Every ATB enthusiast needs access to high-quality longboard parts and accessories.
It doesn’t matter if you are looking to start riding, a veteran rider who wants to upgrade, or you just need to replace a worn-out part.
You can assemble the all-terrain longboard of your dreams and modify the setup to fit your skills and needs.
It feels great to do all this without having to make grand changes to the original board or buy an entirely new one, and you might overlook these perks until you are grounded miles away from home.
Because we have been there and suffered the long walk back home, we decided to help you identify the most essential longboard parts. Our goal is to coax you to prioritize them when conducting your regular maintenance because you will have to replace them at some point.
We highlight the roles played by the different longboard parts and accessories captured in this article to justify why we included them and why you must have them in good working condition.
We also point you towards some of the best deals in the current market so that you know where to start in case your needs are urgent.
Essential All-Terrain Longboard Parts and Accessories
1. All-Terrain Skateboard Wheels for Longboards
The unlimited sizes, shapes, colors, styles, and hardness levels (measured by the durometer) of all-terrain wheels available may fluster you when you look them up in local stores or online. Wheels bear the brunt of the weight, provide traction for control, braking, and even speeding and absorb the shock on the ground. Consider what you need for an all-terrain longboard and your preferred riding style and skill level, then check the construction quality and the material used as you make this choice.
Longboard wheels are typically larger and softer than your classical skateboard wheels. The bigger wheels are good for offroad riding as they can roll over dirt roads, climb rocks, and clear obstacles littered all over the terrain. The softness absorbs shock, reduces vibrations, and bounces back for a smooth ride even on rough roads. The durometer rating for an all-terrain wheel shouldn’t read past 88A. All-terrain wheel treads are either knobby or thin with deep grooves to enhance the grip on loose surfaces and manage water, improving stability and control.
These MBS all-terrain skateboard wheels capture everything you need for your all-terrain longboard.
Replace longboard wheels when the threads wear off as they become less grippy and might not provide the traction you need. Sometimes, they get flat spots from hitting hard objects, and the ride will become wobbly and unstable. Another reason for getting these longboard parts is to convert your board from street to all-terrain if you want to make things more interesting.
2. Longboard Trucks
Trucks are essential longboard parts because they connect the longboard deck and the wheels. The trucks relay the steering motion from your feet to the ground so you can turn, carve, and brake instantly. There are different types of trucks with unique features to achieve specific objectives. Your choice of truck will therefore have a significant impact on the ride.
- Traditional kingpin trucks are mounted with the kingpins on the inside of the axles facing the center of the longboard deck or each other. They have a relatively small wheelbase, making their turns more responsive on a smaller radius. This is great for executing tricks but is too twitchy for high speed downhill turning and freestyling. They sit low, which boosts stability and their hangers are flexible for grinds.
- Reverse kingpin trucks, which are the most common for longboards, are positioned with the kingpin on the outside of each truck axle, facing the end of the deck. They hold the board higher off the ground but are still stable as the added elevation is compensated for by a wider wheelbase. The height is not ideal for flip tricks and grinds, but the design makes turns and curves more manageable, even at high speeds.
- Some hanger designs allow you to flip over the trucks to use them for traditional and reverse kingpin purposes, enabling you to adjust the pivot angle and change the board’s elevation. You can use the same trucks for curving and downhill cruising. It’s good news for beginners who are yet to determine their style of riding and veterans who don’t want to restrict themselves to a particular style.
- There are also double kingpin trucks that provide the option of tightening one kingpin nut more or less than the other, resulting in the widest adjustability range. This allows you to maximize curves, and you can execute neat slashing curves and kick turns. They are quite unstable for high-speed downhill or freerides, and it takes advanced skills to utilize this capability.
- You should also know the implications of restrictive versus nonrestrictive bushing seats. Restrictive bushing seats have limited room for the bushings to compress and only allow the skateboard deck a small range of motion. This limits how much you can lean sideways and carve. They provide stability and are meant for high-speed downhill rides. The reverse is true for trucks with non-restrictive bush seats.
Longboard Truck Construction
The construction of the truck also affects its efficiency, durability, and, by extension, the value you get for your investment. Most longboard trucks are either cast, forged, or precision cut. Casting involves pouring molten metal into precast molds and letting them dry and solidify in the desired shape. Forging is beating the solid block of metal into the desired shape.
Precision cutting, on the other hand, is using CNC machines to cut the desired shape out of the block of metal.
- Many trucks are cast metal, and they work just fine when you don’t require extreme tolerances. The casting process creates weak spots as the molten metal flows into the mold in random patterns. They bend under your weight if you execute large drops or are naturally heavy. The finishing is also rough and uneven with imperfections. They are still the most popular trucks, owing to their affordable price, and will serve you well in most cases.
- The next level is the forged trucks. These are the strongest options because the grain of the metal is beaten into alignment with the shape of the truck. They still don’t have the smoothest finish but are more reliable and durable than cast trucks and therefore come at a higher price.
