I have forgotten a lot...

These are my specs:

Snyder Advantage plates / Riedell 220 boots / Bones Super Elite 62 mm wheels / Bones Swiss 7mm bearings / Suregrip purple cushions

I built these skates 8-9 years ago, and used them less than a dozen times. Then I broke my right foot in a non-skating accident. Lots of extenuating circumstances, but I did not use them again until now, and I'd like to. I tried 'em briefly last week, and the trucks were so loose that I couldn't really go where I wanted.

I brought them home, and decided to clean the bearings, and reset everything. The trucks had a great deal of motion, and I could compress the cushions by hand. I bought new cushions, and I will try them (although this was one of the things I had forgotten, and I bought Snyder green cushions, the closest thing they have to rocks...)

My question is really pretty basic, sigh. What is the ordered process for remounting these trucks?

1. I seem to remember from 50 years ago (I had a Century 800 skate, I think) that I needed to turn left (compressing the cushion a bit) the bolt numbered 3 in the accompanying illustration as the first step. I don't find that in any information I have seen now, and I think perhaps I'm simply misremembering -- or was misinformed at the time.

2. I think the next step is to get the pivot pin so that it is in contact with the cup, but just barely, then lock it in place. With the green cushions, even my large hands have difficulty determining the right placement, but I will deal with that (perhaps adjusting the pivot pin with the purple cushions temporarily in place), if you can tell me that I have the right process (extend the pin a bit at a time, checking to see if I can move the truck/pin toward the plate, then locking the pivot pin in place when I find I cannot.)

Finally, I have two pictures that show 2 problems I have found, neither of which I can explain. The most likely explanation is operator (me) error, though.

The first problem is in the picture titled 'deformed'. The molt which goes all the way down the king pin to the plate looks, well, deformed.

The second problem is that I have a cracked truck. After using it only 10 times. If you, Doc, or anyone else has any idea how I might have done that (so I can avoid doing it again), I will have to replace this truck I guess. Sigh.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. It seems like it should be easier to describe, and to avoid!

Dave Kelsen