New Bennetts

Bennett Skateboard Trucks

Moderator: Joe Boyle

Post Reply
Stephen Lavin
Topsider
Topsider
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:50 am
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Contact:

New Bennetts

Post by Stephen Lavin » Sun May 21, 2006 5:35 pm

Curious to know if anyone has skated the new Bennetts. The alligators look little changed - suspect to whether or not they are competitive with new "blends". I have only seen pictures of both. When I was a kid I liked the Bennetts but couldn't deal with the cracked plates - I quit that truck after cracking my buddy's set up (1976 nightmares... like it was yesterday).
LAVIN

Patrick Allan
Posts: 112
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 2:00 am
Location: Paris

Post by Patrick Allan » Sun May 21, 2006 6:27 pm

Do you have any pics of the new trucks? Where can you find some?

Jani Soderhall
ISSA President 2011-2024
ISSA President 2011-2024
Posts: 4609
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Sweden, lives in France
Contact:

Re: New Bennets

Post by Jani Soderhall » Sun May 21, 2006 11:18 pm

Stephen Lavin wrote:Curious to know if anyone has skated the new Bennetts.
Who can find out more? How come we're not hearing more about them?

/Jani

Wesley Tucker
1961-2013 (RIP)
1961-2013 (RIP)
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am

Re: New Bennets

Post by Wesley Tucker » Sun May 21, 2006 11:57 pm

Jani Soderhall wrote:Who can find out more? How come we're not hearing more about them?

/Jani
This past weekend at the DHB race, Marty Schaub said something I had forgotten but I agreed with completely. Bennett was famous for announcing a new product in SKATEBOARDER and then taking months (or a year) to get it to market. There's no reason to believe his tactics have changed with time.

Expect a Bennett truck sometime around Christmas.
Image

Stephen Lavin
Topsider
Topsider
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:50 am
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Contact:

Post by Stephen Lavin » Mon May 22, 2006 12:56 am

LOL, yes, Christmas time is probably right! I recall something like Bennett doing that before the BennetPro (I think that was the wider second pass) trucks came out.

I saw the pics in tha latest Concrete Wave Mag Vol4&5 Spring. It's 10 or so pages in just opposite the "newly" remastered Spinn'in Wheels DVD release advert. Hmm, wonder if Marty was in that film...

Anyway, read something about them too. Looks like metal baseplates. MOre on the new domain:
---------------------------
Registrant:
Bennett, Brian

ATTN: BENNETTTRUCKS.COM
c/o Network Solutions
P.O. Box 447
Herndon, VA 20172-0447

Domain Name: BENNETTTRUCKS.COM

Administrative Contact :
Bennett, Brian
q38nh7vw63g@networksolutionsprivateregistration.com
ATTN: BENNETTTRUCKS.COM
c/o Network Solutions
P.O. Box 447
Herndon, VA 20172-0447
Phone: 570-708-8780

Technical Contact :
Bennett, Brian
q38nh7vw63g@networksolutionsprivateregistration.com
ATTN: BENNETTTRUCKS.COM
c/o Network Solutions
P.O. Box 447
Herndon, VA 20172-0447
Phone: 570-708-8780

Record expires on 09-Jun-2011
Record created on 09-Jun-2005
Database last updated on 13-May-2006

Domain servers in listed order: Manage DNS

NS79.WORLDNIC.COM 205.178.190.40
NS80.WORLDNIC.COM 205.178.189.40

This listing is a Network Solutions Private Registration. Mail correspondence to this address must be sent via USPS Express Mail™ or USPS Certified Mail®; all other mail will not be processed. Be sure to include the registrant's domain name in the address.

Show underlying registry data for this record


Current Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC.
IP Address: 205.178.189.131 (ARIN & RIPE IP search)
IP Location: US(UNITED STATES)-VIRGINIA-HERNDON
Record Type: Domain Name
Server Type: Netscape 6
Lock Status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
Web Site Status: Parked
DMOZ no listings
Y! Directory: see listings
Secure: No
E-commerce: No
Traffic Ranking: Not available
Data as of: 14-Jun-2005
LAVIN

Wesley Tucker
1961-2013 (RIP)
1961-2013 (RIP)
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2002 2:00 am

Post by Wesley Tucker » Mon May 22, 2006 1:30 am

Stephen,

All your registry stuff has it as "bennetttrucks.com." The Concrete Wave ad has it as "bennetttruks.com" (no "c".)

