Setting Up your Aera Trucks
Aera Trucks are some of most adaptable trucks on the market and as such, it can sometimes take time to set them up juuuust right. Ideal gangster lean can be had, it’s just a matter of the right bushing combinations and correct set-up. Alignment of the truck is key and the use of the correct durometer and pre-load is how you can achieve it.
There are several schools of thought for bushing combinations in Aera Trucks:
1. Loose as possible (Freeride, carving, commuting, urban riding etc)
Use a barrel top and bottom or alternatively a cone top for the maximum amount of turn. Aera Trucks have been designed with the height of a barrel in mind and as such you do not need to use a flat washer. This will yield you the easiest turn, with the tighest turning radius out of the trucks. This is best call for getting around town, carving it up, or slower freeriding.
2. A little tighter (Freeride, downhill, carving)
Using barrels top and bottom, put a cup washer either on just the top or bottom. With barrels a thin cup washer is ideal so as not to effect the alignment of the truck. This set-up is a great all-arounder and offers a deeper turn for slower speeds and a quicker response while freeriding. Lighter riders tend to prefer this set-up.
3. Tighter still (Downhill, Freeride)
The most common set-up used on Aera Trucks is the combination of a wider “Eliminator / Stimulator” bushing and a barrel top bushing. This offers the most “progressive” turn feeling where as you turn it gradually becomes more and more difficult till you reach the limit of the wider bushing. You MUST use one of the included flat washers on your baseplate when using a Venom Eliminator as they are slightly shorter than the barrel. This set-up is an Aera-team favorite as it offers the best performance and stability at high speeds and while throwing fast slides. It is the combination of progressive turn and stability.
4. Tightest (Downhill, fast freeride)
When someone desires the most stable and least deep turn, one can use a “Eliminator / Stimulator” bushing both top and bottom. It is required to use one of the included flat washers on the baseplate to make up for the shorter Venom Eliminator bushing. This set-up is preferred by the heavier Aera riders such as Dalua and Jose Guzman. It offers the best stability, the least turn, and the most confidence at speed. This set-up is not recommended for use in town or while going slow. Go fast or go home!
Durometer
Choosing the right durometer for your Aera trucks is paramount to success. There are many combinations of soft and hard that work for different people. The following list of durometers and weights are suggestions to start with.
97a – 200+lb (90+kg)
93a – 170-200+lb (77-90+kg)
90a – 150-200lb (68-90kg) 90a is the most popular and most often suggested durometer
87a – 140-190lb (63-85kg)
85a – 120-160lb (55-72kg)
80a – 50-80lb (20-36kg)
Pre-Load / Tightness
The ideal location for the included nut (while using barrels / Eliminator and washer) is with the nut flush or in line with the end of the bolt. This will ensure that there is adequate pre-load on the bushing and it won’t pop out of the bushing seat. If you run bushings too hard without enough pre-load they will tend to slide around. If you run your bushings too soft with too much pre-load they will tend to deform too much and also stand the chance of moving around. There is a desired tightness and durometer… The only way to find out is to try out all the flavors!
Width
Choosing your Aera Truck’s width is very much personal preference. Most people choose a 180mm or 186mm hanger as they are the most average width and work for everything.
If you prefer a “deeper” feeling turn, easier drifts, and lots of stability go with 196mm.
If you want the best of all worlds and a more competent technical width go with 186mm.
If you want the best freeride truck and a stickier race truck go with 180mm.
If you want the stickiest and quickest turning Aera truck go with 176mm.
Angle
Choosing the right angle for Aera Truck’s is one of the most important decisions. It really depends on your home location, how much you freeride vs. how often you bomb hills, and your comfort level at higher speeds.
50˚
The 50˚ plate is your best option for freeriding, around-town riding, and super-technical downhill riding. It is stable up to 100km/h (60mph) if you want it to be and is more than able to go down the most challenging race courses however it can become sensitive at higher speeds. If you freeride more often than you go 80km/h (50mph) then go with the 50˚ plate. Your freeride-feet will not regret it!
46˚
The 46˚ is the best all-around plate in the Aera line-up. It’s stable up to and above 110km/h (70mph), it freerides like a boss for those who like lean, and it lets you stick lines at high speeds with ease. You can’t go wrong with the middle of the road.
38˚
The 38˚ plate was originally designed for boards with a wedged nose (Evo, Chinook, Caften etc). It is the most stable plate that Aera Trucks offers and gives you the most lean out of any baseplate possible. You’ll feel like your deck is at a 45˚ angle while turning and that your feet are stuck like glue to the deck. The 38˚ plate is a great plate for those who like immense stability or love the feeling of true “GANGSTER lean”. The 38˚ plate isn’t the best for freeride, but there is nothing better than going 75mph and not feeling a hint of instability.