How do the Black Carve III TKP trucks work relative to other TKP trucks? Is this actually an improvement?
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The angle of the pivot is an improvement over old school tkp trucks. There’s a few articles out there on the physics of it, but basically it is the difference between tilting on the pivot (old school) and rotating around the pivot (angle design). You get more predictable turning and response that isn’t totally based on muscle memory.
The cupped bushing seats on the hanger are good for stability at speed, but meh for low speed carving at the park.
The rest is gimmick speak.
Not revolutionary, I’ve been running similar tkp for over a year now. But a better design than old school tkp.
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I’m intrigued by these trucks. They look like they would be more similar to RKP, and possibly more stable. They also give you a really long effective wheelbase, which would make them a good option to consider for decks like demonseed and switchblade, where wheelbite is an issue with pneumatics.
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My initial impression is that they’re throwing a lot of things out there that are interesting, or could be good, but I’m not sure they had a clear idea what sort of cake they were trying to bake.
The bushing seat being 90 degrees could be a good thing. What it does is it means the bushings are 90 degrees out of phase from the rotation axis. I like to describe this as the interference angle, because the closer to 90 degrees the more the bushings interfere with hanger rotation.
For each degree of hanger articulation, you have one degree of bushing compression.
If the interference angle was 45 degrees, then for each degree of truck articulation you’ll only have a fraction of a degree of bushing compression.
That does a few things, firstly it has better bushing response and a stronger center. That 1-1 ratio means the bushing is able to push back with greater force.
However, a bushing only compresses so much. So to get the same amount of truck articulation the bushing has to compress a lot more.
One reason why TKPs don’t normally have a 90 degree interference angle is clearance, and compactness. It allows you to get more articulation out of short and hard bushings, and the angle keeps the kingpin more out of the way. It helps to make the axle to stand proud.
With RKPs, what they do is they achieve the 90 degree interference angle, while keeping the axle taller than everything else, and allowing for taller bushings.
Clearance doesn’t matter quite as much when you’re on an Eskate on 95-200+mm wheels compared with a skateboard on 52mm wheels.
So this could be a compromise that is more suitable for Eskate trucks.
However, its also paired with, not really that tall of bushings, really deep bushing seats, aggressively cupped washers, and insert bushings.
They also seem to be a pretty low angle, maybe 35 degrees.
Pivot angle is what decides is how much truck articulation goes to lean, and how much goes to turning.
More articulation is going towards leaning than turning.
These I don’t expect to give a whole lot of articulation to work with. Might be able to still feel like you’re able to lean the deck, but it is not going to turn much at all.
Yes it will be stable and able to go fast assuredly.
If you’re doing all your riding in roads, have a lane to work with, just moving from A to B, getting to your destination without being fussed about getting jostled, then this could work.
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So, TKPs that are more stable but less carvy?
Well, yes.
But all the changes aside from bringing stability also limit articulation.
And I think they’ve probably just overdone it.
If you could choose a truck that is stable but can articulate more, vs a truck that is stable but can articulate less, most people would want the truck that articulates more.
A trucks whole function is to articulate.
I imagine this will have a good center, feel stable and on the stiff side.
Good things if you’re wanting a stiffer feel.
But then if you go to lean, squeeze some extra turn out of it, its going to feel like it hits a stop and won’t give you any more.
Some might still like that, its imperturbable.
But as a rider, its also not giving you a whole lot to work with.
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I personally find RKP more stable than TKP.
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I haven’t had the pleasure of riding TKP yet. But I have rode DKP and wasn’t completely displeased by the surfiness so, would definitely like to try TKP. I do have a good RKP setup going and it’s carvy too, just not as much as DKP.
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I think quite a few people do. I have ridden a few sets of RKPs that love to go in straight lines really fast and don’t start turning worth a damn until you hit about 18mph. The magical formula is having predictable maneuverability with moderate/high speed stability.
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I honestly feely like TKPs are the most versatile of the common truck types. Each has their place. When I want to carve tight, no other trucks that I know of beat a set of well turned DKPs.
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Have you tried DKP front and RKP rear? I actually like the feeling.
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Isn’t that a bit tall in the front, oh but I guess risers in the back?
Yeah.
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I prefer to have the carviness of the trucks to be fairly close to each other. Often, I have my rear truck only one grade harder. Like 90a in the front and 93a in the rear. I feel that completion of the turn really depends on the rear truck. I like round and complete turns. Comes from my skiing days.
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The DKP in the front is more “divey” giving that carvey feeling (more lean gives progressively more turn) while the back being RKP is not divey (lean and turn are approximately proportional).
This means the more you lean, the more it feels like a split angle setup, and the closer to middle you are, the less it feels like a split angle setup.
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Anyone in here have a discount code for a bc3? Ive told my 57 year old brother in San Diego to grab one for his first board lol.
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