From Slick Willie's: ->How Independent Trucks Have Evolved Jay Shuirman's innovative truck design with independent wheel suspension gave a superior performance compared to the skateboard trucks of the late 1970s. It improved upon the steering of Tracker and was far more resilient than Bennett. As a direct rival to Gullwing, the new company was reputed to combine many more essential qualities. Each Independent design is identified by Roman numerals. Stage I - 1978 The brand-new Independent design was launched in July 1978. It was initially available in two sizes; the 88 millimetre and the 109 millimetre. Additional sizes were released during the following months. The silver truck was manufactured from T6, a superior aluminium alloy used in the aircraft industry. The axles were of a steel alloy (SAE 4130) that provided high tensile strength. The t-hanger profile included a kingpin with integrated top nut for easy adjustment. Stage II - 1979 The second stage was launched in May 1979 in extra wide sizes of 151 millimetres and 169 millimetres. Base plates were reinforced to strengthen the area around the axles as the kingpins could be removed. The result was more speed and less drag. Stage III - 1982 The hanger surrounding the pivot and yoke was reinforced and increased in width. Stage IV - 1984 The features of the design were further elaborated upon and included a much smoother yoke. The 159 millimetre and 215 millimetres trucks were released in February and March respectively. Stage V - 1986 Inspired by ideas from Lance Mountain and Steve Caballero, Independent's latest skateboard truck included a hollow section beneath the hanger and balanced by an additional wing. In a sudden departure from all silver, the anodised aluminium trucks were now available from 1988 in maroon, blue, purple, gold and black. Stage VI - 1991 The design evolved again with less metal at the top of the hanger and additional bulk added to the pivot housing, which was now black. Stage VII - 1993 The Independent was radically altered to include six holes in the base plate. Their purpose was to lessen the wear on the truck's bolts. The pivot housing was reinforced while the hanger top was once again reduced. Two years later, the 136 millimetre size was released. Stage VIII - 1997 Independent's cross logo was added to the new base plate which still followed the six-hole design. However, the inverted kingpin was no longer included. Stage IX - 2003 A new design, the first to be developed by computerisation, introduced additional features. The base plate and hanger were reduced in weight while retaining their reliability and strength. The axles were made of 4140 chromoly steel, which contained manganese and molybdenum. Improved speed was attained by precision engineering and a smaller thread length on the axles. Some skateboarders felt the design didn't turn as efficiently as previous stages. Stage X - 2009 The baseplate was increased in depth. However, the balance when turning remained indifferent. Stage XI - 2012 The company returned to the popular designs of stages V to VII. Consequently, the kingpin angles, the pivot and the truck's height of 55 millimetres were reintroduced. ->Alliance of Ermico Enterprise, NHS and Santa Cruz... Bennett, Tracker and Gullwing had all made innovative contributions to skateboard truck design, but none of them provided a complete solution. Around 1975, Ermico Enterprises was formed by Eric Swenson and Fausto Vitello with the sole purpose of creating the ultimate truck. They enlisted John Solomine to help with design and borrowed manufacturing equipment for their premises in San Francisco. They exceeded expectations by overdeveloping the trucking system, known as the Stroker. Vitello later recalled "...that the truck turned too much, it had too many springs." The system needed dampeners to modify it, but Vitello continued, "Although we tried to put dampeners inside the truck, there was no space." Ermico's next prototype, distributed by NHS, was the Rebound Truck. It was highly adjustable due to incorporating two kingpins. Meanwhile, the skateboarder, John Hutson, was analysing the merits of different trucks. Richard Novak and Jay Shuirman of NHS developed Hutson's idea of a truck with independent wheel suspension. They approached Ermico to manufacture Shuirman's meticulous design. They joined forces to create a new company based in Santa Cruz called Independent Trucks. The Independent brand finally launched in 1978. Sadly, Shuirman never witnessed the success of his innovative design as in 1979, he died of leukaemia.