"The trucks are like the soul of your skateboard." - Scott Oster

You need bigger pants to go with those tiny wheels.

The slipped axel had me laughing. I forgot all about slipped axels, but it really was a problem back in the day. Awesome video-the tiny wheels were a great idea.

Emotions run high when it comes to truck preferences and I'm no exception. The 7's are my favorite trucks ever, I still skate them and have multiple sets and even a new old stock set displayed on my wall. They make your board ride like a tank and I love everything about them. They need to reissue the stage 7's

That park is chill af. I could skate that ledge all day.

Although I haven’t watched this video yet one thing is for sure. This is the best video that has been uploaded to KZfaq since the beginning of time. Thank you so much Mr Degros.

Stage 8 Indys were the best ever, an old skate shop here went out of business years ago and I bought every pair of 149s they had at less than shop cost. I still have one pair left today. I never liked any Indys as much after that. Didn't hate them just didn't feel the same to me.

Such a nostalgic video. I also used to hit down the axle of my Indies in those crazy and baggy times of the 90´s over here in Brazil !

Amazing!!! Everything you said just brings me back. They were really the only truck back then. Broken kingpins slipping axles.... it was just normal everyday program. I had a really good way to change out kingpins back then, it was a real process that took time. Thanks for this.

I knew the Van's in your drywall videos weren't just for fashion. Awesome to see you ripping on a skateboard

Absolutely entertained, those 44m remind me of my little sisters rollerskate wheels what a blast from the past and the Indys too. Thanks for that Been very cool, well done

My first Indy's are from 1988/9 they're 169's on a 10" Chris Miller board with 1/2 risers, rails and 64mm 97a black G-Bones wheels. Now I ride 149's Titaniums :)

It's finally been done. The exact video that I needed to die happy and complete. Thank you sir. 🔥🙌🙏🛹🔨

If you would have worn giant pants in this you would have nailed the time period. I didn't skate at all in the 90s. Small wheels and giant pants was the point when I stepped away.

Those wheels are sick

Shouldn't have watched this great video being not able to skate due to bad weather! Next "Vancouver Carpenter" Vid: "How to skate inside your home and still married"

So happy you made this video! I recently got back into skateboarding after a nearly 25 year hiatus.. I bought my last setup in 1996, unidentified Indy trucks and an 8" Girl Deck.. I just recently discovered that the timeline of Indy trucks makes the ones I have stage 7, and I thought I was going crazy with the axle shifting around... Nice to see that it's not just me! I think I should get a new set of trucks.

PLEASE SHOW SOME OF YOUR SKATECLIPS FROM THE 90s OR EARLY 2000s

Better contact Geoff Rowley, He's gonna quit skating when he can't find those any more! He hooked me up for some!

those kingpins are why i never rode indy back in the day, and we have a pair of stage 7s at the shop i work at, you can pull the axle completely out easier than a bone out of bbq ribs

Back in the day I used 159's with a red top and a bottom blue bushings with a grind king just touching the bushings and they turned great and didn't hang at all. Sometimes I get an urge to get back on a skate so big after my daughter started riding that you can't imagine.

I like the nose slide at 9:13. Didn't even ollie. Just locked in and slid the whole thing.

Oddly I've been thinking about picking up a set of those Boardycakes fat bunts and some 6.1 Ventures for a retro fat and low 92-93 set up. I used to have those old first Venture Featherlites when decks were still around 8.75-9.125 wide. They were sick although I eventually went back to Indys. Oddly those old 8.5 or 8.75 (I don't remember the exact size) Ventures were probably my second favorite trucks ever.

I LOVE this! Having just picked up a Gonz re-issue from the early 90's rocking Indy 169's it's amazing the tricks those guys could pull off back in the day! You should try and pickup an old re-issue setup and do a video on that.

Broke these kingpins regularly! I still have some stage 7's never knew they were so collected or sought after though

Oh man, stage 7’s were my favorite. Stage 8’s were the “bendies”, with the axles that bent. After that I quit skating Indy for about 15 years

Having spacers in your wheels might help with the slipping. And bushings can get harder in the colder weather.

I remember back in my skate heyday 2002ish, nobody was skating indys cuz they were too heavy. it was more thunder,venture, and hell iv seen royals skated over indys back then! it's after the stage 11s came out when ppl did a complete 180 about their opinions on indys.

Just got myself a new setup: -8.75 Anti Hero eagle board -Indy 159 stage 11 hollows -Spitfire Formula 4 99 Grossos I've never rode anything bigger than an 8.38 and it rips!! @Ben Degros, Do a review on 159s!

That pic is sick! Little Ben pops an Ollie!

