke a bunch of the hollow kingpins and broke a baseplate once. ride hollow indies but they r kind heavy. wondering if id like a lighter truck.
My indys are turning on the otherside then i check it, its the kingpin bending on the other side which affects the geometry of the trucks now im planning switching on thunders
I had a pair of Indies in 98 that lasted me until 2004. I wasn’t crazy or anything but I did abuse many decks in that time and those trucks stayed with me the entire time
Just ordered a pair of Indy hollows. Been riding Thunders since I was a kid because back in the day Thunders were like 10€ cheaper a pair than Indys. Deciding factor was that coming back to skating I never really learned to tailslide proper and I've been a LONG time in slumber where I can get to tailslide position but fail to slide as wheels take to the ledge. I'm really hoping new Indys will help me over this barrier and will finally help me find some tailslide consistency. I know you can tailslide with Thunders as well but maybe I suck less with Indys, maybe.
I actually realised my back tails became a lot easier once I started riding the Indy’s so I think you will feel the same thing man. Similar axle position on the Ace and Slappy trucks too, it’s just Thunder’s that seem to have the hanger closer to the outside of the baseplate
That's tough to say man! I've been alternating between these and the Stage 4 Indy's lately and am enjoying them both but I would like to try either Ace or Slappy trucks next 🤔
Sick local park dude! Thanks for the infos bro. I'm from Brazil, so any decent truck is really expensive... it really helped me form an educated opinion. Gotta make my cash count lmao. Cheers
I haven't bought a pair of Indy's in 7 years but all the ones I've had were the best ones I had. I only skated the og raw trucks so that's all I've got experience with. Also my deck is 9.1 and my trucks are for an 8.25. I skate my trucks loose af so I tightened them and it stopped the board from want to flip out from under me on tight turns.
The wheelbase comparison isn't so accurate because if you notice the screw holes on the Thunder are more to the front making the truck sit more back, so difference shouldn't be this big. How about the kingpin clearance though? Does it get in the way on the Thunders?
That's true, it isn't as extreme when lined up from the holes but there is still a big difference between the two. Kingpin clearance is a whole different topic that I'll have to make a seperate video about 👌🏼
@@LeonPaxton Seriously? Is there so much of a difference? I was so close on getting one of these (thunders maybe) but I am really annoyed when my kingpin screw is messed up, I find it so easy to get right as a designer, but almost all brands have this silly issue...
To be honest I don't really do anything lol I dont jump down stuff pretty often so I don't get wheel bite a whole lot but every now and then I will wax the wheel bite area of my board so if it does happen then the wax helps me ride it out 🤷🏽♂️
Nah dude, I've never changed my bushings in any trucks I've ever had. I ride my trucks pretty loose though so the bushings don't usually blow out at all 🤷🏽♂️
Just bought some Indy 169 forged aluminum. I have 149 thunder titaniums on my 8.5 boards and some heroin boards. Gonna use the 169 indys on my 9.5 shovel
I think all the forged base plates for venture and thunder as well as the hollow hangers are made in china as well. Only the standard thunders and ventures are still made in the US. im pretty sure.
Do you know anything about Krux? I skated years ago and I'm getting back into it, I always skated Krux in the past and loved them, but I think I want to try something different. I 've never skated Indy or Thunders, leaning towards Thunder Hollow Lights or Krux. I'm not sure if Krux has switched manufacturers or not but I use to skate them pretty much the entire time I skated, except my first pair was Destructos. Lol
I used to ride them waaaay back in the day because I loved the inverted kingpin/ dome piece that they use to have but haven't seen any of them for about 10 years now lol Yeah dude, Destructo's were sick back in the day too!
2:16 the holes on the base plates is a huge difference too. if you compare them attached to "the same" board, its not much but however..it depends on the board wheelbase too. 14" wb board with thunder trucks vs 14.25" wb board with indys are most likely the same...🤷♂ it's not so complicated when @Ben Degros explains it. Learn a lot from him! Now the knowledge is bugging me hahaha They always say it's all about preference and it's actually true.
Thunder’s axel sits more closer towards the nose and tail and the. Indy sit closer towards the middle giving you if you have a 14” wheel base will be more like a 13” wheelbase. Meaning the tail is going to hit the ground quicker then thunders but thunders will give you more leverage and the timing is going to lil more later then Indy will. I prefer thunders hollow but do wanna give Indy mid a try
Thunders baseplate is shorter in the front and longer in the back which make the holes centered. So you cant compare indy and thunder axle placement measuring from the edge of the baseplate. You have to measure from the holes.
So the wheels rubbing the side of the ledge has to do with the baseplate and not the placement of the axle. Venture has about the same wheelbase as thunder and they dont have that problem.
Never rode indys was always a destructo/theeve truck guy then jumped to thunder lights one days and stuck with them until the ace af1's came out and wasnt too crazy of a learning curve from the thunders
It looks like the base plate on the Indy's with the cracked axle have the cross stamp on them, which if that's the case those were made in USA. They stopped putting the stamps on the base plates when they switched to China.
I've just started to ride again lately and just slapped a deck together using some Polished 149 Thunder Light Hi's and they ride pretty good but definitely not like Indy's. My main gripe was the soft bushings they come with new, i couldn't adjust the kingpins tight enough to get them to feel like my Indy's did..anyways, I have them riding pretty good now but need to upgrade to a harder bush set to make them perfect. I remember back in the day when I used thunders originally, I would regularly crack the base plates which is why I switched to Indy.
That's sick man, welcome back! They are pretty soft and make them really loose at first but after a few hours they definitely wear in and feel better as the bushings harden 👌🏼 Oh damn, do you remember how you cracked the baseplate?
@@LeonPaxton Thanks man 🙏 yeah true, they are definitely feeling better each ride. I used to break them sometimes just doing some hard Ollie kerb grinds or if I slapped them hard onto the steel copings on the ramps I used to ride. Great trucks but I think I rode better on the old Powell/indy setup I had but you know I think half of it is just what you get used to. Your riding great too man, thanks for the inspiration 🤙
my first thought is poor heat treatment. i'm a knife guy and high end knives are expensive. so i've learned way more than i should about steele types and tempering steele. knives that fail do so because the steele wasn't heat treated well. happens a lot of cheap knives, especially ones manufactured in china. i don't know exactly what trucks are made of. if it's steele, aluminum, or a blend. i'm also not sure about heat treatments for aluminum. but seeing trucks crack like that, my very first thought is steele and manufacturing quality, primarily heat treatment and quenching
Thunders would be my perfect truck if it wasn't for the baseplate being short making my wheels drag on ledges. I'm currently riding some Venture V-lights. Very similar turn to the Thunders.
@@LeonPaxton I have an almost board coming hopefully arrives by the end of the week . I ordered a picture wheel co snack pack with wheels trucks and bearings (combo kit thing) but when I heard about the thunder trucks in your video I thought ok I’m ordering them hahahaha. I’m going to change the new trucks over to the almost deck with the new bearings and keep the combo trucks as spares. Are you by any chance near Ctown? Would be sweet to skate one day with you!
