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Basic Longboard Adjustments for Optimal Performance

March 27, 2023
Longboard nose riding at sunrise.

Welcome to the Deviate Longboard Community!

We’re stoked to have you! If you’re new to longboarding, here are a few helpful tips on basic longboard adjustments to fine-tune your ride and maximize your stoke.

Getting Started with Your Deviate Longboard

All Deviate Longboards come fully assembled and ready to roll. However, some minor adjustments to the trucks may be needed depending on your weight, stance, shoe size, riding style, and personal preferences.

To get started, grab your longboard, a skate tool (or a 3/8” wrench), your helmet, and head outside for some fun. We suggest riding your longboard a bit to see how it feels before making any adjustments.

  • Perfect Ride: If the ride feels right, keep cruising! No adjustments are needed.
  • Tight Ride: If the ride feels tight, hard to turn, or maneuver, you may need to loosen the trucks.
  • Loose Ride: If the ride feels too loose or unstable when you push or ride, you may need to tighten the trucks.

How to Adjust Your Longboard Trucks

Adjusting the trucks is easy and important to get the best performance and enjoyment out of your Deviate Longboard. To adjust your trucks, tighten or loosen the kingpin nut. This is the nut on the bottom side of the trucks that faces the nose and tail on each of the front and rear trucks. Note that each truck may need a slightly different adjustment.Longboard Truck kingpin

Steps to Adjust Your Trucks

  1. Tighten the Trucks:
    • Turn the kingpin nut to the right to tighten the trucks. This will make your ride more stable and less wobbly.
  2. Loosen the Trucks:
    • Turn the kingpin nut to the left to loosen the trucks. This will make your ride more agile and easier to turn and carve.

Remember, small adjustments (a quarter turn of the kingpin nut) can make a noticeable difference.

For more detailed information on reverse kingpin longboard trucks, check out this great write-up by Concrete Waves.

Connect with Us

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us via DM or by email.

Now get out there and cruise! And if you need a new longboard, we have plenty available.

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