Polyurethane wheels have many uses in commercial, industrial and food services application because of their durability, resiliency and the ability to provide a smooth ride on many surfaces. Some industrial polyurethane wheels can resist salt water, chemicals, oil and grease. They handle heavy load capacities and can operate in harsh environments. Typically, many manufacturers offer polyurethane wheel and caster assemblies for installation on industrial and commercial equipment that move heavy loads.

There are certain specifications that are important when choosing industrial polyurethane wheels. Some of these are load capacity, operating temperature, diameter, width and bearing size. Polyurethane wheels are available in either idler or drive style and with metal or plastic hubs. Some other factors to review when buying polyurethane wheels are:

1. Consider that polyurethane wheels and casters are available in a wide array of sizes, material types and capacities. You may need technical assistance or information about polyurethane wheels or casters to get the right fit for your business.

2. Compare different types of polyurethane wheels when you require increased capacity.

3. Find the right custom or specialty polyurethane wheel for your specific applications.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for sellers of polyurethane wheels and casters that provide quality customer assistance

Industrial and commercial polyurethane casters and wheels assemblies come in such countless styles and sizes that it can be hard to make the best selection for your business needs. Many polyurethane wheel suppliers offer good information, technical assistance and online support to make this task easier.

I recommend: Colson Caster Corporation offers a good selection of polyurethane wheels with different caster types and various capacities. They provide information on how to select casters and much more. Go to Caster City, Inc. for crowned tread or extra heavy-duty wheels and casters. The site also offers application tips, wheel comparison information and technical assistance. At Caster Concepts, Inc., you can find wheels with capacity ratings up to 10,500 lbs. and casters in different series for various load capacities; they provide a product configurator, technical documents and assistance as well.

Get the right industrial polyurethane wheels to move heavy loads

Sometimes, you may require heavy-duty wheels for high capacity load applications. In these circumstances, wheels with thicker treads, larger diameters and cast iron or forged steel centers may be necessary to get the job done.

I recommend: Go to Trew Industrial Wheels for polyurethane on heavy-duty iron or on dropped forged steel with capacities up to 7500 lbs. Choose poly on iron or forged steel at Hamilton Caster with capacities up to 9000 lbs. They also carry different poly wheel series designed for medium to heavy load. At The Revvo Caster Company, Inc., you can buy a poly on cast iron in various diameters and capacities from 175 lbs. to 14,740 lbs.

Locate custom polyurethane wheels for your business

It may be difficult to find the right polyurethane wheel for specific uses like OEM equipment, roller skates, skateboards, industrial vacuum cleaners or other design specifications (very small polyurethane wheels). Get unique business solutions by shopping from manufacturers that specialize in specific design applications.

I recommend: Sunray, Inc. specializes in custom designs and you can select from various wheel tread patterns, colors, diameters, small wheels and idler/drive wheels. They also provide a re-treading service for worn polyurethane parts and wheels. Go to Creative Urethanes, Inc. for custom roller skates and skateboard wheels. They can also provide custom solutions to fit other design needs. American Urethane, Inc. provides custom molded wheels for industrial cleaning equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It is best to choose polyurethane wheels and casters that have a higher capacity than the weight that you need to move.