What even is Wheel lift?!

WHEEL LIFT 

What is it? Why does it happen? And how to prevent it...

WHAT IS IT:

Wheel lift is when you go turn, and one (or in some cases, even more than one. But these cases are isolated, so ymmv) wheel lifts up. So, imagine for a second, you are riding your longboard...

... you are carving, schlarving, and then you feel it. It's like a hard rock, hitting the ground. It's subtle at first, but definitely there. This is what wheel lift is, and let me be the first to say, it sucks.

But, Why does it happen?:

Well, it's a spectrum right? On one end, you have too tight of bushings. With too tight (or hard) of bushings, they'll be so restrictive , that they will literally HAVE to lift a wheel. Whereas if you have too soft of a bushing, the bushing will be so soft that it will also, lift a wheel. 

It's a delicate balance, but, it can be mitigated!!

So, how do you prevent wheel lift?

Pretty simple, really. You just gotta experiment with bushings. I like Riptide Krank and APS. But there are so many brands that people experiment with and enjoy. Abec11, Venom, Seismic, even 88WheelCo. 

Now I'm not saying...

I'm not saying you should do this. However, if you are on a budget... just buy a single pack of 77a (or Similar duro) bushings and install them in your front truck. Then, tighten your rear trucks. This should feel near perfect, but do note it's not universal. But it is a good starting point. 

The Difference between a Rear Zero Degree Bracket and a Torsion Tail

So what are the key details to the difference between the two?

Well, there's two main differences:

1. The Arms vs. the Single Point of Pivot

So, how a Torsion Tail works. The basics. Essentially, you have two arms that articulate independently from each other, that connect from the mounting point to the wheels. This will basically make it create that pump in, and pump out motion. So, in order for them to articulate well, you need softer Bushings. The bushings in this TTX pictured below, for example, are 80a APS Riptide Bushings.

The TTX paired with 80a Orange Bushings 

This is drastically different than the rear 0° Bracket. So, for the rear 0° bracket, it's essentially a single pivoting piece, similar to a Don't Trip Delirium (but not exactly like it. Click here for more info). All of these trucks below are 0° rear bracket 

The Ecolite Tail 

The Don't Trip Delirium 

The LepSk8 Tail

2. How soft the bushings should be. 

So, with the 0° bracket, you would want something a little harder. That's because the rear articulates like a rear truck, so, you would want something a little more restrictive. That's  because the angle is closer to the ground, it squishes the bushings in a different way; more lean, no turn. But not TOO hard!! If it's too hard, it'll hurt your ankles, and you will get wheel lift.

Compared to the TTX, which needs a softer bushing to articulate the arms well. 

All of the bushings in the above pictures are in the 85a-90a range. Excluding the TTX. That one has 80a bushings.

The bushings in my Ecolite when I first got it, were way too hard for me. I weigh something like 214 now, and man, I just didn't like those bushings. Way too restricted, whereas now I have 93a vs. 96a. Night and Day difference. 

Not only that, but the rebound? Damn man. The Rebound is (in my personal opinion) one of the better things about the LDP experience. It, for lack of a better term, forces you to do better. 

So, which one would I recommend? Well, that's going to depend on how you want the board to feel. Do you want it to feel surfy? If so, you might opt for a zero degree rear. Or, rather, you would like it to feel like 

Plus, with the recent release of the Tango Tail, which is also still a Torsion Tail, it's now more affordable than anything. 

I don't have any idea though. You will just have to spend your money, and see what I mean. Take care, and Much Metta to you and your family. 

-Boardin_Buddhist