Going through this madness right now, Thunder guy because Indys broke on me in early 2000s. Love Ace's but I want to get a little more stability back for flip tricks and need a little more height than Thunder offers since I've gone up to 54mm wheels..going to give the Indys another shot and see how it goes!! Also miss how the baseplates grinded on Indys, Ace has a little of that going on and going back to Thunders after Ace I'm sticking a lot more on the wheels
Same dude, the madness is real 😂 I’m riding Ace’s at the moment and I swapped out the stick bushings for the Ace hard bushings and they feel perfect now!
@@LeonPaxton Hell yeah nice!! That might be my next move too!! It's nice that Mesa supply also sells just the AF1 hangers to swap sizes easily, thinking of switching to 8.5 and see if it can be a do all type setup
Been riding Independent since 1987, first good used truck I had was Thunder then got new Venture went to Independent and always come back to Indy ! The new Thunders look great but I am a Indy guy!
I miss the old thunders before they got refurbished which was around 2018 -2019....before then they Were higher they were like 54 mm high and they turned alot better and skated better....the new refurbished thunder hi's suck ...there a lot lower and have a semi-different shape which is what makes them skate so different...
and also Louie Lopez skates standard cheap indys like an ATV, and he's better than any of us at anything skating wise, and always will be. I think a lot it just boils down to what kind of truck you learned to skate on from the start, then that kind of becomes your go to.
Trucks are always the most annoying part of my board madness. I love Indy stage XI’s for cruising and transition, because you can basically put any size wheel on them. The mid hollows are great for cruising as well as tricks but you get bite if you put anything above a 52mm wheel. With thunders and thunder lights, I like the pop I get, and the weight difference. But they sit pretty low as well, so I’m constantly switching wheels.
@@LeonPaxton RIGHT! OCD definitely makes me overthink the crap out of everything though. That’s probably why I haven’t decided what my “Goldilock” truck is yet. Combine that with the financial liberty to try certain products and it takes away from the time I end up actually skating. I spent all day deciding which of my 8.5s I was going to test 144 stage XI’s. Ended up trying them on a Grimple Stix, with 56mm-F4-101conical fulls. The narrower trucks felt surprisingly more poppy. I love your vids btw bro, seriously. sorry for the rant haha.
All good, I fully understand the madness 😂 Sometimes I wonder if it will be easier just to ride whatever and stay oblivious but my OCD won't let me lol Thanks so much man, thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🏼
Good video! I love Thunders and Indy’s but for some reason I always struggle a bit on Indy 159’s but love the 169’s & 149’s. It’s weird I know, but the 159’s feel kinda twitchy and out of control for me?? Thunders always feel good and controlled but I do wish they were a bit taller in height
i started riding independents fairly recently, got a set of 144 stage XI standards (8.25")(CHINA) maybe 2021 or so, and have since picked up several more pairs - 139(8") standard(USA), 139 forged hollows(CHINA), 149(8.5") mid standard(CHINA). i have also had a set of stage V(late '80s) 149s(USA) for about thirty years, but didn't really use them until fairly recently bc they were way wider than boards i rode back when i got them, and also were the old bolt pattern(i since drilled the new bolt pattern into the plates). i can't say there is much if any difference in quality or performance between them. anecdotally i might say the metal on the USA ones seems maybe ever so slightly a bit more dense and abrasion resistant in comparison, but am only basing that on sound and feel over anything verifiable. most of my other trucks are 15-30 years old (venture, thunder, grindking, gullwing), so maybe not apples to apples comparison(i would hope trucks have improved in that time) but the China indys are as good or better and i have no complaints with them. my experience with thunder trucks is i have 2 sets of 145(7.62") thunder lows from the mid '90s. i liked how they skated, pretty much identical to venture lows, but the axles slipped bad and as a result i haven't bought them since. funnily enough, i saw on chris cole's recent batb part he was tapping his axles on the ground, a sure sign that it is still an issue to this day. indys still have a lifetime warranty, so if yours weren't axled when they cracked they are still under warranty. as an american, i can say that "made in USA" isn't the mark of quality maybe it once was. american cars/motorcycles are trash and have been outdone by the japanese for over 50 years for quality/value/reliability/resale. i'm not crazy about manufacturing jobs being shipped overseas, but can't say that it has noticeably/negatively impacted the quality in my experience in this case. people got bad trucks occasionally when they were made here too, it's just easy to point a finger at China now. i still think DSM(china) makes the best decks in the game.
Yeah dude, that could be the only difference really, I guess only the company owners will know the different materials that are used now 🤔 What do you mean by axle slip? That's true man! Imagine the higher quality if they moved their production to Japan instead lol Well Bones Reds are made in China and are one of the best bearings out in the market right now too
@@LeonPaxton back in the olden days, occasionally the axle would shift inside the hangar. like if you hit the end of the axle by landing primo, the force would shift the axle enough that one wheel would no longer turn and the other would become loose. you'd have to bang the axle on the ground to re-center it, you might notice this in older footage. it's super annoying and gets progressively worse over time. this is something that seems to have been mostly corrected since the late '90s maybe, but it's why i won't buy thunders or trackers to this day. using the wheel-core bearing spacers will mostly prevent this from happening too, but a lot of people don't.
I have the exact same indy's you have in this video (USA made) for probably about 7 years now. I just recently had to retire them. They were grinded down to the axle on both trucks and the stock top bushings were destroyed. And They were still somewhat ridable all the way till the end. I did the opposite of what you did and got the thunder 151 hollow lights because flipping around an 8.75 to 9in board with 9.125 axle trucks got to be a little too much and made my skating feel a tad limited. With that being said those Indy's held up amazingly over the years and I skated the shit out of them on all terrain. It almost felt like i couldn't kill them lol. And i skate anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week. Im still adjusting to the Thunders, they definitely don't grind as well on crusty curbs like the indy's did but maybe thats because I'm still breaking them in (possibly thinking about just getting a plain ol' regular Thunder 151 to have that beefier feeling when grinding on rough surfaces) I do like the stability though on the Thunders. I'm really hoping it can be a great all-around truck because I'd prefer not to have multiple setups for different situations. Anyways sorry for the rant, that's just my experience on the 169 forged hollows. 🤙
Damn dude, you got your money's worth on those bad boys for sure 👌🏼 Yeah dude, Thunders have never let me down and always last long too! They have a Thunder 'Hollow' version where they have the forged baseplate and hollow kingpin but the axle is solid so maybe that might suit you better?
@@LeonPaxtonFor sure man, I'm looking into checking those out as well. Hopefully you can make a long term/follow up video to this one to see which ones you truly like better 🤙 thanks for the reply
Thunders are not made in San Francisco. thunder and Venture Trucks are poured in Mexico at BBS. Then they are shipped to BBS in San Marcos California in San Diego. The trucks made in the US are ACE Trucks
These new independent trucks blew my mind. I didn't know trucks could feel so good I stopped skating for about 10 years and holy fuck the difference was night and day. Ive also like my krux but ill definitely need to give thunder a try would love to see a Chris Cole model
Well I definitely hope for more feedback from you on the Slappy 9.00 Hollow Inverted trucks after you ride them longer. I have a set of Indy 169 Titaniums right now and they are pretty light for their size.
My first trucks were thunder hollows. I snapped a kingpin in half doing an Ollie on flat ground. I had never jumped that board off any ledges or stairs. Thunders hollow lights are junk.