I remember getting a brand new pair of these, & two hrs in just tapping the axle ,the pivot arm broke . I've ridden venture since till 2016 ,and I tried another set . Still great but the bushings have been nothing but trouble. I was going to go in & get a set of ventures or thunders on Fri, but life happened. Then today I discovered there was a tram drivers' strike. So I'll be going in tomorrow to sort out my woes. Thanks for the great content Ben. You're an inspiration mate.

Already have snow on the ground, darn you and your ideal canadian weather

great review I liked that you back your references with pics and clips nice one

I remember those old indy trucks. They were so bad. But there was no alternative until Tensor trucks came out.

Surprised the hell out of me with the boardycakes lmao

skating in vancouver is one of the most fun things on the entire planet. i spent a month there this summer and i wish it could have lasted forever.

Great experiment! I think the small wheels were also to give you a low centre of gravity feel. Try wheel slides on flat ground. Ive been riding since 1977, when wheels were suuuper wide and had deeep insets. They looked like hotrod fats from cartoons. Please, try to go further back in time. It really explains tricks and terrain of the times.

Sweetness found a brand new set of stage 6 I had. Maybe can hock em to buy a new board 🤙🏼

Thank you for the video! Although I'm new to skating, this was very entertaining and awesome to learn about these old setups from back in the day.

Your skateboarding on that setup looks so natural. You must have felt like you were in the past

I would love some stage 3's There's also another good quote from that Loveletters episode. "If you got brand new trucks and you're not fucking with your bushings. Then you're fucking with yourself." With indys , ths bushings always felt so good. I never needed to switch. Thunders and ventures I did however

mid 90's wheels were crazy small think my first set up had 38mm bearing covers on it. Never had the money for Indy's back then so I got a set of Venture trucks pretty much the same issues with the slipping axel and definitely had to carry around some extra kingpins for every skate. Hell even hitting a pebble rolling around could snap a kingpin. This is probably my favourite video of yours in awhile great work ,💥

I ride Tracker Ultralites in the late 80s and then Gullwing Prototypes. Quit at start of 90 but back rocking the Gullwings NOW. LOVE THEM and wish they still made them

Oh man, forgot about the locked wheels... thanks for making my day.

I just remember Indys being heavy as hell lol. I remember hating them in the early 2000's because they felt like a tank. I remember all the dudes who tore up the pool and the likes skating indy's.

He's a skater, carpenter, and doesn't always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis.

I really would love it if they re-released these in 149s

I still have my stage 5s from '88. Ground to the axles, never slipped. I wish I could find some old Grind King kingpins for them and some green SuperCush bushings.

my first trucks were venture... they were aight then i got thunders they were nice now i just bought my first indys and i loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove them

I put my trucks like that on my Quasi board and landed my 1st kickflip, slipping axel and all. I think they are Indy's from - '93.

I'm riding my indys from 96-97 at present.

Early grabs in the last video, now No Comply 180? Heck yeah, Ben, rockin' the cool tricks now!

Stage 7's were the first Indy's I ever skated. I took for granted how good they were back in the day. I remember skating them on a 7.5" Chocolate deck and they stuck out like mad. But I skated great on that goofy setup. Oh skateboarding nostalgia.

"They put the fun in non-functional..."

OMFG @8:04. 😝 Was *just* writing a reply about how I'd never ride Independents again after being burned by axle slip on a pair I'd had on a 8.75 Zero back in 99. 🔥 Very glad this issue got brought up so I can just link this video the next time a clerk tries to push a set on me. Never again. Pebbles are bad enough, and popular trash is still trash.

My first board was a street warrior had plastic trucks and a shield over the kingpin so you could pop up gutters loved that shit

Still have my old Indys with the Grind King kingpins.Great video!

Revive back the 90s setups!

Dude I wish you uploaded more. You’re my favorite channel. No bullshit just a dude who loves skateboarding. Thanks for the awesome content 👊

So true, we would've called that cheating; foot touching the ground and all ! Nice one Ben !

ive seen clips of penny tapping his axle... thought he was just messing around or something lol slipped axxles were before my time. looking forward to the stage 8 review 🤙

Quality craftsmanship made in the USA!

Yeah I don't miss those 90s trucks as all of them slipped even if they tried to add an additional weld in the inside of the hanger

Loving the truck reviews; I actually went back to re-watch all the truck review and wheelbase videos just to find that comment about "trucks are the soul of the board". It's from "Independent VS Thunder(what's the difference)".

I twould be so cool to see you set up a board as close to one of your OG setups, and even dress the part, and go fo ra classic street sesh.

I skate a set of stage 9 Indy’s... found them at my local flea market. They make the new Indy’s feel like garbage. Till they’re dust!

I just refurbished some old Indus I had sitting around. I think they’re Stage 8s but I’m not 100% sure. I lost one set of bushings when the kingpin snapped all those decades ago, and I’m not really feeling he new Indy bushings. I’m gonna need to check out those wheels cuz I used to ride 48mm back in the day. I can’t seem to find a young smaller than 52mm in stores nowadays.