No wonder I never got a hit.
Image

Stephen Lavin
Topsider
Topsider
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:50 am
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Contact:

Post by Stephen Lavin » Mon May 22, 2006 3:13 am

Damn once you hit the mid forties everything bails out. Yeah, not only is the arthritis acting up (fat-finger everything) but I guess I need reading glasses too. Has anyone seen my wallet (bad memory)?

Sorry all - posted the domain info after I got no surf with it (of course the wrong one).
LAVIN

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

I got the New Bennett's

Post by Paul Howard » Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:05 am

I just got the 4.3" hanger version today from www.solidskate.com in the mail. I'm looking at them at work at arm's length and the axles and everything in general looks pretty good just "eyeballing it". Tonight I'll give them the spin test for axle straightness and test the wheelspin to check whether the hanger/axle/nut interfaces are really 90 degrees or not.

The bushings are nice and tall, taller on the bottom than the top but on the stiff side, they seem made for big 200 lb dudes so I'll be getting out the bushing bag for something looser I'm sure. Report back later. Later-Paul
I just dig slalom!

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

New Bennett 4.3" Hanger

Post by Paul Howard » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:25 pm

Here's what I've found:

1) One side of the hangers is a good 90 degrees with a good bearing spin with the axle nut down snug and the right spacers in the bearings. The other is a smidge off. A little bit of time on a lathe to true them would be good. Same thing both trucks( I bought a pair from www.solidskate.com).

2) The axles are pretty good for stock trucks, one of the pair is straighter than the other leading me to believe they are cast into the truck and bending a little with the hot aluminum poured over them, that explains the variance. They don't quite pass the "Pauliwog Spin Test" but they're close. I might take the axles out, straighten them if needed( some rod materials are elastic enough that they self-straighten when removed from their bent holes), over bore the axle hole slightly and put them back in with JB Weld and touch them up on a lathe after that.

3) The Big Red Bushings are WAY too hard for a front truck unless you're a BIG Dude! Otherwise for the back end there about right for me at 170 lbs. Some re-rigging for the front truck with Stims and Khiro's (including making "doughnuts" by cutting the Khiro Barrell bushing circumferentially with a thin sharp blade into 1/4ths or 1/3rds and stacking one below the hanger yoke and maybe one above the hanger yoke to fill the space- these trucks are made for TALL bushings!) will have you set.

4) How do they TURN??- GREAT! I only used one as a front truck positive wedged 15 degrees on my Subsonic Pauliwog deck witha 19" wheel base with a Phase I Splitfire rear truck negative wedged 5 degrees and I was easily doing 5' cones on straight and flat in front of my apartment last night. I narrowed the cones to about 4.5' and still could get through without changing anything on the rear truck or the front. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get a big test of them on a slope on a really techy T/S course. They turn tight and do it pretty smooth. Very comparable to a Tracker RT-X that has the kingpin extended to take taller bushings and 8mm converted and both used at the same degree of positive wedging. Possibly tighter turning. Hard to say without more testing tomorrow on a slope.

For right now I'd have to say it's probably a good truck to put in your race bag for a front truck (if you can't afford a Radikal) as a safeguard to whip out in case you end up at some race where Barker set the Tight course. Not as aggressively turney as a Radikal Front but impressive for a stock "conventional" truck. But then again, it's an upgrade of a 70's truck specifically designed to emphasize turning. I'll blab some more on it later.

Later-Paul
Last edited by Paul Howard on Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
I just dig slalom!