@@LeonPaxton sweet, will keep an eye out on that video. there's another aussie @itsapiratelife or something similar, he shreds around on a 10" set up. pretty sick
@LeonPaxton I own to sets of Independent trucks. The flat bar flat black stage 11s 169(9.1"), and the stage 4 reissues 166(9.0 axle). The stage 4s are the greatest trucks on the market! Turning & looks of AF1s, with stability and build of Indy. YEAH, I RIDE EM
I appreciate the effort, the skating, and the comparison in how they skated compared to your Ventures but takeaway really does come across as "the quality is lower since the move to China because that's what I heard" which seems contrary to your Bones Reds video when you appreciate that the Chinese version delivers the quality at a cheaper price.
I cut a lot out of this video but what I was talking about is how the first pair of Indy Forged Hollows I had snapped at the hanger and the axle bent but this was a common thing that happened to a lot of people I know around the same time so I'm still wondering if we all just had trucks from a bad batch 🤔
@@LeonPaxtoncould be issues getting the new production up and running? Maybe I'm the lucky one in that I've never broken a truck, I just blow out bushings. Appreciate you as always.
Thunders are good but the nose/tailslide thing can be annoying. Their stock bushings also seem to break/disintegrate quickly. Never really had a problem with Indys, pre or post China, the bushings actually break in quicker now, but the pivot cups break more easily though in my experience. Had this happen 2 times with new trucks. Like you said it depends on what/how youre skating..I mostly go with Thunders when I want a more technical setup. Indys are a good all arounder.
Yeah dude, it's crazy how much I don't have a problem with those tricks now that I'm on Indy's! Oh true, do you run your trucks loose? That's actually spot on dude 👌🏼
Hey man, I remember you saying on another video you weigh like 100kg ish? Do you switch your bushings on either brand or just go with the stock 90ish and let them toughen up?
Yeah dude, I'm floating around the 100kg mark and whenever I get new trucks I just set them up and that's it, I don't ever change the bushings or tighten? loosen the kingpin nut. The only thing I might do is tighten them a half turn when I first skate them just to have them wear in a bit faster but that's all dude. But I'm used to skating loose trucks and pinching grinds a lot so that just works for me 👌🏼
okay cool thanks for the advice! It didn't even occur to me that I could just ride them without changing and not get an insane amount of wheel bite as I'm heavy. I thought it was basically a necessity to change. But I'll try it with the stock and see how I get on! Thank you! @@LeonPaxton
@@nuthinguseful That's mainly because I like loose trucks though but if you want them to feel a bit more firm then getting harder bushings won't hurt either 👌🏼
@@LeonPaxton you know what, I went out last night and switched back over to the stock bushings, tightened them all the way (there's a hard limit on the inverted kingpin indie mids which basically means you can't crush them) and the balance was actually just right! really enjoyed carving about. I think I'll stick with it a while and see what happens. Thanks again :D
Krux is always going to be my favorite brand to ride no matter what. never was a fan of Indy's and Thunders are good, but still to heavy for me, even for the hallow kingpin. if you want a nice clean light pair of trucks, get some Krux.
everybody talks crap about krux for being too tight and hard to turn. i ride thunders, but not being carvey enough really isn't a concern of mine. riding trucks loose and carvey is super overrated
I switched from thunder to indy/ace, they are much easier to skate and no wheel bite I can't go back even though I have skated thunder for the last 10 years. :) Nice video, keep up the good work.
Damn I wonder if I'm going to be the same then lol I would definitely like to try Ace or Slappy trucks next though 🤔 Thank you man, appreciate that a lot 🙏🏼
both trucks are good. Most people ride indy. I have never seen an indy bust like that before. Most trucks i ride just bend a bit after about 5 months and i can get about one year for a set of trucks.
@@LeonPaxton i have been riding Thunders for over 15 years, tried Indy forged hollows(skated them only 2 weeks) and Krux standards(pretty decent) in between those years but went back to Thunders. just tried Slappy trucks just last month and i can say they feel like upgraded Thunders. haha. they have similar feeling but little heavier, taller and turns better.
Mr Vitello passed away in 2006. I Guess they released Koston's and maybe Rowley's in 2004 or 2005. Ugly. They sucked and all these promodels suck. Many things suck since Fausto is gone.
I'm one of those people with the unpopular opinion that the trucks have actually gotten better since they moved. They had problems at Ermico too over the years. The stage 8 had a whole run of bending axles back in the early 2000"s. Broken baseplates on the stage 9. The stage 11 has suffered from the cracked hanger occasionally. I don't think it's as frequent as it was a few years ago. I think they've tightened it up since the early days of the move. Those forged plates on your beloved thunders are from China by the way.
My theory is the lack of regulations there let them use better formulated metals and urethane
Thunder is made in Mexico
I can't really speak for Indy's before the move since I hadn't skated them back then but having the hangers bend or snap is still happening a lot on the current Stage 11's. I have been skating this pair for over a month now though and weigh 100kg and there hasn't been any dramas so far!
I actually didn't know that, I'm sure that would be a shock to the die hard Thunder guys that despise Indy's moving to China as well 😂
What do you think of the Stage 4's that have been rereleased?
Skate-tubers forming like Voltron in here 😂
@@LeonPaxtonthey dont surf as well as stage 11s and certainly like aces, stage 4 is a boring truck. Turn is crazy tight but still feels limited cause no surf. Manuals lock in easier than any truck but still feels weird and.. limited
Your local and crew are such a vibe. Love it!
Aww dude, this session was the best! 🥳
Damn a 9.125 deck you ain’t riding a skateboard you are riding a surfboard with wheels 😂
I’ve been riding a 9.75” lately 😂
It’s pretty standard these days for pool, rails, and vert skating to go super wide
I’m moving from a 8.625 to a 9 I just have huge feet to that’s like the only size that feels comfortable 7.5-8.0 just feels like I’m riding a twig😭
After 30 years of riding Indy’s I recently tried thunder lights and Ace Af1, and now returning back to Indy titanium 149. Couldn’t handle the geometry of the thunders, felt like I had to learn to skate again. The Aces felt a little better but had to switch out the bushings to the harder ones which makes the turn weird as in they just kind of turn easy and the stop turning. Got to say the Indy titanium 149s on an 8.5 or 8.38 are a great truck! Middle aged madness over! Keep up the good work, great session
Yeah dude, it's funny how different Thunder's and Indy's actually are to each other!
Oh true, I'm looking at trying Ace next so I wonder how I'll find them to skate 🤔
Haha thanks man 🙏🏼
with the bushings I never use factory bushings I always use the Bones dual durometer bushings. have you ever used them ?
Just got myself Indy stage 4 size 151 for curiosity. Amazing turn and no wheelbite. Just one session behind, but first impression really good. I have tried thunders and aces, but always return to indys. All time favourite truck independent hollow 159.
Sick man, Im alternating between these Forged Hollows and the Stage 4's and am loving both!
I’m no pro, but I have been skating Independent Stage XI, Hollow Stage XI and Stage IV. They are all great. I’ve been comparing them with Thunders and Ace AF1. It’s no wonder I get a little overwhelmed when deciding which board to take to the park and often pack four to five in my trunk…😂😂😂 They all have a purpose and I’m feeling out the mini-fleet with various decks and wheels; so much to grow into!
Hahaha yeah man, they really do perform so differently to each other!
I've been skating Independent for 36 years.
Hey. 8.0 deck with 139 stage 11s. Can I buy spitfire 54mm for it ?
