Thunder Trucks
28 total products
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Minimum weight, maximum control: Thunder Trucks at skatedeluxe
Thunder Trucks has been synonymous with premium skateboard trucks since 1986. The brand started as a sister brand of Independent under the umbrella of the well-known NHS Distribution. Already then, the focus was on street skateboarding which became increasingly popular.
With the departure from NHS, Thunder Trucks not only laid the foundation for one of the most popular skateboard trucks ever, but also for the DLXSF distribution. The distro is known in the scene and beyond for brands like Spitfire, Real or Anti Hero Skateboards.
Thunder trucks - future in sight, tradition in mind
Thunder skateboard trucks combine features that are appreciated by many skaters. The geometry of Thunder trucks allows precise steering and optimal control over your skateboard. Due to the reduced design with the slim hanger and the flat baseplate, trucks from Thunder are not only very lightweight, but also unique in appearance.
Over the years, of course, some variations and sizes of Thunder trucks have been developed. To help you find the right trucks for your setup, we have compiled all the information on width, height and construction of Thunder for you.
Thunder truck widths - everything explained from 145 to 161
The width of a Thunder truck is already revealed by the product name. The larger the three-digit number, the wider the truck. Unfortunately, the value of the number doesn't provide exact information about the width of the truck. The dimension that matters is the axle width. For a truck to fit the setup, we recommend an axle width of +/- 0.125″. Ideally, the axle width should be exactly the same as the deck width.
Accordingly, Thunder 148 trucks perfectly fit 8.25″ decks. For 8.5″ wide decks we recommend shopping 149 Thunder trucks. The complete overview of all truck widths and matching decks can be found in the following overview.
Thunder truck width & recommended deck widths
| Name / type | Hanger width | Axle width | Recommended deck width |
|---|---|---|---|
| 143 | 4.5″ (115 mm) | 7.125″ (181 mm) | 6.875″ – 7.375″ |
| 145 | 5.0″ (128 mm) | 7.625″ (194 mm) | 7.5″ bis 7.75″ |
| 147 | 5.39″ (137 mm) | 8″ (203 mm) | 7.875″ - 8.125″ |
| 148 | 5.67″ (144 mm) | 8.25″ (210 mm) | 8.125″ - 8.375″ |
| 149 | 5.9″ (150 mm) | 8.5″ (216 mm) | 8.375″ - 8.625″ |
| 151 | 6.15″ (156 mm) | 8.75″ (222 mm) | 8.625″ – 8.875″ |
| 161 | 6.5″ (165 mm) | 9.125″ (232 mm) | 9″ - 9.25″ |
You'll also find the axle widths of all trucks in skatedeluxe skate shop at the end of the product name of each truck. That way you can quickly find the right set of Thunder Trucks for your setup.
The height of Thunder skateboard trucks
The height of trucks is important for a good interaction of truck and wheels. Therefore, when shopping your new Thunder trucks, you should pay attention to their height.
Wide Thunder Trucks are usually slightly taller than Thunders for narrow decks. The truck height is the distance between the bottom of the baseplate and the center of the axle. Therefore, Thunder trucks with the slightly taller Team Baseplate are one millimeter higher than standard Thunders with the classic Forged Baseplate.
50 mm high Thunder trucks - like the 147 Team - we count as Mid Trucks. Those go well with 52 - 56 mm diameter skateboard wheels. For Thunder Low trucks with 49 mm height - like the 145 Lights - we recommend slightly smaller wheels with a diameter up to 53 mm.
The following overview summarizes all Thunder truck heights and models for you.
Thunder truck heights & recommended wheel size
| Name / Type | Height | Height type | Recommended wheel size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 143 Team | 50 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 145 | 49 mm | Low | 50 mm - 53 mm |
| 145 Team | 50 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 147 | 49 mm | Low | 50 mm - 53 mm |
| 147 Team | 50 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 148 | 51 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 148 Team | 52 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 149 | 51 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 149 Team | 52 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 151 | 51 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 151 Team | 52 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 161 | 52 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
| 161 Team | 53 mm | Mid | 52 mm - 56 mm |
Light, lighter, Thunder Trucks: what's behind Hollow, Titanium & Co.
Thunder has a whole range of different trucks in the assortment. With the following information you can keep track and find the right trucks for you quickly and easily. By the way, you can always find the exact weight of the respective truck in our shop in the corresponding product descriptions.
Thunder Team trucks
The classic Thunder trucks with the taller Team baseplate. No frills & proven performance. You can also recognize Thunder Teams by the black nuts, washers and kingpins.
Thunder Team trucks are available in sizes 143 - 161.
Thunder Lights trucks
The Lights trucks from Thunder have the lighter and flatter Forged Baseplate and a hollow Kingpin. This makes these trucks a little lighter overall.
Thunder Lights trucks are available in sizes 145 - 151.
Thunder Hollow Lights trucks
Thunder Hollow Lights have a hollow axle in addition to the hollow kingpin and the forged baseplate. This makes these trucks particularly light and stable.
Thunder Hollow Lights trucks are available in sizes 145 - 161.
Thunder Team Lights trucks
The Team Lights are the same as the Hollow Lights trucks from Thunder, except that those use the slightly higher Team Baseplate. Low weight with a little more room for larger wheels.
Thunder Team Lights trucks are available in sizes 147, 148 & 149.
Thunder Titanium Lights trucks
Forged baseplate, hollow kingpin and an extra strong titanium axle make these trucks absolute lightweights. Titanium Lights are the lightest trucks in the Thunder range.
Thunder Titanium Lights trucks are available in sizes 145 - 149.
Spare parts for your Thunder Trucks
Every now and then even high quality trucks need an update. Therefore, there are spare parts such as Thunder bushings in sets or individual kingpins for your trucks. With softer or harder bushings you can fine tune the steering characteristics of your Thunders. When changing small parts, the following applies: the new parts go in the same place where the old ones were before. Tip: the lower bushings are usually a little higher than the upper ones.
Between signature truck and quality skateboarding: the Thunder Trucks team
The popularity of Thunder's trucks has grown steadily since the brand was founded. The Thunder Skate Team also proves that the trucks are beyond reproach. It includes about 200 skaters who are known and celebrated around the globe. Among them are Mark Suciu, Tyshawn Jones, Jamie Foy, Bobby De Keyzer, Alexis Sablone, Lucas Puig, Cher Strauberry, Brad Cromer, Jenn Soto and Dashawn Jordan.