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

The New Bennetts through the Cones

Post by Paul Howard » Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:34 am

Hey, I finnally went and did some Tight slalom on a course with a few sections of 5'cones in the tightest sections. So far I've only used it as a front truck positive wedged 15 degrees and replaced the bushings with some Khiro and Stim combinations to equal the height of the stock bushings in order to get more turn. Here's what I've got:

Yes, They turn really sharp and quick and smooth. But, the axle line is noticably farther forward(in a front truck situation) ahead of the pivot axis line than an RT-X or Indy. This produces an odd effect, not bad really, just odd. I changed from an RT-X to the Bennett and back to the RT-X(an 8mm'd axle and exteded kingpin re-do). After I changed back to the RT-X, I found the RT-X to be not as easy to turn(yes, I played around with the bushings and compression on the kingpin nut to try to equalize this) But it felt more solid and felt like I got more out of the pump than from the Bennett.

Which will I choose to race on? Definately the RT-X in most situations but maybe that's because my brain is very wired to it, but it just felt better to me in a slalom situation on a tight techy course, even though it did'nt turn quite as sharp as the Bennett, it has what I want feel-wise from a slalom front truck with the axle line closer to the pivot line/axis. But, I still don't rule out taking it to a race in my race bag as a backup where I might someday get surprized by having my RT-X not able to lead the board through a really tight techy course. It hasn't happened yet, but I suppose it could.

However, I did put them on a 36" Sector 9 Craftsman(VERY reminiscent of the 1978-ish Sims Taperkick only better in my opinion) with some Yellow ZigZags. I pos wedged the front about 10 degrees and neg wedged the back truck 10 degrees. This is originally what I bought these trucks for and I was VERY PLEASED in that application since I wanted a nice whip-turny short longboard that I could carve like crazy, do longboard freestyle on and just have that feel that Bennetts and Lazers were known for.

So Kudo's and Thanks to Ron Bennett for bringing them back. Adios-Paul
I just dig slalom!

Steve Collins
Harbor Skateboard Racing
Harbor Skateboard Racing
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 1:00 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by Steve Collins » Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:02 am

Paul - thanks for the review.

I had a similar experience with a Bennett, albeit an old one. I haven't tried the new ones. What I found was that my Bennett Pro, if wedged the same as I would an Indy or RTX, turned too far, too fast. I was "pulling my turns", like you might "pull your punches". It was a disconcerting feeling, that the truck might just twist all the way around underneath me. When I backed down the wedge (from 16 degrees down to 9), the truck began to work really well, at least as good as the Indy if not better. I used it in the after-race at Bicknell (5.5' centers) and it rocked. I still ride it occasionally for fun.

I know the geometry of the new trucks is the same as the original Bennett Vectors which is slightly mellower than the original Bennett Pros or Hijackers.

Did you try other wedge angles with your Bennett on your slaom board or did you go straight to 15 degrees? I'd be interested to hear how it worked for you at a lower angle.

Ciao - see you at the races.

HUYNH BACH SAC Frédéric
Fred
Fred
Posts: 459
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:21 pm
Location: Paris, France.

Post by HUYNH BACH SAC Frédéric » Fri Nov 03, 2006 8:50 am

Paul and Steve, what kind of bushing combos did you use, did someone tried them as a rear truck ?!
Podium or pavement... but PAVEL !

www.coneracing.com

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

Bennett's Wedging

Post by Paul Howard » Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:08 am

Hey, I did go straight to 15 degrees which actually I liked the response, I'll have to try some lesser wedge angles however.

I haven't yet used a Bennett on the rear yet, hopefully I will soon(it's been raining a LOT here in Oregon lately and is suppossed to just keep raining for awhile).

One observation: The RT-X seemed to "pull" me compared to the Bennett which almost seemed to "push" against me slowing my speed with each turn slightly.

My Theory: If you have ever ridden a Carver brand front truck(the 2nd Generation model), it definately "pulls" as you pump since the axle is behind the kingpin and possibly on or behind/inside of the pivot line/axis. The Bennett, Indys, Trackers, etc are the oppposite and none of them "pull" like the carver and consequently offer some forward resistance which obviously is overcome by pumping. The Bennett had it's axle the farthest forward of the pivot line of all of these trucks and also gave the most sensation of braking my speed. Once I put the RT-X back on, it's axle was closer to the pivot line and thus gave me the sensation of "pulling" relative to the Bennet but maybe it just wasn't "pushing" against me as much.

