So you’ve picked out your trucks, deck, wheels and bearings.
Good stuff! Now it is time to look at all the other skate hardware parts that you need to set complete your setup.
Griptape
A grip tape is a long sandpaper-like sticker that goes on the top of your deck. It provides the grip that your shoes need for all sorts of skateboarding. Griptapes are sold in pre-cut sheets in a variety of widths and lengths. Please be sure that you buy a griptape that is slightly wider than your skateboard deck. Otherwise you might not have enough grip tape on the sides of the board.
Usually the griptape is black but nowadays brands like shake junt or grizzly provide more colorful options as well.
Skate hardware
In this section we will go through all of the small components that go into making your skateboard as good as possible. You can also check out how to assemble your board here.
Bolts baby!
Obviously you can’t mount your trucks on your deck without proper bolts. Skateboard mounting hardware consists of a set of eight bolts and eight screws. Usually these bolts are an 1″ long. However, if you want shock pads or risers you might need longer bolts. Each truck has four holes for four bolts. Same goes to your deck.
Shock pads and risers
Risers are small plastic rectangle parts that go between your deck and your truck. This creates more room for bigger wheels, mostly larger than 56 mm. The difference between shock pads and risers is that shock pads are more shock absorbent since they are stiffer and more flexible.
Both of them come in various sizes depending on the wheels of your choosing. Keep in mind that if you want to use a shock pad or a riser you might need longer bolts.
Spacers
Spacers are small cylinders that go in between your truck axle and the bearings. They have a few properties that you should also consider.
Firstly, it eliminates extra space between your wheels and your axle which can reduce sideways movement of the wheels. Therefore, causing less stress for the bearings. Secondly, it reduces friction between the axle and the bearings. Finally, spacers also reduce the overall weight on the bearings. At least on paper, these changes can be translated into better durability and faster speed.
In reality most of these differences are incredibly small and most transition or street skaters would not even notice a difference. If you are a downhill skater who requires a lot of speed most of the time, bearing spacers might be a good way to go. On the other hand, a lot of experienced skaters are very strict about what how they want their skateboard to perform. So feel free to explore and find what suits you best!
The lube
You can’t get anywhere without a good bit of lube. Sometimes your bearings get dirty which also makes them slower. That is why some good oil will help you keep them faster and more durable.
You can apply lube by just putting a drop or two on your bearings. If the bearings are in a horrible shape, you might want to take it out of the wheel itself and apply more oil on both sides of the bearing. Most of the time a few drops is all you need.
Speed Rings
You know those small thin metal washers that are on both sides of your wheels? Those are speed rings! Their purpose is to reduce stress and friction between the axle nut and your trucks hanger. All trucks come fully equipped with their speed rings installed, but these too will not provide too much change in performance unless you are a downhill skater.
Did our skateboard hardware buyer’s guide teach you anything new? Let us know in the comments.