62mm Gators and 85mm midtracks

[Audun Guneriussen]

Hey guys, ive been browsing here for a while and i recently got some 85mm Midtracks and some 81a 62mm Gators for a mini, but now i wanna try out tight- and hybridslalom. Soo, basicly what im wondering is the midtracks and gators any good for TS/HS? Is there any things i should improve on them (like stronger kingpins, true 8mm axles, making it offset) ? Are 62mm to small for HS? are 85mm to small for ts/hs?

Thanks

[Wesley Tucker]

Mid Traks are a GREAT TS truck. The trick is getting the right bushin arrangement to work for you. What always work is start out with a "soft" set up and tighten/harden it as your skills improve.

First learn to get around the cones consistently then worry about increasing your speed.

62mm about the minimum for modern slalom racing. Cambrias are the same size and not as often used as three or four years ago. It's a good size but again you can look at alternatives after you start to get your wiggle on.

As far as 8mm axles, kingpins and other things to spend money on, don't worry about it now. First take care of the basics turning left, right, left, right and get around the cones. Worry about the gizmos later.

[Audun Guneriussen]

Mid Traks are a GREAT TS truck. The trick is getting the right bushin arrangement to work for you. What always work is start out with a "soft" set up and tighten/harden it as your skills improve.

First learn to get around the cones consistently then worry about increasing your speed.

62mm about the minimum for modern slalom racing. Cambrias are the same size and not as often used as three or four years ago. It's a good size but again you can look at alternatives after you start to get your wiggle on.

As far as 8mm axles, kingpins and other things to spend money on, don't worry about it now. First take care of the basics turning left, right, left, right and get around the cones. Worry about the gizmos later.

Thank you, im relieved! I'll keep my precious midtracks then! I got some white khiro Bitches and barrels up in front but they're pancakes in my trucks, but I only weigh about 110 lbs.. . What do you guys think of orange bitch + white barrel front and all blue(orange?) back? What do you recommend?

What is good angles for front and back trucks for TS?

Thank you for the quick answer!

[Eric Brammer]

Audun, the orange/white combo Khiro bushing is excellent for most any Slalom application, though it'd be wise to have on hand (in a Ziploc baggie) two of each color, and maybe a blue one for more open courses. Bushings are THE tuning device for turn feel and pumping resistance; Luckily, they're not very expensive! At the rear, for your weight, I'd be looking for the White (82A) Jim-Z bushings, maybe matched with a stiffer Khiro (Red,Yellow,Black) or Powell (Yellow,White) bushing on top. Upgrades on the Trackers themselves would be stiffer, lubed, pivot cups, then 8mm axles with trued hanger ends, then Kingpins IF you need the a little more room for bushing (stock Tracker kingpins are solid) height.

Wedging depends on deck flex, shape, etc., so I'll describe it in relation to the truck being set flat; Front, you want 5 up to 12 degrees of wedge that angle the pivot cup towards the deck; Rear, you want 10 to 15 degrees of angle that moves the pivot away from the deck. Personally, I look for that back truck kingpin to be almost perpendicular to the road surface. Try to keep the rear of the deck the same height or slightly lower than the front, as a 'nose down' attitude will decrease foot traction while pumping. One quick thought on wheel size: Don't go too big (over 72mm) with Midtrackers, as you can rub the wheels on the Baseplate (Especially if they're center-set wheels that're larger). This is a Bad Thing...

The 'next step' in wheels for that ride, for faster courses, would be one of the 66mm-70mm size-class wheels like Hotspots, Grippens, Manx or ZigZags.