Related to all the above, using 15 degrees positive wedge really made the axle project forward. So, I want to see if a lesser positive angle reduces this effect/sensation.

As far as bushings go, here's what I did: TOP BUSHING was a white Khiro conical bushing with the aluminum inseert. BOTTOM BUSHING was a lathed yellow Tracker Stimulator plus a "doughnut" from a white Khiro Barrell bushing to make up for the height of the normal Bennet bottom bushing. What I mean by a "doughnut" is that I take a barrell bushing and put it on a wood dowel, then I use a VERY SHARP thin blade knife and cut circumferentially around the bushing so that I get 3 or 4 thin 1/8"approx thick "mini bushings" or "doughnuts"
to add bushing height/material to the top and/or bottom bushing. Confused?

Adios-Paul
I just dig slalom!

Steve Collins
Harbor Skateboard Racing
Harbor Skateboard Racing
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 1:00 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by Steve Collins » Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:08 am

Fred: I used trimmed stims, with washers to keep the stack height the same. Back truck was a midtrack.

HUYNH BACH SAC Frédéric
Fred
Fred
Posts: 459
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:21 pm
Location: Paris, France.

Post by HUYNH BACH SAC Frédéric » Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:39 am

Thanks both for the report !
Podium or pavement... but PAVEL !

www.coneracing.com

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

Bennett's on a 36" Longboard

Post by Paul Howard » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:16 am

Hey, Today I finally got to go ride my Sector 9 Craftsman with the Bennetts front(pos wedge 10 degrees) and back(neg wedge 10 degrees) for about an hour. I took about 20 cones and messed around on a flat course and with a 20"approx wheelbase, I easily could make 6 foot cones in the straight sections.

It felt a little weird since I'm used to an RT-X 8mm front and Splitfire phase I rear and other slalom paraphanalia(TTC's, Seismic Rear 8mm, Radikal front) that's actually made for slalom and is better for slalom but, overall, for a longboard truck these things had that really nice sharp whippy turn I remember from the 70's. I had a blast walking the board while carving in circles, g-turns, and other carvy/turny manuevering like when I was a kid.

I think my earlier theory still may hold true about them not pumping as fast as other trucks because of their configuration (for instance, they are the opposite configuration of a Carver front truck 2nd Generation but even more than an Indy or Tracker, confused??? though I could pump OK for a good distance. Riding is knowing, I don't know how to further explain it. Anyone into the LongDistancePump kind of riding will know immediately what I'm talking about.

If you're on a gentle slope, the pump issue isn't even relevant and that's when this truck is totally in it's element for whippy carving turns, it's the groove.

Adios-Paul
I just dig slalom!

David Hegstrom
Skaterbuilt.com
Skaterbuilt.com
Posts: 68
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2002 1:00 am
Location: Seal Beach, CA
Contact:

re: new Bennetts...

Post by David Hegstrom » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:49 pm

Bennett Truks sent me and Maysey a coupla sets...and first thing-they turn GREAT.
BUT, they came out with the wrong widths first...I suggested for them to put out the HiJacker and Pro Truks instead. The ones they sent DO turn killer...BUT, unless you pay to have em' GeezerX'd, you ain't gonna use em' too much for slalom...maybe hybrids and GS courses though...and the quality definetly isn't there anymore either...kinda harsh looking...but, still good carving-turning trucks.

dAvO
www.skaterbuilt.com

Paul Howard
Posts: 202
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2003 7:15 pm
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA

Bennetts, Wedging and Bushings

Post by Paul Howard » Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:37 am

OK, so here's how I have my new 4.3" Bennetts on my 36" Sector 9" Craftsman":

FRONT: 10 degrees Positive wedge, Same bushing contraption described before of a Khiro white tall conical top with aluminum insert on top with a trimmed yellow stim on the bottom plus "doughnut" or "mini bushing" cut from a white Khiro Barrel bushing so that the height of the Stim and the "doughnut" are about equal to the original red rubber bottom bushing. This combination works great, I believe that the earlier tips Steve Collins gave about 15 degrees postive wedge being overkill were correct. 10 degrees Pos is plenty and really nice and whippy on the front end.

