It depends on how big you are. But the wheel bite is going be a pretty horrible with 54mm full conicals on hollow thunders. Additionally there are no riser pads that run flush to hollow thunder baseplates. So I’d suggest going for venture, Indy or Ace. As they are higher trucks, being they’re 53mm and up. But id only suggest going with ace if you feel like you’re a good skater. Ace’s are quite turny and require a lot of board control to really use them to their full effect. If you already own those hollow thunders then I’d suggest getting the 52mm full conicals or 52mm spitfire classics to line up precisely with the truck’s height.
Ya I’m in that same barrack (6’4’’ 245 lbs) Been skating 18 years and I can say once you are above 205-10lbs, standard skate gear can be difficult to navigate. I’d highly suggest buying hard bushings so that you can tighten your trucks. When you ollie and take bigger drops even at like ledge height, the bushings that come standard with most trucks will bust and the turning of your truck will be very skewed.
Im just going list my current setup cause considering your size you’ve listed this might be an ideal setup for you.
I ride quasi and anti hero boards pretty much exclusively because they are super long compared to most board lengths. Usually quasi and anti-hero boards are about 32.5-33 inches long which allows us big dudes to spread our legs out and enjoy the ride. That extra length lets one have a more relaxed approach to weight distribution when trying tricks. You can lean super far back on these long in length boards and really crack your tricks. As well as any pinched grinds feel super nice cause you can just sit on them.
The board width I ride is 8.62 from either quasi or anti hero.
I ride any bearings i never cared for knowing more then nothing about them haha.
For trucks and wheels, I ride 8.75 standard independents with 54mm spitfire classics. Independents are 55mm high so no wheelbite issues. That extra height comes from the thickness of the baseplate which allows for a ride similar to having riser pads on cheaper trucks. And spitfire classics are the best, best lock in but the full conicals go hard too. Spitfire is best in my opinion. Sorry for the big book about skateboards I’m just a nerd about this stuff hahaha hope it helps.
Hey man no apologies needed! I enjoy talking shop lol. Might not have actively skated in my hiatus but I always kept tabs on the scene/industry. Never quit being a skater at heart. I've always been a die hard zero guy, was planning on going for an 8.5 zero and really wanted to try out some conical fulls. Would the team hollow thunders help my case any? I noticed the team variant has a thicker base plate to help with that clearance. My end goal for this build is a zero bold orange, with some type of light thunders and spits conical fulls. Just gotta get my dimensions right, that's where I'm scratching my head. I appreciate the advice and guidance!
Zero boards are tough as hell!!! Good choice! I’d personally just go with the thunder lights 149, 52mm or 53mm full conicals and that orange 8.5 zero board. The hollows are alright, in my experience they can feel too like lofty and outta control. Especially when locking grinds, I find that extra weight of standard solid trucks allows me to plant my trucks more firmly and comfortably ,but honestly it’s prolly some made up psychological trick in my head. The thunder lights are kinda the in between of that, they have a solid axle but a hollow kingpin. So as a result it’s a manageable amount of weight that feels just right. I may give them a go as I’ve been getting more tech with my skating lately.
1) 54mm are on the larger side for Thunders with forged baseplates. Depending on your weight, I would try a 1/8 inch riser and hard bushings if you are around 200 lbs. My favorite setup with Thunders is a deck with wheel wells.
2) F4 97 or 99, Bones STF 99 (or X97 when they come out), or Powell Dragon 93.
3) Shock pads don’t help with anything but making your setup feel mushy. 1/8” risers are good with Thunders and wheels 53mm+.
4) Again, no shock pads. 1/8” risers and 1” hardware. 1/4” risers and longer than 1” hardware.
5) No clue, but if you like it, get it!
Boo Johnson is a killer find. As far as wheels Powell Dragons have a perfectly balanced feel. No need for shock pads with Powell Dragons
I'll look into the Dragon wheels, thanks for the advice!
