Height and Geometry
Height and Geometry
Check out our compatibility list to find what fits in your setup!
Getting the correct height of bushing is crucial to the geometry of your truck performing as it should. The board-side (bottom) bushing is especially important since it affects how the pivot nose sits in the pivot cup. The wrong height can lead to the pivot nose not touching the cup, binding against it, or other serious issues, especially in RKP trucks. The height of the Road-Side (top) bushing is more determined by kingpin length.
If your trucks aren’t listed in our compatibility list, this page will teach you how to measure your bushings and check the geometry. We offer .4”, .5”, .6” and .75” bushings for standard skateboard trucks, as well as .55” and .65” heights specifically for Surfskate and Rollerskate trucks.
Geometry
To start, it’s a good idea to check the geometry of your trucks, especially if you’ve changed your bushings before. The hanger should be level with the baseplate for TKPs. For RKP’s, the kingpin should be perpendicular to the axle (they form a 90 degree angle where they intersect)- can take off the top bushing to get a better read on angle.
(have three photos for each! One too short (pivot can bind), one too tall (nose won’t be engaged with the pivot cup completely), one just right).
If your geometry is correct with what you currently have, take apart your trucks. Most skateboard trucks have a standard size bushing seat, but it’s good to measure this first. Measure with a good ruler to the nearest 1/16 of an inch. Measure the bottom of the bushing (where it sits against the hanger, called the bushing seat), or measure the bushing seat itself. We offer all our heights for seats measuring .96” across, and our canon/magnum .6” height for bushing seats measuring .98” across. Most likely your trucks will be one or the other, if it’s difficult to say we recommend starting with our standard shapes (NOT canon and magnum).
*If your truck’s geometry looked wrong, please take pictures of the truck with the bushings in it, precise measurements of your bushings, and then contact us*
Next, measure the height of your bottom bushing. Be as precise as possible, as even .05” can affect your geometry. Write this number down, or take a picture with the ruler to refer to when purchasing.
Then, measure the height of your top bushing. As mentioned above the top bushing doesn’t affect the geometry of the truck very much, but it’s a good idea to stick as close to what you currently have as possible. However, if you’ve been struggling to tighten down your kingpin nuts because you’re out of space, you can buy slightly shorter bushings to make your life easier.
And finally, use the links below to get to the correct heights. Please note when ordering: we carry all our shapes in all our heights. If you haven’t checked out shapes, we highly recommend you do so before ordering, as shape and durometer combined affect the resistance of your bushings.