All Parts Of A Skateboard (A Full Anatomization For Beginners)

You will need all parts of a skateboard for a good performance. Each component has its function, but they combine for a specific purpose – to help the player balance on the track for as long as desired.

You may be wondering how many parts are available in a skateboard. Some say it has three crucial parts, while others say it comes with eight components. The answer depends on the level of detail of your anatomy with a skateboard.

8 Parts Of A Skateboard

1. Deck Parts – The Place Where You Set Your Feet On

A deck is a part for you to stand on. This board is usually composed of 7-9 thin layers of maple or birch wood. It comes with a nose that is a little wider than a tail.

all parts of a skateboard

The Deck Are Made Up Of Wood

Typical decks usually present various shapes, including shortboards, longboards, cruisers, and old-school boards in standard shapes.

The variety of shapes aims to serve different needs. To enjoy the game, you need to choose the size and shape of your deck that suits your skating style.

Most decks will be in the range of 7.25″-8.5″ wide and 29”-33″ long. A board with a width of 7.675”-8.0” is the best choice to start your skating ride.

2. Grip Tape Keeps Your Feet From Slipping Out Of The Deck

It’s essentially a layer of adhesive-backed sandpaper or rubber placed on the top of the board. It provides enough grip for you to stay on the board and keep your skate shoes from slipping out off the deck.

skateboard all parts

The Grip Tape Keeps Your Feet From Slipping Out Of The Deck

As a basic rule, you need to know that dust and other impurities can reduce the adhesion of the grip tape. Make sure to wipe it off before each skating, so it gives you the most confidence.

3. Trucks Are The Most Complex Part Of A Skateboard

You need to know some of the most popular truck types. There are baseplate-independent trucks and baseplate-thunder ones.

all the parts to a skateboard

Trucks Are The Most Complex Part Of A Skateboard

We recommend the Aluminum Baseplate and hanger (Destructo trucks) among products from well-known brands. Venture Trucks and Thunder Trucks are also the most beloved skateboard ones worldwide.

This part takes on the core role of your navigation on the skating track. Thus, it’s quite hard to talk about skateboard trucks because it comes with plenty of other single elements, including axles, base plate, hangers, kingpins, nuts, bushings, and pivot cup. We are going to dissect them right below.

Axle And Axle Nuts

The axle is a metal rod that is a few inches longer than the width of the deck. It connects the right wheels and the left ones while holding them in place with axle nuts.

A skateboard consists of the rear and front axle with a standard length ranging from 7.5” to 10”. In principle, the axle’s total length should put the wheels within one-quarter of an inch of the deck’s edge.

After a long time of abuse, the axle nuts will wear out and loosen, causing the axle to slip. It’s sometimes difficult to tap them back into place. You may need to use some other nuts or replace the entire truck system.

Hanger Connects The Axle, Bushing, And Wheel

A hanger is a part of the skateboard which unites the axle, bushing, and wheel. It is the heaviest part with a metal T-shaped.

Thus, it bears all the beating forces. It is not hard to find a steel hanger that is lighter and more durable than other metals on the market.

Bushings Regulate How The Truck Turns

Bushings are fitted to the kingpin of a truck, including an upper and a lower one. These elements will regulate how the truck turns.

all the parts you need for a skateboard

Skateboard Bushings

The new ones usually come with tightener bushings that give the truck a stiffer turn. Meanwhile, the loose bushings help you turn the truck with ease, but they cause some risk of wheel bite disaster.

Besides, the bushings come in different truck sizes, including low, mid, and high. Hence, you should get knowledge about the size to own suitable bushings.

Baseplates Holds The Truck Hanger To The Board

The baseplate is a truck’s part that is installed on the board by the hardware elements. It aims to support the kingpin and pivot cup to hold the truck hanger in place.

Pivot Cup Allows The Hanger To Turn

The pivot cup is a plastic cup that is put inside the baseplate. It allows the hanger to turn right and left easily.

This element can wear out after a period of abuse. That’s when you need to replace it with new ones.

all parts of a skateboard

Pivot Cups

Kingpins And Kingpin Nuts

Kingpins are the central bolts for fixing elements of the truck part altogether. It can adjust the turning radius of your truck by loosening or tightening the kingpin nuts.

4. Wheels Keep Your Skateboard Rolling

Skateboard wheels keep your skateboard rolling. They are usually composed of polyurethane and are size and hardness-rated.

skateboard all parts

The type of skating you want to undertake will define the suitable ones. You can choose wheels based on hardness, and their size depends on your play style and desire for speed.

Diameter Of The Wheels

Typical wheel diameters are in the range of 1.5”-3”. Among them, the most popular wheels are usually 2” and 2.3” diameters.

The 2” ones are suitable for smaller riders who want street skateboarding. Meanwhile, the 2.3” size is used for bigger riders, skate parks, bowls, and skating streets.