Ripping, nice one Ben! the wheels were the icing on the cake haha.

Yep...my first set of wheels were 40 mil Spitfires (red) with some stage 7 Indy. Switched to venture, then Gullwing....then Krux........but ended up back at Indy. I want to try Ace .....but I love my Indy.

LMFAO I remember those hot summer nights slamming the trucks cause the wheels locked up 😂😅🤣

independent is the best trucks out there, nothing ive used has compared, indies with some ricta wheels is my go to

Gold stage 7s were the absolute best trick I've ever ridden

What a coooool segment! I loved it

44mm wheels? The 38mm Spitfires I rocked in 1996 scoff at your massive wheels sir! What were we thinking back then? The ridiculous clothes too lol.

The nollie flip on the triangle thing was sik

I got the first 169s around 40 years old

dude that nose manual nollie flip

Axle slip is still an issue within trucks, I've had it with thunders and Indis, they could solve it by putting a more squared or flat in the centre axle, it would take a lot of time to get it right

Really digging your channel! Great content, sick skating, and you're thankfully one of the only KZfaqrs who seems to get right to the point of the video. You're a real one :P

You should slide a ply through your deck or grind your baseplate down to the pivot cup!

skated some 40mm autobahns for the past week. they aren't that bad. they cause too much attention, make me skate slow and make rail tricks scary so i had to switch back. other than that my slides were smoother my grinds felt fine and my transition skills were good too.

if you kept the new indy bushings but had the boardy cakes on it probably would've been really good

I found a pair at my cousins i love em

That is a crazy looking pointed quarter pipe thing! Has anyone ever blunt to fakie the tip of that or blunt stall and slide down the edge? Super cool obstacle

I ordered the Fat Bundts. I love them. LOOOOOOOOVE them!!!!!

Amazing I would of thought 🤙🏾

I would love to skate a 7 3/4 with 42mms one more time haha. So rad

I always ground down pin for less hang up. 87 indys to 92

Breaking a kingpin in a small town in 1988 was the worst .....We skated Indies cause every other brand sucked and broke way quicker...Finding a king pin was so hard to do.

very cool episode, props ben

Honestly I hated those industry trucks, the kingpin bolt sticks up above the axel and they were heavy as hell! I always liked the trucks with the Allen head bolt the started with a G? I’m sure their sweet once you swapped the king pin nut.

maybe for your next shoe you could pick es accel slims, ive heard good about them and id like to hear your opinion on them

they "talk alot" about these having superior turning. Yet the only time i felt superior feel/turns with the stage XI, and X....were from swapping to bones med or hard bushings. No more wheels popping up/off the ground when landing sketchy or leaning too hard one direction/leg. Then they started pushing the indy conical bushings and i was able to try harder bushings than their stock ones...No DOUBT when i first saw these Stage 7's i knew the top bushing was much taller than the current conicals...as well as the bottom being larger "now" to accomodate the 55mm XI vs the conicals the previously made during the stage X/XI design. A slight cylinder before a tapered/cone. The IX bushings were a bit more rounded/able to blow out/flatten out. But back then it was the only way to add a little more "LEAN" to your setup before it would get too wild to control Or just a way to calibrate your maximum lean before your board would pull its wheels up/powerslide in transition/slick parks. OFC the colored trucks or all black bushings were a lot softer in this era and one of the only ways i could get different INDY/bushing durometers. Either way IMO i think the turn/feel of indys is primarily more a characteristic of bushings/height/clearance and pivot cup aspects than PURE hanger geometry. IMO a better baseplate/swap or bushings like pure connical would probably UP the potential of ventures for me. Thunder bushings/conical/domes in ventures even vs the cylinder bottom they come with. Since bones hards vs stock ventures are already such a change in riding/position characteristics in transition/airs going wall to wall. Plus ppl running these as "META" went from running 40mm wheels to east coast riders rocking the stage 7 with 56mm+ wheels. IDK if i can trust that level of "TURNING" when the comparisoin is venture lights, and thunders pre design swap "know control". Since then ventures still had axle slip cracked base plates...and thunders still crack basepaltes to this day as well...as cracked/broken hangers. YET ppl will gripe about INDY being MIC or haivng lost its INDY cross even though it was only implemented in the 90s on the base plate...that would seemingly just get grinded off anyways after a few nose/tail slides...SMDH

Another awesome truck review..

I ride GrindKings from the late 90s they still feel great. of course there are better ones out there, but i would not want to change until they eventually break

Also I remember the old thunder trucks used to suck from what I remember this was around 95-96 they just had the black bushings

WOW WOW WOW I remember those

should have used the new top bushing with the old bottom

Maybe try boiling the bushings for about 10 minutes in water to turn back the clock a little on how they feel.

I got slip axle on my 3 week old stage 11s.