Pneumatic wheel with steel hub

Pneumatic caster in a fixed bracket with sheet steel hub

This is a pneumatic caster in a fixed bracket with a tread in air filled rubber and a hub in sheet steel, built for heavy transport on uneven ground where both the goods and the driver need to be spared from shaking. The tread is a pneumatic tire with a hardness around 65 degrees Shore A. The air carries the load like a spring and the tire beds in shocks, so vibration and blows from gravel and thresholds are damped before they reach the cart.

How a pneumatic tire behaves in operation follows the surface. Out on gravel, grass and packed soil the tire forms itself to the ground and rolls easily over unevenness without binding. On a hard and level floor indoors the rolling resistance is higher instead, since more of the tire lies against the floor and deforms with every revolution. So you choose pneumatic rubber for terrain and rough ground, not for clean hall floors. The right air pressure is decisive; a slack tire rolls heavily and wears unevenly.

A comparison makes the difference clear. A solid wheel in hard polyurethane takes a high load on level ground and rolls easily there, but it sends every bump straight up into the frame. This pneumatic caster trades some rolling resistance on a smooth floor for the ability to swallow shocks in terrain. If the load is to be run outdoors on uneven ground, the pneumatic tire is the gentle choice.

The hub in sheet steel is pressed and stiff and holds the tire centered under heavy load. The series comes with double ball bearings or a roller bearing. Double ball bearings spread the load over two rows of balls and give an even run under heavier weight, while a roller bearing takes up high radial load at the coarser dimensions. Together they let the series carry up to 1320 kg per wheel in the largest versions.

The wheels come in diameters from 210 to 540 mm, a broad span. A larger diameter rolls considerably more easily over obstacles and lowers the rolling resistance, which is clearly noticeable on heavy loads, while a smaller one keeps the overall height down. The wheel sits in a fixed bracket and rolls straight ahead, which gives directional stability and suits fixed wheel positions on an underframe or at the front of a cart.

Where does it fit? Pneumatic casters with a fixed bracket and a steel hub sit under heavy transport carts, tow carts, farm carts and material trolleys that are run on asphalt, gravel and unpaved ground. The high load capacity and the springy tire make the combination useful in construction, in warehouses with outdoor areas and for transport between inside and out.

Think about the operating environment. Pneumatic tires take wet and normal outdoor temperatures but need the right pressure to carry a full load, and they can be punctured by nails and sharp edges just like other tires. Check the pressure regularly, especially before heavy lifts; a correctly inflated tire carries better, rolls more easily and lasts longer.

Do you want to know which diameter and load capacity suits your cart and your ground? Get in touch and we will go through the load, the surface and the air pressure together.