Technical Specifications
About the C4
The Carver C4 is our classically proportioned lower profile truck for traditional street skating. Like all Carver products, it is the result of extensive research and testing. We took our favorite standard trucks and reverse-engineered them to understand what determined their performance characteristics. Isolating each angle and dimension, and using prototypes to prove our theories, we combined all of our favorite characteristics into one truck. The result is a truck that turns smoothly but snaps back to center, so landing a trick feels solid. We also dropped the kingpin so it won’t hang up on grinds, and we added a generous amount of metal above the axle for extra long grind wear. We cast the bottom cup washer into the baseplate so it won’t get bent or hang up on rails. We steepened the angle on the slider plate so you feel locked in on nose and tail slides. And in the end, we sculpted the cast parts so they are strong where they need to be and light where they can be, a perfect balance between function and classic form.
Risers
Riser pad thickness to control wheelbite is roughly a factor of wheel diameter, so the larger the wheel, the taller the risers. There is no set formula, as everyone rides differently, so find out what works best for you.
Board Length
Board length and shape plays an important part of the overall performance of the completed skateboard. Shorter boards are more maneuverable and pump easier, while longer boards are more stable and handle speed better. Wider boards generally provide better turn leverage than nartrow boards. Trying out a few different lengths will give you a real sense of the feel between wheelbases.
Break-In
Break-in time for the bushings is usually about an hour of riding, where the slippery new bushings have a chance tot wear a little and stick to the metal surfaces, reducing the range of turning travel at the extremities, controlling wheelbite and increasing spring-back and rebound. Turning the board on the flats is a good way to break in the bushings and get a feel for the board's handling.