Axle extenders old and new.
I was checking out plastic skateboards on eBay and I found this old GT that someone was auctioning. These things are a dime a dozen, but this one had axle extenders on them. The auction was very matter of fact about the phenomenon, as if it was commonplace. So I tried to research them and didn’t find anything about vintage axle extenders, only new ones for sale at Surf Rodz. Not only can you get them in differnt lengts, but you can get them in a larger axle size that in turn requires non-standard bearings, spacers and washers. I’m not sure what the point of that is, maybe someone can enlighten me.
Anyway, these GT boards are some of the best plastic boards they made.
I had a pair of these in the late ’70s. The extra length enabled my light ass to bend my axles through the miracle of leverage. Ruined trucks, wheels worn funny. At least it forced me to upgrade my gear. I think there’s a Grentec Coyote in my basement right now.
The GT Spoiler.
I first started riding transitions and pools on one of those.
They are about half as long as todays skateboards. Does anyone have a blue one like this for sell?
I put some ACS 650s on my old Sitco Rocket and it looked very similar to this.
The GT Spoiler was my first board with urethane wheels. Still have it. Even after I got a longer wood board, I would use the GT to spin 360’s cause it was so short. Those axle extenders give it an even more freakish look. Seems like a really strange thing to do to that board, except that it gives it a kind of hot-rod feel. Kind of…
Bennet came out with something like this called Ad-Trac or similar to try and keep up with Tracker’s wider hangers.
The larger axles on the surf rodz are for big downhill cats that are bending standard 8mm axles… more beef just equals more strength… i’m 210lbs and big slides at high speeds have done some damage to the trueness of my 8mm axles…
Wasn’t Ad-Trak just longer axles with spacers included?
I admit, I had the axle extenders too. I don’t remember specifically buying them and even at the time they were a joke. I think you could get them for both loose-ball or sealed bearings. Couple trips up and down the sidewalk and your axles were bent.
They probably came up with them for two resons; keeping up with wider trucks evolution and I think this was also at the tail end of the hot-rod era of skateboards… the big wheels in the back (Pool Rats) and little wheels in the front on your banana board. Shit had to look cooler than it functioned.
Figuring out that you could buy adhesive backed non-skid patches (grip tape) at the hardware store so your feet wouldn’t slip, now that was the real break through.
Around ’86/’87,a guy in school came up with his homemade board and the then exotic Indy 215’s.We thought those were pretty wide.
Down hill kids like to run bigger bearings for more speed that would be why. 10 mil?
“Wasn
my first love ,
i think this model was the firts one i rode.
somewhere around ’76
I see Wayne from SurfRodz is the new Gesmer. Kilwag, if you want an SnA exclusive interview, just say the word …
I found an old EarthSki with extenders on the the Bennetts. Pretty weird, as I had never seen such a thing. I took ’em off, to shed that “monster” look.
the REAL reason behind the 10mm larger axles, opposed to the regular 8mm axle is that the Surf Rodz axle axtension must fit over the original axle thus it has to b wider for the other one to fit.
larger bearings does nothing for speed and the uncommon 10mm bearing size is a pain in the ass for everyone to find parts too.
i had axle extenders tht went over like tht but the first time i rode it one of the sides snaped wen i hit a small rock but the poeple knew about it and wouldnt refund me of my money wat should i do now im out of money and extenders
i have my dads old gt coyote and im trying to fix it bt its falling apart or welding itself together how would i put new bearings in if uve got answers email me g8rb82@yahoo.com thnx.