Swivel bracket and pneumatic wheel, mounted with top plate, 400 kg

Pneumatic caster in a swivel bracket with sheet steel hub for heavy loads

This is a swivel caster with a large air-filled tire and a hub in sheet steel, dimensioned for really heavy moves on uneven ground. The tire has a hardness of 60 Shore A, that is a slightly softer rubber, and together with the air volume it gives running that springs away from shocks instead of passing them on into the goods. That property is what makes pneumatic wheels invaluable where the ground is not smooth.

The air cushion carries the load and shapes itself to the ground, and that shows both in the comfort and in how the wheel rolls. An air-filled tire has higher rolling resistance than a solid hard wheel, so more force is needed to set a heavy load in motion. The difference against a stiff wheel is clear on gravel and pitted asphalt: where a hard wheel shakes and bounces, the air-filled tire runs softly and grips better. A solid rubber wheel would damp somewhat, but nowhere near what a large air volume manages. The price is that you have to keep the air pressure right.

The sheet steel hub is pressed and stiff enough to carry these loads without deforming. The series comes in two bearing versions: ball bearings that give low friction and even running, and roller bearings that take up high radial load at the heaviest weights. The load capacity reaches up to 1300 kg per wheel, which places this series among the strongest pneumatic wheels and explains why the hub and the bearings are dimensioned the way they are.

The wheels come in diameters from 220 to 536 mm, a wide span. A larger diameter rolls considerably more easily over thresholds, cable channels and bumps and lowers the rolling resistance, which is valuable under high load. A smaller diameter keeps the overall height down. The wheel is mounted as a swivel caster with a top plate and four screw holes and swivels freely 360 degrees, so even a heavily loaded cart can be maneuvered. This version is supplied without a brake.

Where does it fit? Large pneumatic casters with a sheet steel hub sit under heavy transport carts, platform carts and material carts that are rolled across yards, loading docks and uneven industrial floors. They are common in construction, agriculture, ports and heavy industry, environments where the load is high and the ground is anything but smooth. The springy running protects delicate goods during transport.

Think about the operating environment. At loads this high the air pressure becomes decisive; an underinflated tire rolls very heavily, wears unevenly and can puncture under load. Check the pressure often and keep the tires away from sharp objects and spills. Pneumatic rubber handles wet conditions and normal temperatures well, but the tire is the wear part in a demanding environment.

Do you want to know which diameter and which bearing suit your load weight and your surface? Get in touch and we will work it out together.