Caliber III Longboard Truck 158mm 50° Raked Raw (Single Truck)

Boom, the latest offering from Caliber Trucks is here! The Caliber III adds some nice refinements to the original Caliber and Caliber II trucks whilst staying true to the brand.

This is the "50 Cal," featuring a regular angle baseplate and cone/barrel bushing combo. It's probably the most all-round truck that Caliber have ever made, previous generations being very focussed on downhill and freeride.

The narrower 9" Caliber III (158mm hanger width) gives a little more grip and more turn response than the wider 10" version, and is better suited to narrower boards with wider wheels.

The finish, construction and fit of the Caliber III is very similar to previous generations of Caliber Trucks - probably easiest to list the differences.

Caliber I/II vs Caliber III:

• The Caliber III has a way more open bushing seat, which gives a lot more lean and dive into turns than the previous versions. The new seat unfortunately doesn't fit the bushings as well as other branded trucks, but this is somewhat mitigated by the "plug" bushing.
• Bushings are now Venom all round, with a "plug" on the bottom which restricts the turn a little, increases return-to-center and minimises hanger slop.
• Caliber I/II trucks featured a rakeless hanger, which gives a less responsive, "linear turn." Caliber III's offer a "raked" version, denominated by the "R" on the reverse of the hanger. Rake isn't an easy thing to explain, but one way of looking at it is to say that it makes the trucks more stable when you're straight-lining, and more responsive when you really lean on them. You can flip them to make a negative raked truck, which is free to try out... but we'd be surprised if you stick with them flipped.
• The 50 Cal comes with a Barrel/Cone combo, and cupped washes top and bottom. This makes the trucks a lot more responsive, with a great return-to-center, and prevents getting wheelbite. Perfect for carving, cruising and even dancing (something we never thought we'd say about a Caliber Truck!)
  
• The 50 degree baseplate is identical to the Caliber II - no ability to run a bigger bottom bushing like the 44 Cal.
  
• Like the previous Caliber I and II, the Caliber III features Caliber's signature "tombstone" hanger profile, which isn't the lightest out there but it is certainly tough!

This is slightly new territory for Caliber Trucks, and they've done a good job... not the lightest truck out there but definitely some nice features that make it stand out from other brands out there. If you fancy something a bit different, give them a go...

From Caliber:

Caliber Truck Co. is a skateboard truck manufacturing company dedicated to creating the highest quality trucks on the market. After 5 years of research and development they have released the Caliber III. They are thier strongest and most customizable trucks to date; the battle proven Caliber III. Updated to satisfy the modern downhill skater with optional rake, the ability to use any bushing size, increased strength and a budget friendly price tag. The Caliber world class team of skaters have taken the pre production prototypes to hell and back, and they never stopped improving the Caliber III until everyone was satisfied. Enjoy!

• Newly designed, widened hanger supports for increased strength. Specifically to prevent bending.
• 45° chamfer for weight reduction. Specifically to offset the weight increase from added hanger material.
• High strength SCM435 alloy steel kingpins eliminate unwanted kingpin movement.
• SCM435 alloy steel axles reduce the risk of bending or cracking.
• Upgraded 96A urethane pivot cups are longer lasting and eliminate pivot slop.
• Tried and true tombstone hanger design increases strength and rigidity over competitors.
• Venom 90A High Performance Formula Plug Barrel bushings, designed specifically for Caliber Trucks, eliminate unwanted hanger slop and HPF urethane provides a fast return to center.
• 158mm hangers width for more reactive, grippier, narrower footprint. Ideal for accommodating next gen super wide race wheels.  
  
• Stamped steel, flat washers for less restriction and improved response.
• Truck degree is stamped on the bottom surface of the baseplate for easy identification.
• The 50° baseplate is the most lively feeling option in our line, it provides a sharper turning radius, ideal for cruising, carving and freestyle/dance.
• Raked hanger provides increased turn and a generally more lively feeling ride.
• Raked hangar can also be flipped upside down from the stock position. This will turn it into a negative rake truck, for more consistent turns, lower ride height, easier slide initiation and an overall more stable ride. Ideal for fast freeride, downhill and beginners.