Skate Hardware — the €8 part that ruins your €200 setup

You dropped 200 bucks on an Anti Hero deck, 144 Indys, and 99a Formula Fours. All that setup rests on 8 screws. And you picked them at random at Décat next to the bike section. Let’s talk.

⏱ Reading 5 min

The invisible part everyone neglects

Nobody writes about hardware. No hype drops, no Supreme collabs, no Thrasher cover. It’s eight black metal bits you toss into the cart at checkout without thinking.

Except hardware is what keeps your truck glued to your deck when you land a nollie heelflip down a ten. A screw that loosens mid-line means your truck pivots, your tail kicks into thin air, and you end up face-planting in front of three guys filming. It’s happened to you, at some point. It happens to everyone.

The problem is, crappy hardware doesn’t break all at once. It slowly loosens. It eats away at the wood around the holes. It eventually strips because low-end Phillips heads round out after three disassemblies. And you’re left with a €200 setup stuck because of a €1 screw you can’t remove without a drill.

The size — 4 lengths for 4 setups

All skateboarding hardware is sold in packs of 8 screws (4 per truck) with matching nylock nuts. The only real choice is length. And it’s simpler than what forums want you to believe.

7/8 inch — pure street setup, no riser

The minimum size that does the job. Truck mounted directly on the deck, nut just barely sticking out enough to screw. Ideal for those who want a low-rider, close-to-the-wood setup, Koston-style in 2003. If you use 50-52 mm wheels without a riser, this is your size.

1 inch — the universal standard

If you’re unsure, get this. 1 inch gives you 2-3 mm of wiggle room to add a thin riser if you put one on later. It’s what 80% of skate shops sell in packs, it’s what pros use as a default setup. Compatible with almost all modern street setups.

1 1/4 inch — thick riser or 56+ mm wheels

As soon as you add a 1/8 or 1/4 inch riser to gain ground clearance, or if you ride 56-58 mm for transition, switch to 1 1/4. Otherwise, your nut won’t bite enough on the threads, and you risk the screw ripping out on the first big landing.

1 1/2 inch and up — cruisers, longboards, surfskates

For setups with large shock pad risers, Penny decks, longboards, or high-volume cruisers. It’s rare in street skateboarding, but if you’ve switched to a cruiser for grocery runs, you need this.

To go further on choosing your Independent, Thunder, or Venture trucks, we’ve detailed everything in another guide. And if you’re tackling a full build, first read our perfect beginner setup guide.

Allen or Phillips — the false debate

You’ll find ten forums telling you « Allen is better, Phillips is old school. » You’ll find ten others saying the opposite. The truth is two lines long.

Phillips (crosshead): tightens with any screwdriver you find at your mom’s. More forgiving if you tighten like a brute (it « cams out, » it slips before breaking). Vintage look that perfectly matches a Powell reissue setup or an 80s shaped deck. Downside: the head rounds out after a few disassemblies, especially on no-name packs.

Allen (hex socket): requires an Allen key, found on all modern skate tools (like the basic T-tool). The head wears much less. Better for those who often disassemble their setup. Cleaner, more tech, more 2026 look.

If you disassemble your setup twice a year to change a truck, go Phillips. If you change your wheels every six weeks because you skate raw concrete and eat grip tape like bread, go Allen. There. End of debate.

The 3 packs worth it in 2026

We scoured Amazon.fr and French skate shops for two days. Here’s what stands out, from cheapest to pro. No mercy for no-name brands.

The 30-second check that saves your setup

Once a month, pull out your skate tool and check all 8 screws. Not to tighten them like a brute, just to make sure none have come loose. If you find one that spins freely or sticks out 1 mm more, change it. Don’t re-tighten, change it.

Why change rather than re-tighten? Because a screw that has come loose has already eaten away at the wood around the hole. The nylock nut’s threads are worn. You can re-tighten it three times, but on the fourth, it’ll pop out mid-session. And then you’ll take a slam on the rough granite of Trocadéro on a Sunday afternoon.

A full set of hardware for €12 every 12 months. That’s cheaper than a Starbucks coffee a month. It’s the most cost-effective part of your setup.