I also take multiple set-ups to the park..my friends joke that I need a skate caddy 😆...
Just don’t store the boards in the trunk longer than it takes to drive to and from the park, it’ll ruin your decks
Does anyone know what song starts playing at about 5:30?
'Run Away!' by WEARETHEGOOD dude 👌🏼
I was an Indy lifer but made the switch to Thunders a few years ago as my ledge, rail and flatground improved. I pretty much only skate smooth skateparks and straight line setups, before I was focused on wallies and slappies in the streets.
Yeah dude, Thunder's suit that type of skating well 👌🏼
Just wanna point out the holes are drilled on the baseplates in different positions - nobody really points this out much, but it definitely affects the way they turn and feel compared to each other, as well as how stiff they make the tail feel.
Also, living over here in Asia, I’m pretty sure thunder at least has a factory making trucks in China. Thunders cost considerably less over here compared to Indy’s, so there’s no way imported thunders could cost less than locally made Indy’s….
You should now do a comparison with venture hi’s, I feel like they’re kinda like a combination of Indy and thunder haha
Yeah dude, that's a really good point and I hadn't noticed that either!
Damn that's heaps interesting 🤔
I definitely think I'm going to have to try some Venture's at some point in the near future 👍🏽
Thunders are less expensive everywhere. Standard Indy Stage 11 will run you about $10-12 more than standard Thunders.
I just bought two sets, standard and Titanium Lights, both made in Mexico.
Been skating since 96' and have tried most of the major truck brands..From Ventures ,Tensors, Trackers, Gullwings, Krux, Silver, Fury's, Indy, Thunders and Aces. In my first years of skating my setup was super small..7.4 board and 48mm wheels and I would mainly skate Ventures..as I progressed in skating, my setup started getting bigger, wider board, bigger wheels and wider trucks. Around 2002 was the last time I rode a pair of Ventures and switched to Thunders..7.8 board with 7.75 Thunders and 51mm wheels..fast forward to 2023 and now I ride an 8.5 board with 149mm Indy's and 54mm spitfires...now that I've tried almost very truck under the rainbow, i will only skate Indy's or Aces. Best turning without having to get Bones Bushings. Worst trucks out of the bunch are Krux Truck...but thats just my opinion.
That seems like a pretty spot on opinion though man! Especially from all of the experience you have had with different trucks 👌🏼
I think I will be trying Ace trucks next 🤔
I cannot decide between getting Indys or Ace or Thunder, any help would be appreciated, kind of new to skateboarding but want to get into tricks and take skateboarding more seriously
I was blessed to find random skateboards in the canal when they drained it sometimes, I got to skate some rusty grind kings and they were amazing from what I can remember. I also found a pair a Krux but never knew what they were! The hole mystified me never saw that before. And there was something about the grind kings that were different I can’t remember lol
Seems like you go a pretty cool squad at the park. Looked like a fun session. Cool video.
Thanks dude! Yeah this session was actually so fun 🙌🏼
I have been riding Thunder since 1995, don’t remember why I started with them, but good to hear they still make great products.
Indy’s forever
What model is your favourite?
currently made in china...boo!
Indy's about that trucks are heavys
I would change the bushings to bones hard-core. Makes a big difference to your trucks
I’ve actually been thinking of trying those bushings! I’ve never changed bushings in any of my trucks ever so I need to try it at least once lol
@@LeonPaxton I'm curious why you never touch the kingpin nut? I thought it was meant to be adjusted.. I weigh 220 lbs so I always have to buy bones hardcore bushings and crank them down.. I blow out the stock bushings.. I ride ACE right now.. great video bro
lol kid at 4:05 is definitely getting a board for Christmas
That's actually the homies son so he already has strong skateboarding blood in him 🤘🏽
That’s the same look that I had when I got a board lol. I’m wondering if he did
Venture in da house!
I haven't tried them since I first started skating but I remember the bushings always blowing out heaps 🤔
@@LeonPaxton IMO Venture bushings are the best that I have tried out of Thunder, Independent, and Venture. I can't use stock Thunder or Independent bushings.
@@LeonPaxton Ventures were my first trucks back in 04. They've upgraded a lot from their classic red bushings. I've also tried indies, thunder, and currently riding aces. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but for some reason I always go back to venture. Sometimes I Frankenstein them and mix parts. Thunder does have good bushings.
Where is this skatepark? Looks so unique.
It's in North West Sydney dude, it's so fun!
Thunders on a 14” wheelbase feels perfect to me.
I guess I never dealt with breaking since im still riding stage 10s from like 2008 lol. I vowed never to ride thunders again after three pairs warped around the same time
Oh dude, you got the top quality set then 👌🏼
Damn, where about's on the trucks did they warp?
I’ve had pre and post china Indys and neither have ever broken, indys and thunder are the 2 best trucks IMO. I like indys cause i don’t need risers or bushings but thunders have unparalleled control
I would say that mine would have snapped easier since I weigh around 100kg but I've had little homies that weigh around 60kg that have snapped these trucks too 🤷🏽♂
Yeah dude, I would say they are the top 2 truck companies as well. That being said, I haven't Tried Ace or Slappy trucks and haven't ridden Ventures since I started skating lol
i sometimes ride risers on my indys, sometimes not. i like venture over thunder
@LeonPaxton Have you given mag-lights a shot? I know they only go to 8.5, but damn are they light.
No I haven't and that is the reason why, I've gone up to 9" trucks now so 8.5 would feel too small for the boards I'm riding lol
@@LeonPaxton Yeah, will be a bit small for the size your riding. I threw some nano cubics on and I feel I need to size up from 8.625 to 8.75. Use to use 3 speedrings on the axle side of the wheel to kick them out farther, before I got those cubics.
Since I got my first part of Indy 169's Hollows a few years back I've wanted to skate nothing else. They just suit my style. I put em under decks from 8.6 all the way up to 10". I just love em. I mainly skate bowls & pools.
I have never had any issues with them. The only thing I change are the bushings. I always swap em out for Bones Hard Bushings.
That's sick man, they will suit your bowl and transitions skating heaps 👌🏼
Team Indy or Team Thunder?
bro you gotta try ventures the pop feel and pinch is perfect, also noticed one of your homies is rocking em haha right on!
Ace/Independent.
tried thunders but just riding them does not feel fun for me. I have ace af1 55's with Hockey 8.5" deck. I am a heavy guy(100kg) but still enjoy those stock bushings. My style and overall feeling is much more relaxed than on any other truck. Indy forged hollow mid 149's are also nice and my flatground stuff is better on those but I don't enjoy flatground skating as I do just going around the skatepark.
After these trucks I will try the ace af1 hollows or maybe independent standard forged hollows :) deck plays a big role there too so who knows what I might choose :D
Thunder 149s bro
@@Anonymous-kr3cj Yeah dude, I'm definitely going to have to try a pair now!
@@stoneisland1006 I really want to try Ace trucks next!
