Bushing Help

Bushings - Pivots - Speed Rings - Traction etc

Moderator: Henry Julier

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Matthew Wilson
Posts: 241
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Lone Tree, CO
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Post by Matthew Wilson » Wed Jan 08, 2003 4:50 pm

Sorry if some of you saw this on NCDSA, but not everyone here comments there.

QUESTION ABOUT BUSHINGS:
I have been playing with bushings on my trucks lately. I am trying to find a comfortable level of "turniness" for myself. Well, my most comfortable setup so far is this (keep in mind I said comfortable, this does not mean BEST since I am too inexperienced to know what best means just yet...): I replaced my RTS and RTX kingpins with slightly longer ones. Please forgive my lack of technical vocab as this post goes on. Anyway, I am using a medium Stimulator with rim cut off on the top (if top is the bushing closest to the deck when truck is mounted) and a hard cut down Stimulator on the bottom (if bottom is the bushing furthest from the deck when trck is mounted). They extra chunkiness of the Stimulators is why I put in longer king pins.

Now, my question: I have noticed that when the trucks pivot the part of the hanger through which the king pin passes lifts slightly from the bushings, leaving a bit of empty space until I initiate the next turn--or as I am learning, until I weight to the opposite edge--and the hanger then lifts from the bushing on the opposite end. Do I want my bushings to be doing this, or are the tops and bottoms of each bushing meant to always be in full contact with the hanger? Does this circumstance have anything to do with performance, or is this simply a non-factor?

Sorry for the lengthy description, but I am just trying to get to know my tools better. The more I can know that what I am riding is working properly, the easier it is to just let it go, not worry about, and focus on my technique and build my general skills. One of my goals this season: to spend less time tinckering with my tools (board, trucks, etc.) and more time getting in runs. For that to happen, my sometimes OCD mind needs to just know that everything else is ok.
slalom is good

Henry Julier
Ick Sticks
Ick Sticks
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Post by Henry Julier » Mon Jan 27, 2003 8:48 pm

Matt-

My ICK has an rtx/rts setup right now, with soft stims on the bottom (not cut down) and blue superballs on top. My kingpin is standard length. I pivoted the trucks and I also get a small gap between the stim and the hanger. I don't think this is an issue. If I had to guess I would say, the more you tighten down on the kingpin the less of a gap there would be, but again, it's a non-issue.

I'll be modifying my retro flattie's trucks for a double stimulator setup, so when that time comes I will let you know what i find!

henry
what coast?

BOB HINRICHS
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Post by BOB HINRICHS » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:37 am

Go to www.khiroskateboardproducts.com and look at the selection

of '' Barrel Bushings '' Newley Eng. Insert Bushing '' and also the

'' Combo Bushing Sets '' The softest Bushings are White X-Soft '' 65-A ''.

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

Powell and Khiro conical bushings

Post by Eric Brammer » Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:34 am

Just a note on certain happenings that caught my eye; With Khiro's excellent aluminium-topped conical bushings,if yoo run these with certain washers or without a washer between the stop-nut and bushing,And you hear repeated 'clicking' during sharp turns,change up to an M-14 Stainless Steel flatwasher. It seems that on some quicker turning trucks,the bushing can deflect and slide up+down along the kingpin threading,making for random sharp 'clicks'. The M-14 washer seems to be pretty snug on an american 1/2" kingpin and is thinner than most ASTM washers. With the Powell Hardcore bushings,be very sure that you're using a Top or Bottom washer. I've seen these just split open,apperently due to being over-pressured and twisted against a stop-nut or a baseplate that's not cast flat at the kingpin. Washers may seem like trivial stuff (and certainly our local hardware stores are inclined to stock only generic types), but they're an intergral part of how the truck will/won't work. Don't be like NASA,and get cheap small parts (like O-rings that freeze),get the better small stuff,and be more confident it'll hold up to being used or raced. IMHO,the extra $.05 is worth my body parts!
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

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