Small wheels deliver a slower speed to rolling on the street. In contrast, larger wheels allow you to accelerate on professional roads. But at the same time, they also require the skateboarder’s stability.

Durometer Determine Wheel Stiffness

A durometer is a scale that helps you determine the wheel’s stiffness. If you see a reading between 78a–87a, they are soft wheels and give you an extra boost.

In contrast, the scale ranging from 88a to 95a represents higher stiffness for you rolling faster on tracks. These wheels are the best choice for park paths, ice tracks, ramps, or pools because of their balance of speed and grip.

5. Bearings Allow The Wheel To Rotate

The bearings come in the shape of circular metal discs fixed inside the wheel, allowing the wheel to rotate. There are a total of 8 bearings in each of the skateboards.

all the parts to a skateboard

The quality bearings often make use of high-grade ceramic. Make sure that you clean and lubricate this part after every use to provide more speed for the skateboard.

6. Hardware Parts Supports Fixing The Truck To The Board

The hardware consists of bolts, nuts, and hangers that connect the truck and the board. The bolts hold the hanger to the base plate, while the hanger keeps the wheels affixed to your skateboard.

Nuts and bolts are the key part of the hardware that supports fixing the truck to the board. For that reason, the bolt must fit with the holes of your deck as well as your truck.

all the parts you need for a skateboard

Hardware Parts Include Bolts And Nuts

Thus, it prevents your skateboard from loosening due to friction and vibration. When you skate for a particular time, you may notice your bolts become worn and rusty.

You can find the hardware in 8 bolts and 8 nuts. There are two types of bolts: long and short.

Some longer bolts keep the skateboard trucks sitting higher up, while the shorter ones lower the trucks. They are usually preferred for street skateboarding, while the long ones suit the longboards or cruisers.

You can choose the one that goes well with your skating style and deck length.

Note that hardware is prone to wearing out over time. That fact not only decreases your speed but can also cause injuries. You’d want to consider replacing the bolts or buying a new set.

7. Risers Absorb Shocks And Increases Cushion

Risers are hard plastic or rubber pads that are inserted into the deck and baseplate. They protect your deck by absorbing shocks while increasing cushion.

all parts of a skateboard

Skateboard risers

You can find it on the market in different sizes, used to increase the overall height of the skateboard. Besides, the thicker risers may provide enough space to protect the board’s underside from the wheel bite.

8. Shock Pads Minimize The Impact On Your Feet

It’s a rectangular midsole that tucks into the middle of the deck and the trucks, absorbing impact to minimize the impact on your feet.

skateboard all parts

Skateboard Shock Pads

Skateboard Parts Using Tips

Setup And Replacement

To perform technical skateboarding, you need to have suitable types of skateboards. A complete one consists of basic skateboard components. You will have a perfect setup following this guide for beginners:

  • Most of them have a deck. You can consult the size chart to get a suitable one.
  • Grip tape is stick sandpaper to provide traction for keeping your feet on the board.
  • Wheels are what your skate rolls on, impacting the way your board works. Up on your style of skateboarding, you can choose small wheels for street skating.
  • Bearings are round metal discs inside the wheels which help them mount to the axle. Steel bearings are the most common ball precision.
  • Trucks connect the wheels to the deck and allow your board to turn.
  • Shock pads are washers with a rectangular shape that connect the deck and the trucks.
  • Hardware includes nuts, screws, or bolts to help trucks fix onto the skate.

all the parts to a skateboard

Skateboard Setup

After collecting the skateboard all parts, you need to prepare devices for tightening wheels and mounting hardware. It allows you to design your custom skateboard, also with affordable setups.

Assembling a product does not need difficult technical tricks. Make sure you have all the parts of a skateboard!

Moreover, this sport has plenty of risks. So, you need to follow skateboarding safety to protect yourself on every ride.

The Best Way To Storage A Skateboard

Here are some storage tricks for beginners:

  • To save costs, you can get a guitar hanger at any instrument shop.
  • The wall hanger strap or coat hooks are also the best selection.
  • Please leave it in a cabinet or closet to avoid being dirty or anyone stepping on it.

They have a reasonable price and many sizes for those who have a tight budget. Besides that, remember to store your skateboards in a dry place.

Moisture can impact its trucks and bearings because of oxidation. Heat can also dry up the glue and warp your deck if you expose your board to the sunshine for a long time.

Bottom Line

All parts of a skateboard are important to the performance of a skateboard. The truck is the most complex component because it keeps the skateboard rolling on the track.

We recommend collecting each part to fine-tune a complete skateboard that best suits your preferences and skating style. Now, it is not difficult to find these components from many skateboard brands.

They also have an enthusiastic customer service team to solve your problems. You should wear some skateboard clothing to protect your body from possible bumps, and remember to practice before performing difficult tricks.

We hope this basic tricks post will help all skateboarders! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for new posts on our page.

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