However even with 10 degrees, it still "pushes back" sorta when you pump compared to an RT-X or especially a Radikal front which I swear "PULLS" when you gyrate on flat ground with the cones set tight like 4'-5'. Again, for mellow hills and doing tricks and whipping carves, this is not even an issue in the least, in fact it actually is a good safety aspect to keep speed under control for that kind of riding on a slope.

BACK: 10 degrees Negative wedge with the stock red rubber bushings that came with the truck, these bushings actually feel good on the bact truck and are just right for the kind of short-longboarding I am using them for at my 170 lbs.

Adios-Paul
I just dig slalom!

Chris Iversen
Chris I
Chris I
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Calgary, AB, Canada

New Mods

Post by Chris Iversen » Thu Nov 23, 2006 12:48 am

Hey I found these on Silverfish. I knew it would just be a matter of time. I have a set of the new 4.3's and I'm going to get a set of these too!

Front: $97.00
Rear Offset: $117.00
Tower boosters (2 — to use standard bushings) $15.00 (these look rad! perfect for those of us that like to tinker... I'm still not sold on the rubber bushings, so it's nice to know there's something more reliable than washers available in order to maintain the right geometry)

Price includes shipping, and are in CDN funds Seems pretty damn reasonable to me!!!

They can be ordered from http://www.speed-dealer.ca

Image
Live to skate, SKATE OR DIE!!!

Pat Chewning
Pat C.
Pat C.
Posts: 1400
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Portland Oregon

Modified Bennett Trucks for Xmas

Post by Pat Chewning » Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:03 pm

I put it on my Christmas list and my daughter came through for me:

Assembling the Bennett onto the deck on Christmas:
Image

All done, ready for the snow to melt:

Image


The front now has a Bennett:

Image


I tried it out indoors and it turns very sharp -- better than the previous Splitfire. Now I just need the snow and rain to stop enough to dry out the roads .....

Doug Kadzban
Posts: 103
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:09 pm
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Post by Doug Kadzban » Wed Dec 26, 2007 6:22 pm

woo!

i like that, pat! i run a very similar setup to yours on my pavel, and i absolutely love it!
hope you do too...bennetts are the turniest truck i've ridden (bear in mind that i've never ridden a truck that cost more than $40)

Claude Regnier
Claude Regnier
Claude Regnier
Posts: 1189
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Wooh!

Post by Claude Regnier » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:58 am

I finally had a chance to set-up my two Bennetts. Both used as fronts and modified.

One done by Richy and the other by Steph.

They turn great and with ease. I fund them to be responsive and quick. I have one on the Axe 2 and one on the Airflow C-81. Both set-ups right now would do for Hybrid the bushings (right now) are way too soft for any kind of hard turning GS so I will be playing with bushings in the next few weeks to see what works best for my weight and style.

As much as I love my trackers these are really good trucks to start off with as a beginer. Easy turning on harder courses. No work to keep the board moving when set-up right.

Way to go Bennett. Richy and Sed, Thanks for the mods. Can't wait to get some timer testing.
Last edited by Claude Regnier on Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Many Happy Pumps!

Miguel Marco
Posts: 563
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2005 10:31 pm
Location: Quebec, Canada
Contact:

Re: Wooh!

Post by Miguel Marco » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:07 am

Claude Regnier wrote:One done by Richy and the other by Seb.
I don't think it's Seb, put Steph... (Stéphane Fournier). :D

Claude Regnier
Claude Regnier
Claude Regnier
Posts: 1189
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2002 2:00 am
Location: Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Huh!

Post by Claude Regnier » Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:10 am

Edit!!!!!!!!!! Such a friendly button, LOL.

Why do I seem to mix them two up once in a while?
Many Happy Pumps!

Post Reply