The AF1 Hollows are actually what I'm looking at as well lol
I just couldn’t get thunder to get as loose as I wanted without suffering from major wheel bite. Switched to Indy and never looked back
Yeah dude, I feel that! Sometimes the Indy geometry is just better lol
I want trunks to be reliable and stable with sharp turn and a little jump of tricks ? Which should i get? I have a board with 8" wide , 31.875 long , possible require with 14" wheelbase.. which trunks suits this information? Thank You
Thunders are more stable but Independent turns sharper so you could try putting harder bushings in your Independent trucks to make them more stable but still give you wide turns and they also create a shorter wheel bas eon your board 👌🏼
149 Independents will fit your 8" board perfectly too
that park is so cool and Australia is the shiznit. My thunder super hollows or whatever they call them are 49mm with forged baseplate. You didn't even talk about the hanger angle and how that it effects the turning ease compared to the two trucks.
Yeah dude, this park is so unique and fun!
You mean the hanger angle or the kingpin angle?
I mentioned that the kingpins sit in a different position on the baseplate between both trucks and that's what has a lot to do with how much each truck turns 🤔
The shape of your board is crazy from the top
So what's your favourite so far? Indy Stage 11 forged hollows, Indy Stage 4, or Thunders?
Duuuude, that's a tough call to make lol
I'm always going to love Thunder's and am still keeping my eye out for a set of Hollow Lights in a 161 but for now alternating between the Indy Hollows & Stage 4's have been sick!
The Stage 4's are still ridiculously good at turning and carving with not one bit of wheel bite at all and both Indy trucks have amazing pinch because of the turning circle plus my back tails are sliding better than ever on both Indy's 🤷🏽♂
It just depends how durable these trucks end up being and how long they last to what decision I make for me next set. I'd say it definitely depends on what you want to do on your skateboard to which trucks you should set up, so I'm having fun swapping things around depending on what I want to skate.
I would really like to try either Ace or Slappy trucks next though 🤔
Hollow Stage 4 would nice!!!
Dude that would be insane! I wonder if they are considering a hollow version of them 🤔
@@LeonPaxton Hopefully some one at NHS sees this and writes down that idea 📝✏️🤣
@@LeonPaxtonwould love to see a comparison between Indy stage 4s and Aces since they're both carvy trucks
i used to ride thunders but broke a bunch of the hollow kingpins and broke a baseplate once. ride hollow indies but they r kind heavy. wondering if id like a lighter truck.
Oh damn that sucks!
The hollow indies still feel too heavy?
Do you think that Thunder is better for grinding rails? I think Thunders is locking in better because they are a lower truck.
That’s a good question 🤔
Indy’s turn more though which give you a much deeper pinch when you’re grinding
I've had 3 pairs of thunders snap in the same exact spot in my 20 years of skating
Damn! Were they the hollows or standards?
My indys are turning on the otherside then i check it, its the kingpin bending on the other side which affects the geometry of the trucks now im planning switching on thunders
Your kingpin is bending!?
I had a pair of Indies in 98 that lasted me until 2004. I wasn’t crazy or anything but I did abuse many decks in that time and those trucks stayed with me the entire time
Damn that's sick, definitely got your money's worth!
Not sure if that’s still correct about where thunder and Venture are made
I think they have moved to China as well now lol
Where did you buy that Heroin egg?
I get all my stuff from Fast Times dude 👌🏼
fasttimes.com.au/heroin-shellraiser-deck.html
Just ordered a pair of Indy hollows. Been riding Thunders since I was a kid because back in the day Thunders were like 10€ cheaper a pair than Indys. Deciding factor was that coming back to skating I never really learned to tailslide proper and I've been a LONG time in slumber where I can get to tailslide position but fail to slide as wheels take to the ledge. I'm really hoping new Indys will help me over this barrier and will finally help me find some tailslide consistency. I know you can tailslide with Thunders as well but maybe I suck less with Indys, maybe.
I actually realised my back tails became a lot easier once I started riding the Indy’s so I think you will feel the same thing man. Similar axle position on the Ace and Slappy trucks too, it’s just Thunder’s that seem to have the hanger closer to the outside of the baseplate
Brand new skater, I’m 6’2 and 211 and I was gonna get independent but now I’m curious if maybe I should stay away sense I’m not a light person.
Independent is fine dude but you can try the solid version instead of the hollows 👌🏼
Tensor Mag light is the best version of Indy's out there for tech and curb s, unless you're hacking big gaps and stairs.
I've heard a lot of mixed things a bout those trucks 🤔
@@LeonPaxton hope you can give it a try soon. More power to your channel!
@@krisdt25 Thanks dude!
I like em .Don't grind as well as Indy's but they flip well
If they hold up, are you going to switch to Indys since tail slides are easier?
That's tough to say man! I've been alternating between these and the Stage 4 Indy's lately and am enjoying them both but I would like to try either Ace or Slappy trucks next 🤔
Sick local park dude! Thanks for the infos bro. I'm from Brazil, so any decent truck is really expensive... it really helped me form an educated opinion. Gotta make my cash count lmao. Cheers
This skatepark is so fun!
Glad I could help dude 🙏🏼
I haven't bought a pair of Indy's in 7 years but all the ones I've had were the best ones I had. I only skated the og raw trucks so that's all I've got experience with. Also my deck is 9.1 and my trucks are for an 8.25. I skate my trucks loose af so I tightened them and it stopped the board from want to flip out from under me on tight turns.
That's sick man, you've got a good batch there!
The wheelbase comparison isn't so accurate because if you notice the screw holes on the Thunder are more to the front making the truck sit more back, so difference shouldn't be this big.
How about the kingpin clearance though? Does it get in the way on the Thunders?
That's true, it isn't as extreme when lined up from the holes but there is still a big difference between the two. Kingpin clearance is a whole different topic that I'll have to make a seperate video about 👌🏼
@@LeonPaxton Seriously? Is there so much of a difference? I was so close on getting one of these (thunders maybe) but I am really annoyed when my kingpin screw is messed up, I find it so easy to get right as a designer, but almost all brands have this silly issue...
You're a big heavy skater. What have you done with your setup to help prevent excessive amounts of wheel bite?
To be honest I don't really do anything lol
I dont jump down stuff pretty often so I don't get wheel bite a whole lot but every now and then I will wax the wheel bite area of my board so if it does happen then the wax helps me ride it out 🤷🏽♂️
@@LeonPaxton So you don't switch out the stock bushings for harder ones?
Nah dude, I've never changed my bushings in any trucks I've ever had. I ride my trucks pretty loose though so the bushings don't usually blow out at all 🤷🏽♂️
I got the 215s for my 10.4 heroin egg. Omg it rides like a dream
Damn, I want to get that board so bad! Can't wait til that season comes to AUS 🙏🏼
@@LeonPaxton can't wait to watch you skate it!
Just bought some Indy 169 forged aluminum. I have 149 thunder titaniums on my 8.5 boards and some heroin boards. Gonna use the 169 indys on my 9.5 shovel
Hell yeah, that will be perfect man!
I think all the forged base plates for venture and thunder as well as the hollow hangers are made in china as well. Only the standard thunders and ventures are still made in the US. im pretty sure.
Yeah they are which I didn’t actually know ow at first lol
Do you know anything about Krux? I skated years ago and I'm getting back into it, I always skated Krux in the past and loved them, but I think I want to try something different. I 've never skated Indy or Thunders, leaning towards Thunder Hollow Lights or Krux. I'm not sure if Krux has switched manufacturers or not but I use to skate them pretty much the entire time I skated, except my first pair was Destructos. Lol
I used to ride them waaaay back in the day because I loved the inverted kingpin/ dome piece that they use to have but haven't seen any of them for about 10 years now lol
Yeah dude, Destructo's were sick back in the day too!