- Precision trucks sit at the top of the spectrum because they are strong and efficient. The accurate cutting ensures each part fits exactly the way it should, and because they come from a single block, their structural integrity is not compromised. The finishing is also aesthetically appealing. Unfortunately, because of the cost of technology and unavoidable material wastage, they tend to be expensive beyond the budget of your average rider.
Check out this Gullwing Sidewinder II Longboard Trucks offer if you want to perform seamless tricks without breaking a sweat.
Before investing in longboard trucks, it is prudent to confirm compatibility with your deck. Confirm the number of bolt holes; trucks with eight bolt holes are more versatile than those with four bolt holes as they offer more wheelbase adjustment points. You can pair trucks that have six bolt holes with both old and new school decks.
You should also check out the warranty offered with these longboard parts. It indicates the manufacturer’s confidence in their product and offers additional peace of mind.
3. Longboard Grip Tape
Grip tape is the gritty material that lines the top of the deck. It provides traction for your shoes to stay on board, making it critical for control and stability while riding. It supports execution of tricks and enhances safety. Grip tapes come as rolls with a strong adhesive on one side to apply them to the top of the deck for you to step on.
Quality longboard grip tapes are gritty enough to provide traction for your shoes against the board but adequately granulated, so your shoes don’t get torn while on a grind. They can stay sharp through numerous cycles of riding and cleaning, maintaining sufficient coarseness for the ride. The more futuristic grip tapes are designed for bubble-free application with tiny perforations that allow air to escape.
Classic grip tapes are mostly black to conceal stubborn stains. New-age riders are finicky about their designs and graphics. Consequently, grip tapes with vibrant colors and very elaborate prints have come up, allowing you to style your board to your liking. The decks also have their unique patterns, which has led to a rise in popularity for transparent grip tapes. Your options are limitless with these longboard parts.
The grip tape will wear out with time; multiple wash cycles and the persistent friction between your shoes and its surface smoothens the grain to a point where you cannot perform your usual tricks. It also fades or gets permanent stains that you can’t remove effectively. The grip tape allows you to service the board without replacing the entire deck. You can swap the tape for a new one and keep going.
The rough surface is mostly silicon carbide or aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide grip tapes are more affordable but will wear out faster than silicon carbide tapes. We don’t recommend them for all-terrain boards as your shoes are consistently stepping on grime in off-road terrains.
This dirt is ground into the grip tape while you ride, reducing the resistance and friction. The deck is also the most visible longboard part, making the unsightly dirt more apparent and forcing you to wash it more frequently, escalating degradation.
This non-slip longboard grip tape by Mr. Pen is made from silicon carbide so it will stay sharp for a long time on your all-terrain board. It is also aptly colored to remain presentable throughout this period.
4. Bushings
Bushings are grommets that center the truck’s hanger and offer resistance when the axle is turning. Each truck has two bushings on each side of the hanger, mounted roadside, and board side. Many longboard riders overlook the importance of customizing your bushing to suit your riding needs yet it has a huge impact on the overall experience. There are different sizes, shapes, and durometers to choose from, and you should factor in your weight, riding style, and the type of bushing seat you are working with before deciding.
Soft bushings (78A to 83A) are exceptionally responsive but make the board unstable and are therefore better for tricks and turns but risky for high-speed riding. Hard bushings (91A to 98A), on the other hand, are stable but less responsive, which makes them great for downhill cruising. The heavier you are, the harder your bushing choice should be for both riding styles.
Larger bushings can limit the hanger’s wiggle space, and curved bushings allow smoother transitions but are also not ideal for high-speed runs. They work well with non-restrictive bush seats to facilitate fluidity.
Configuring restrictive bushing seats alongside hard bushings with durometer readings of 90A and above makes your board primed for freeriding and downhill high-speed cruises, their snappy rebound will not allow you to carve.
This Dime Bag Hardware Skateboard Truck Rebuild Kit contains bushing, pivot cups, and cup washers and can be used to outfit an entire longboard truck.
5. Longboard Risers
Longboard risers are also called riser pads. These are the plastics fitted in between the longboard truck and the deck to increase the clearance between them. They allow the rider to make deeper turns, perform tricks or flip without wheel bites. They also dissipate the pressure where the deck and truck meet, reducing the probability of developing a crack and extending the board’s life.
There is a wide array of riser pads with different shapes, thicknesses, and designs. The type you choose is dependent on how you want to apply it.
If you only want to prevent wheel bite because you are using large wheels, it is very straightforward; the larger the wheel, the thicker the risers need to be.
There are also wedge risers that raise the deck and change the angle of the kingpin and the pivot point. You can use them to manipulate the turning capabilities of the board and improve your grinds and turns.
These 3mm Longboard riser pads by Outus come as a pack of 10, and you can stack them in different configurations until you are comfortable.