Introduction: How to Cut Drop Through Truck Mounts on a Longboard
This is my first instructable, but im going to show you how to make drop through cut outs in your longboard deck. Im using Randal RII series truck. If you don't know the difference between drop though mount and top mount, top mount is where the board is mounted on top of the trucks, and drop though is where the deck is mounted on the bottom of the truck, and the truck goes through the deck. The benefits to drop mount are that it makes pushing easier because you aren't as high off the ground. Also it makes for a lower center of gravity.
Step 1: Draw the Cut Out
I have Randal II trucks and on their website you can download a PDF file of the template for the drop through cut out.
The first step is to print out the template and cut out the cut out section, align the holes with the holes on your deck, then draw the template on the deck. I held the template in place by putting the bolts through the template and the deck.
Step 2: Get Your Tools
Next, you want to gather all your tools. You dont have to use the tools i used, but these are them:
a hole saw bit that fits the templates dimensions
a wood bore bit
an angle grinder
a few different drill bits
and a file
Step 3: Cut Your Fist Hole
Use the hole saw bit to drill a hole that is as wide as the template toward the nose of the board. (The long stretched hole was already there on my deck)
Step 4: Cut Out the Rectangle
With the angle grinder cut 2 lines towards the center of the board. The cut a line perpendicular to those that will make the notches on the side.
Step 5: Make the End Square
Drill with the wood bore a hole through that makes the end of the cut out. Then drill with the drill bit 2 holes they will make the corners of the hole. Then punch out the cut out. It looks kind of messy but you clean it up with the file in the next step.
Step 6: File It and Make It Nice
Using the file, file the edges and make the lines straight, dont forget to file the notches on the side. Take your base plate and test fit it every so often, filing a little more off every time till it fits tight.
Step 7: Mount the Base Plate
The last step is to mount the baseplate! Make sure to put washers where the nuts touch the deck so they don't damage it. Repeat all the steps to the other side and you are set!