2:16 the holes on the base plates is a huge difference too. if you compare them attached to "the same" board, its not much but however..it depends on the board wheelbase too. 14" wb board with thunder trucks vs 14.25" wb board with indys are most likely the same...🤷♂ it's not so complicated when @Ben Degros explains it. Learn a lot from him! Now the knowledge is bugging me hahaha They always say it's all about preference and it's actually true.
That's very true! He is the number 1 guy when it comes to product reviews and how much every little thing makes a big difference!
Thunder’s axel sits more closer towards the nose and tail and the. Indy sit closer towards the middle giving you if you have a 14” wheel base will be more like a 13” wheelbase. Meaning the tail is going to hit the ground quicker then thunders but thunders will give you more leverage and the timing is going to lil more later then Indy will. I prefer thunders hollow but do wanna give Indy mid a try
Yeah dude, the difference of where the kingpins sit in each truck makes a world of difference!
I am liking these Indy hollows at the moment thoigh
Don't forget the indys sit higher also. Forged baseplate indys are 53.5mm high. I think he said the thunders where 51mm? So that's a factor also
Thunders baseplate is shorter in the front and longer in the back which make the holes centered. So you cant compare indy and thunder axle placement measuring from the edge of the baseplate. You have to measure from the holes.
So the wheels rubbing the side of the ledge has to do with the baseplate and not the placement of the axle. Venture has about the same wheelbase as thunder and they dont have that problem.
That's true! the trucks won't actually sit in the same position if the holes are off centred 🤔
Never rode indys was always a destructo/theeve truck guy then jumped to thunder lights one days and stuck with them until the ace af1's came out and wasnt too crazy of a learning curve from the thunders
Damn Destructo trucks were sick back in the day! I'm on the AF1's now too and loving them 🙌🏼
@LeonPaxton hell yeah man cant wait to see the review! If you do one!
I've got one on my channel from a few months ago man 🙏🏼
ua-cam.com/video/Tl4QjsqLZhY/v-deo.html
@LeonPaxton sick! New here so cheers !
It looks like the base plate on the Indy's with the cracked axle have the cross stamp on them, which if that's the case those were made in USA. They stopped putting the stamps on the base plates when they switched to China.
I've just started to ride again lately and just slapped a deck together using some Polished 149 Thunder Light Hi's and they ride pretty good but definitely not like Indy's. My main gripe was the soft bushings they come with new, i couldn't adjust the kingpins tight enough to get them to feel like my Indy's did..anyways, I have them riding pretty good now but need to upgrade to a harder bush set to make them perfect. I remember back in the day when I used thunders originally, I would regularly crack the base plates which is why I switched to Indy.
That's sick man, welcome back!
They are pretty soft and make them really loose at first but after a few hours they definitely wear in and feel better as the bushings harden 👌🏼
Oh damn, do you remember how you cracked the baseplate?
@@LeonPaxton Thanks man 🙏 yeah true, they are definitely feeling better each ride. I used to break them sometimes just doing some hard Ollie kerb grinds or if I slapped them hard onto the steel copings on the ramps I used to ride. Great trucks but I think I rode better on the old Powell/indy setup I had but you know I think half of it is just what you get used to. Your riding great too man, thanks for the inspiration 🤙
Damn, I can't believe they broke that easy! lol
Thanks for saying that man, you're a legend 🙏🏼
what do you think about Fury Trucks?
I've actually never heard of them 😂
Riding the MID Version, since 2021. No bending axle, no snapping kingpin, no breaking baseplate 🤷♂️
That's good man, maybe I got a bad batch 🤔
I skated my independent titanium trucks for 4 years, and they are still good.
my first thought is poor heat treatment. i'm a knife guy and high end knives are expensive. so i've learned way more than i should about steele types and tempering steele.
knives that fail do so because the steele wasn't heat treated well. happens a lot of cheap knives, especially ones manufactured in china.
i don't know exactly what trucks are made of. if it's steele, aluminum, or a blend. i'm also not sure about heat treatments for aluminum. but seeing trucks crack like that, my very first thought is steele and manufacturing quality, primarily heat treatment and quenching
Thunders would be my perfect truck if it wasn't for the baseplate being short making my wheels drag on ledges. I'm currently riding some Venture V-lights. Very similar turn to the Thunders.
Yeah dude, that's probably the only problem that they have!
How is the baseplate clearance on the Ventures?
@@LeonPaxton Yeah it’s good. Similar to an Indy baseplate, there is about 3 or 4mm extra sticking out which gives better clearance for the wheels.
That still sounds better than the Thunder baseplate as well lol
the only trucks i had were indy hollow lights and thunder trucks (hollow light) and i like both but i prefer thunder
Is it because the Thunders are lighter?
@@LeonPaxton yeah i just like riding lighter trucks
I just ordered some Thunder Hi Hollow Lights Suciu Reserve Trucks 147 and some reds bearings. Hopefully they go good!
Hell yeah dude, that's a good combo!
What wheels are you running?
@@LeonPaxton I have an almost board coming hopefully arrives by the end of the week .
I ordered a picture wheel co snack pack with wheels trucks and bearings (combo kit thing) but when I heard about the thunder trucks in your video I thought ok I’m ordering them hahahaha.
I’m going to change the new trucks over to the almost deck with the new bearings and keep the combo trucks as spares.
Are you by any chance near Ctown? Would be sweet to skate one day with you!
Haha yeah dude,Thunder's are always a safe bet 👌🏼
Hell yeah dude, I'm around that are! What is your local skatepark?
@@LeonPaxton Leumeah skatepark
Oh true, I grew up skating that park actually!
Going through this madness right now, Thunder guy because Indys broke on me in early 2000s. Love Ace's but I want to get a little more stability back for flip tricks and need a little more height than Thunder offers since I've gone up to 54mm wheels..going to give the Indys another shot and see how it goes!! Also miss how the baseplates grinded on Indys, Ace has a little of that going on and going back to Thunders after Ace I'm sticking a lot more on the wheels
Same dude, the madness is real 😂
I’m riding Ace’s at the moment and I swapped out the stick bushings for the Ace hard bushings and they feel perfect now!
@@LeonPaxton Hell yeah nice!! That might be my next move too!! It's nice that Mesa supply also sells just the AF1 hangers to swap sizes easily, thinking of switching to 8.5 and see if it can be a do all type setup
Oh true, I didn’t know you could just buy the hanger separately!
Echoes of Brian Johnson. Look That guy up. Good Stuff.
yo can I get a link for that Vegita board?
Man I had to hunt that board down on eBay lol
They are so overpriced though!
Been riding Independent since 1987, first good used truck I had was Thunder then got new Venture went to Independent and always come back to Indy ! The new Thunders look great but I am a Indy guy!
Damn dude, that's sick! Loyal to Indy for sure 🤘🏽
I miss the old thunders before they got refurbished which was around 2018 -2019....before then they Were higher they were like 54 mm high and they turned alot better and skated better....the new refurbished thunder hi's suck ...there a lot lower and have a semi-different shape which is what makes them skate so different...
and also Louie Lopez skates standard cheap indys like an ATV, and he's better than any of us at anything skating wise, and always will be. I think a lot it just boils down to what kind of truck you learned to skate on from the start, then that kind of becomes your go to.
