Hey presto, 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 "44 Cal," featuring a lower angle baseplate and double barrel bushings. It's better suited to downhill and freeride than the "50 Cal," being a bit more stable and with a less lively bushing setup.
A great option for a split angle, 50/44 setup too which works really well for downhill and for pumping. This version (rakeless) will be less lively in the back than the raked version, more suited to going fast than for pumping.
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 fits the top barrel bushing perfectly - less perfect on the bottom "plug" bushing (although the "plug" makes up for the poorer fit somewhat)
- 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.
- 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
- Like previous versions of the 44 Cal, this comes with a flat washer on the top and a cup washer on the bottom, which makes it a little more detuned and less responsive than the 50 Cal.
- New for the 44 Cal baseplate only is the ability to run a tall bushing on the bottom by removing the little plastic "insert." Nice if you want more dive and cushioning.
- Like the previous Caliber I and II, these feature Caliber's signature "tombstone" hanger profile, which isn't the lightest out there but it is certainly tough!
This is a great truck if you like going fast and doing skids, and you can't stretch to a set of precisions. Recommended!
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.
- 10" (184mm) hangar for stability and easier slide initiation.
- 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 44° baseplate with bushing shim provides the most stability in our line, making them ideal for downhill and fast freeride styles of riding.
- Rakeless hanger is true neutral. It provides more stability and less turn over a raked hanger.
Weight (one truck) |
470g |
Kingpin Layout |
Longboard (RKP) |
Material |
Gravity-Cast Aluminium
|
Hanger Width |
7.244" / 184mm
|
Axle Width |
10" / 254mm
|
Axle Height |
62mm (Positive Rake) |
Baseplate Drilling |
6 hole new school/old school
|
Top Bushing |
Barrel
|
Bottom Bushing |
Barrel plug |
Bushing Durometer |
90a
|
Washers |
Flat washer top, cup washer bottom |
Price for one truck. You need two trucks per board.