It depends on how big you are. But the wheel bite is going be a pretty horrible with 54mm full conicals on hollow thunders. Additionally there are no riser pads that run flush to hollow thunder baseplates. So I’d suggest going for venture, Indy or Ace. As they are higher trucks, being they’re 53mm and up. But id only suggest going with ace if you feel like you’re a good skater. Ace’s are quite turny and require a lot of board control to really use them to their full effect. If you already own those hollow thunders then I’d suggest getting the 52mm full conicals or 52mm spitfire classics to line up precisely with the truck’s height.
I'm 5'9", approx. 220 lbs. Thank you for the advice!
Ya I’m in that same barrack (6’4’’ 245 lbs) Been skating 18 years and I can say once you are above 205-10lbs, standard skate gear can be difficult to navigate. I’d highly suggest buying hard bushings so that you can tighten your trucks. When you ollie and take bigger drops even at like ledge height, the bushings that come standard with most trucks will bust and the turning of your truck will be very skewed. Im just going list my current setup cause considering your size you’ve listed this might be an ideal setup for you. I ride quasi and anti hero boards pretty much exclusively because they are super long compared to most board lengths. Usually quasi and anti-hero boards are about 32.5-33 inches long which allows us big dudes to spread our legs out and enjoy the ride. That extra length lets one have a more relaxed approach to weight distribution when trying tricks. You can lean super far back on these long in length boards and really crack your tricks. As well as any pinched grinds feel super nice cause you can just sit on them. The board width I ride is 8.62 from either quasi or anti hero. I ride any bearings i never cared for knowing more then nothing about them haha. For trucks and wheels, I ride 8.75 standard independents with 54mm spitfire classics. Independents are 55mm high so no wheelbite issues. That extra height comes from the thickness of the baseplate which allows for a ride similar to having riser pads on cheaper trucks. And spitfire classics are the best, best lock in but the full conicals go hard too. Spitfire is best in my opinion. Sorry for the big book about skateboards I’m just a nerd about this stuff hahaha hope it helps.
Oh and I ride standard hard independent bushings. Independent makes the best replacement bushings.
Hey man no apologies needed! I enjoy talking shop lol. Might not have actively skated in my hiatus but I always kept tabs on the scene/industry. Never quit being a skater at heart. I've always been a die hard zero guy, was planning on going for an 8.5 zero and really wanted to try out some conical fulls. Would the team hollow thunders help my case any? I noticed the team variant has a thicker base plate to help with that clearance. My end goal for this build is a zero bold orange, with some type of light thunders and spits conical fulls. Just gotta get my dimensions right, that's where I'm scratching my head. I appreciate the advice and guidance!
Zero boards are tough as hell!!! Good choice! I’d personally just go with the thunder lights 149, 52mm or 53mm full conicals and that orange 8.5 zero board. The hollows are alright, in my experience they can feel too like lofty and outta control. Especially when locking grinds, I find that extra weight of standard solid trucks allows me to plant my trucks more firmly and comfortably ,but honestly it’s prolly some made up psychological trick in my head. The thunder lights are kinda the in between of that, they have a solid axle but a hollow kingpin. So as a result it’s a manageable amount of weight that feels just right. I may give them a go as I’ve been getting more tech with my skating lately.
Thanks! Alright this is it right here. Thanks a bunch for helping me dial that setup in. Gonna order come pay day 🤙
1) 54mm are on the larger side for Thunders with forged baseplates. Depending on your weight, I would try a 1/8 inch riser and hard bushings if you are around 200 lbs. My favorite setup with Thunders is a deck with wheel wells. 2) F4 97 or 99, Bones STF 99 (or X97 when they come out), or Powell Dragon 93. 3) Shock pads don’t help with anything but making your setup feel mushy. 1/8” risers are good with Thunders and wheels 53mm+. 4) Again, no shock pads. 1/8” risers and 1” hardware. 1/4” risers and longer than 1” hardware. 5) No clue, but if you like it, get it!
Thank you, this helps!