Yeah dude for sure! You can get used to anything if you ride it long enough 👌🏼
Trucks are always the most annoying part of my board madness. I love Indy stage XI’s for cruising and transition, because you can basically put any size wheel on them. The mid hollows are great for cruising as well as tricks but you get bite if you put anything above a 52mm wheel. With thunders and thunder lights, I like the pop I get, and the weight difference. But they sit pretty low as well, so I’m constantly switching wheels.
Same dude 😂 It’s hard to just have a truck that does everything right isn’t it lol
@@LeonPaxton RIGHT! OCD definitely makes me overthink the crap out of everything though. That’s probably why I haven’t decided what my “Goldilock” truck is yet. Combine that with the financial liberty to try certain products and it takes away from the time I end up actually skating. I spent all day deciding which of my 8.5s I was going to test 144 stage XI’s. Ended up trying them on a Grimple Stix, with 56mm-F4-101conical fulls. The narrower trucks felt surprisingly more poppy. I love your vids btw bro, seriously. sorry for the rant haha.
All good, I fully understand the madness 😂
Sometimes I wonder if it will be easier just to ride whatever and stay oblivious but my OCD won't let me lol
Thanks so much man, thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🏼
I was always told that thunder turns like Fury, that's why i never tried them.
Good video! I love Thunders and Indy’s but for some reason I always struggle a bit on Indy 159’s but love the 169’s & 149’s. It’s weird I know, but the 159’s feel kinda twitchy and out of control for me?? Thunders always feel good and controlled but I do wish they were a bit taller in height
Thanks dude 🙏🏽
Yeah that is a bit weird lol
Where is that park
This is Telopea skatepark near Parramatta dude 👌🏼
bro try Slappy trucks. I've heard wonderful things about them. I'm planning a slappy only setup and got my eye on a set of those
Yeah dude, I'm tossing up between Ace or Slappy trucks next!
You should try some ace trucks! Grind like butter & turn so well!
I think I've decided I'll be trying them next 👌🏼
i started riding independents fairly recently, got a set of 144 stage XI standards (8.25")(CHINA) maybe 2021 or so, and have since picked up several more pairs - 139(8") standard(USA), 139 forged hollows(CHINA), 149(8.5") mid standard(CHINA). i have also had a set of stage V(late '80s) 149s(USA) for about thirty years, but didn't really use them until fairly recently bc they were way wider than boards i rode back when i got them, and also were the old bolt pattern(i since drilled the new bolt pattern into the plates). i can't say there is much if any difference in quality or performance between them. anecdotally i might say the metal on the USA ones seems maybe ever so slightly a bit more dense and abrasion resistant in comparison, but am only basing that on sound and feel over anything verifiable. most of my other trucks are 15-30 years old (venture, thunder, grindking, gullwing), so maybe not apples to apples comparison(i would hope trucks have improved in that time) but the China indys are as good or better and i have no complaints with them. my experience with thunder trucks is i have 2 sets of 145(7.62") thunder lows from the mid '90s. i liked how they skated, pretty much identical to venture lows, but the axles slipped bad and as a result i haven't bought them since. funnily enough, i saw on chris cole's recent batb part he was tapping his axles on the ground, a sure sign that it is still an issue to this day. indys still have a lifetime warranty, so if yours weren't axled when they cracked they are still under warranty. as an american, i can say that "made in USA" isn't the mark of quality maybe it once was. american cars/motorcycles are trash and have been outdone by the japanese for over 50 years for quality/value/reliability/resale. i'm not crazy about manufacturing jobs being shipped overseas, but can't say that it has noticeably/negatively impacted the quality in my experience in this case. people got bad trucks occasionally when they were made here too, it's just easy to point a finger at China now. i still think DSM(china) makes the best decks in the game.
Yeah dude, that could be the only difference really, I guess only the company owners will know the different materials that are used now 🤔
What do you mean by axle slip?
That's true man! Imagine the higher quality if they moved their production to Japan instead lol
Well Bones Reds are made in China and are one of the best bearings out in the market right now too
@@LeonPaxton back in the olden days, occasionally the axle would shift inside the hangar. like if you hit the end of the axle by landing primo, the force would shift the axle enough that one wheel would no longer turn and the other would become loose. you'd have to bang the axle on the ground to re-center it, you might notice this in older footage. it's super annoying and gets progressively worse over time. this is something that seems to have been mostly corrected since the late '90s maybe, but it's why i won't buy thunders or trackers to this day. using the wheel-core bearing spacers will mostly prevent this from happening too, but a lot of people don't.
@@diplenski Oh true, I actually heard about that happening! Like the axle wasn't fused to the inside of the hanger properly lol
just switched to thunder lights from indys...now i kno why im gettin excess wheelbite
I remember gullwings and trackers
What’s the skatepark???
This is Telopea skatepark, kind of near Parramatta dude!
I have the exact same indy's you have in this video (USA made) for probably about 7 years now. I just recently had to retire them. They were grinded down to the axle on both trucks and the stock top bushings were destroyed. And They were still somewhat ridable all the way till the end.
I did the opposite of what you did and got the thunder 151 hollow lights because flipping around an 8.75 to 9in board with 9.125 axle trucks got to be a little too much and made my skating feel a tad limited.
With that being said those Indy's held up amazingly over the years and I skated the shit out of them on all terrain. It almost felt like i couldn't kill them lol. And i skate anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week. Im still adjusting to the Thunders, they definitely don't grind as well on crusty curbs like the indy's did but maybe thats because I'm still breaking them in (possibly thinking about just getting a plain ol' regular Thunder 151 to have that beefier feeling when grinding on rough surfaces) I do like the stability though on the Thunders. I'm really hoping it can be a great all-around truck because I'd prefer not to have multiple setups for different situations.
Anyways sorry for the rant, that's just my experience on the 169 forged hollows. 🤙
Damn dude, you got your money's worth on those bad boys for sure 👌🏼
Yeah dude, Thunders have never let me down and always last long too! They have a Thunder 'Hollow' version where they have the forged baseplate and hollow kingpin but the axle is solid so maybe that might suit you better?
@@LeonPaxtonFor sure man, I'm looking into checking those out as well. Hopefully you can make a long term/follow up video to this one to see which ones you truly like better 🤙 thanks for the reply
I think I will definitely do that and see how durable they end up being and how long they last 👌🏼
Of course man, thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🏼
Thunders are not made in San Francisco. thunder and Venture Trucks are poured in Mexico at BBS. Then they are shipped to BBS in San Marcos California in San Diego. The trucks made in the US are ACE Trucks
These new independent trucks blew my mind. I didn't know trucks could feel so good I stopped skating for about 10 years and holy fuck the difference was night and day. Ive also like my krux but ill definitely need to give thunder a try would love to see a Chris Cole model
The definitely do skate well!
I guess they are always trying to improve their products 🤷🏽♂️
@@LeonPaxton yeah and I'm mostly a flat skater so I don't have to worry about durability as much as other skaters luckily
@@jokerzyo I’m exactly the same man lol
Anyone know the name of this skatepark?
It's Telopea Skatepark, kind of near Parramatta dude 👌🏼
@@LeonPaxton chur bro
Smaller wheelbase and egg board try bigger wheels to off set faster spin and extra tail length.
Yeah dude, I think I will try a bigger size for my next set of wheels 👌🏼
They feel so wide before they bite on the turn.
