Fixed caster, bolt hole, wheel diameter 50 mm, overall height 8 mm, PP hub with soft TPE tread, 40 kg load capacity

A glide with a diameter of 50 mm and a soft TPE tread, built for furniture and fittings that have to be movable without the floor taking a beating. The hub is molded in polypropylene (PP) and the tread in a thermoplastic elastomer with a hardness of 85° Shore A; soft enough to roll quietly over tile and parquet, but firm enough not to be pressed out of shape under a bookcase that stands still for months.

Technically the wheel carries 40 kg at 4 km/h. The tread width is 18 mm and the mounting is via a 6 mm bolt hole, which suits a through bolt up to that dimension. The fixed bracket is made from 3 mm sheet steel with a silver finish, the fork width is 22 mm and the offset is 30.5 mm. The overall height is given as 8 mm, a dimension that makes the wheel relevant where the gap between furniture and floor is minimal. The whole wheel weighs 0.13 kg and the temperature range runs from -20 °C to +50 °C, so indoor environments and cold stores but not spaces close to heat sources.

The bearing is of the screw type, a plain bearing without ball bearings. That sounds simple, and that is the point: fewer parts that can act up, no lubrication to maintain and an even roll through the short movements a furniture caster actually makes. Ball bearings only earn their keep when the wheel rolls long distances at higher speed; under an armchair, a bed base or a drawer unit the plain bearing is the rational choice.

TPE as a tread material deserves a comment. The material combines the grip and damping of rubber with the dimensional stability of a thermoplastic, and in practice that shows as a tread that leaves no marks behind and that takes up small unevenness in the floor instead of rattling over it. Compared with hard plastic wheels, the soft tread spreads the pressure over a larger contact area, and that is exactly what protects parquet, linoleum and lacquered wood floors. The PP hub in turn is light, dimensionally stable and insensitive to moisture, so the wheel takes wet mopping of the floor without damage.

The applications are first of all furniture and fittings: office modules, TV benches, retail displays, storage systems and equipment cabinets that get moved now and then. In a lighter workshop environment the wheel works under drawer units and smaller stands, as long as the load stays within the load capacity and the environment is dry and at room temperature. The gray color of the tread blends in under most furniture and does not draw the eye; in representative environments such as showrooms and open plan offices that is a detail that matters more than you first think. And should the wheel end up in an environment with daily spills or chemicals, it is time to look at other tread materials; TPE is made for dry indoor floors.

A few practical tips. The load capacity applies per wheel; a piece of furniture on four wheels carries four times the figure in theory, but the load distribution is rarely even, so size for the most heavily loaded wheel. If the furniture stands still for a long time a soft tread can get a temporary flat spot; it normally rolls out after a short period of use. And since the bracket is fixed the wheel only rolls straight ahead; combine it with swivel casters at one end if the furniture has to be steerable. Full dimensions and a drawing are in the manufacturer's data sheet.

Not sure whether the TPE tread suits your floor or your load? Get in touch with us and we will help you choose the right one.