Well I definitely hope for more feedback from you on the Slappy 9.00 Hollow Inverted trucks after you ride them longer. I have a set of Indy 169 Titaniums right now and they are pretty light for their size.
The Slappy Trucks I'm riding are the solid ones and don't have the inverted kingpin
@@LeonPaxton well that's what I have in the waiting.
My first trucks were thunder hollows. I snapped a kingpin in half doing an Ollie on flat ground. I had never jumped that board off any ledges or stairs. Thunders hollow lights are junk.
Oh damn, that definitely sounds like a dodgey set!
you look like a big guy, should try a 10" pop and some 215 or thunder 181s. ace just came out with some 10s too
Dude! I actually just got my hands on a 10" popsicle board lol
That video should be dropping over the next few weeks 🤞🏽
@@LeonPaxton sweet, will keep an eye out on that video. there's another aussie @itsapiratelife or something similar, he shreds around on a 10" set up. pretty sick
Yeah dude, I actually got the board he rides! It's a 10" popsicle from Smoke Beer Skateboards in Melbourne. The thing is a beast lol
Thunders for life baby!
what skate park is thart?
Telopea Skatepark dude, out past Parramatta 👌🏼
Great video ! And what about ACE Trucks ? Will test these one day ? I have the feeling that they r pretty the same to indy but with a better quality
Thank you! I actually do want to try Ace trucks for my next set so hopefully I can get my hands on som hollows in a 9"-9.125" 🙏🏼
@@LeonPaxton nice, waiting for your review !
Able to review Krux trucks?
I could definitely do that 👌🏼
It might be a while though since I want to try Ace trucks next 🤔
@LeonPaxton I own to sets of Independent trucks. The flat bar flat black stage 11s 169(9.1"), and the stage 4 reissues 166(9.0 axle). The stage 4s are the greatest trucks on the market! Turning & looks of AF1s, with stability and build of Indy. YEAH, I RIDE EM
That's sick! YeahI was really impressed with the Stage 4 reissues, I just hope they make a hollow version 🤞🏽
I appreciate the effort, the skating, and the comparison in how they skated compared to your Ventures but takeaway really does come across as "the quality is lower since the move to China because that's what I heard" which seems contrary to your Bones Reds video when you appreciate that the Chinese version delivers the quality at a cheaper price.
I cut a lot out of this video but what I was talking about is how the first pair of Indy Forged Hollows I had snapped at the hanger and the axle bent but this was a common thing that happened to a lot of people I know around the same time so I'm still wondering if we all just had trucks from a bad batch 🤔
@@LeonPaxtoncould be issues getting the new production up and running? Maybe I'm the lucky one in that I've never broken a truck, I just blow out bushings.
Appreciate you as always.
Been grinding indys since 89 and no issues.
Hel yeah dude 🤘🏽
Thunders are good but the nose/tailslide thing can be annoying. Their stock bushings also seem to break/disintegrate quickly.
Never really had a problem with Indys, pre or post China, the bushings actually break in quicker now, but the pivot cups break more easily though in my experience. Had this happen 2 times with new trucks.
Like you said it depends on what/how youre skating..I mostly go with Thunders when I want a more technical setup. Indys are a good all arounder.
Yeah dude, it's crazy how much I don't have a problem with those tricks now that I'm on Indy's!
Oh true, do you run your trucks loose?
That's actually spot on dude 👌🏼
Put Riptide pivot cups in them, they last a lot longer. Might try Riptide Krank street bushings too, some people swear by them .
Hey man, I remember you saying on another video you weigh like 100kg ish? Do you switch your bushings on either brand or just go with the stock 90ish and let them toughen up?
I weigh 210 lbs. and switch to 94A for the bushings. I ride medium tightness.
Yeah dude, I'm floating around the 100kg mark and whenever I get new trucks I just set them up and that's it, I don't ever change the bushings or tighten? loosen the kingpin nut. The only thing I might do is tighten them a half turn when I first skate them just to have them wear in a bit faster but that's all dude. But I'm used to skating loose trucks and pinching grinds a lot so that just works for me 👌🏼
okay cool thanks for the advice! It didn't even occur to me that I could just ride them without changing and not get an insane amount of wheel bite as I'm heavy. I thought it was basically a necessity to change. But I'll try it with the stock and see how I get on! Thank you! @@LeonPaxton
@@nuthinguseful That's mainly because I like loose trucks though but if you want them to feel a bit more firm then getting harder bushings won't hurt either 👌🏼
@@LeonPaxton you know what, I went out last night and switched back over to the stock bushings, tightened them all the way (there's a hard limit on the inverted kingpin indie mids which basically means you can't crush them) and the balance was actually just right! really enjoyed carving about. I think I'll stick with it a while and see what happens. Thanks again :D
Krux is always going to be my favorite brand to ride no matter what. never was a fan of Indy's and Thunders are good, but still to heavy for me, even for the hallow kingpin. if you want a nice clean light pair of trucks, get some Krux.
Krux seem very underrated I ride thunder or ventures
everybody talks crap about krux for being too tight and hard to turn. i ride thunders, but not being carvey enough really isn't a concern of mine. riding trucks loose and carvey is super overrated
Krux are killer.
I actually used to ride Krux trucks a lot back in the day! I really liked the inverted dome piece kingpin they had 👌🏼
Just ordered some krux 8.0 k5s to try out
I switched from thunder to indy/ace, they are much easier to skate and no wheel bite
I can't go back even though I have skated thunder for the last 10 years. :)
Nice video, keep up the good work.
Damn I wonder if I'm going to be the same then lol
I would definitely like to try Ace or Slappy trucks next though 🤔
Thank you man, appreciate that a lot 🙏🏼
@@LeonPaxton ace trucks are so good. 👌🏼
No wheelbite? Probably you skate them on the tight side.
@@incsk8 loose but not floppy loose. 😁
heard that an indy base with ace hanger works and handles like nothing else. Plan to try it myself.
both trucks are good. Most people ride indy. I have never seen an indy bust like that before. Most trucks i ride just bend a bit after about 5 months and i can get about one year for a set of trucks.
Yeah both brands are good, it just depends on what type of skating you do and what you want out of your trucks 👌🏼
sick skating man! give Slappy trucks a try. probably you will like the inverted kingpin.
Thanks dude! Yeah I'm looking at either Ace or Slappy trucks for my next pair 🤔
@@LeonPaxton i have been riding Thunders for over 15 years, tried Indy forged hollows(skated them only 2 weeks) and Krux standards(pretty decent) in between those years but went back to Thunders. just tried Slappy trucks just last month and i can say they feel like upgraded Thunders. haha. they have similar feeling but little heavier, taller and turns better.
Oh really! I might have to get on to some Slappy trucks soon then!
Thanks for the info
No problem man, thanks for watching!
Spot on review / comparison
Thanks dude, thanks for watching 🙏🏼
Rip Fausto Vitello, Indy was the best since he was alive, no promodels, sick ads, stage developing
Mr Vitello passed away in 2006.
I Guess they released Koston's and maybe Rowley's in 2004 or 2005.
Ugly. They sucked and all these promodels suck.
Many things suck since Fausto is gone.
I’ve only skated Indy’s my whole life never had a failure not even once but I mostly skated bowls and ramps …#indytrucks