How & Why RWM’s Wheels Work

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Selecting a wheel might sound easy enough, but once you actually get started, it can be a daunting process. At RWM Casters, we manufacture a wide range of wheels for all types of industries and applications. With so many choices, we’re bound to have the right wheel for your needs. The tricky part comes when you try to determine which wheel is best for you. Fortunately, our team is here to help! We’ve put together this guide that explains how our wheels work and what you should consider when selecting them.

Wheel Size

The right wheel size is vital for safety, durability, and efficiency. The right wheel will perform the required task effectively within a given work environment without jeopardizing the safety of personnel or the load itself.

The size of caster wheels can be broken down into diameter (one end to the opposite end) and width (how wide). These two measurements will influence the wheel’s performance in many ways, including:

Load rating: The larger the width and diameter, the greater the load rating. A smaller width and diameter might result in a load rating of 50 pounds or less, while a larger measurement can create a wheel with a load rating of 500 pounds or greater.

Clearance: Smaller casters have greater clearance than larger casters because the cart, object, etc., will sit lower.

Ease of rolling: It’s simple physics that the larger the caster, the easier it is to roll. This makes larger wheels ideal for heavier loads and loads transported over uneven flooring, such as loading docks, warehouses, parking areas, etc.

Weight Capacity

In addition to the size of the caster, the type of material used to build the caster will significantly influence weight capacity and performance. At RWM, we offer a broad range of materials, including:

Metal: Depending on construction and size, cast iron wheels have weight ratings of between 300 and 10,000 pounds. Forged steel wheels can handle anywhere from 1,400 pounds. up to 20,000 pounds. V-Groove wheels made from high-strength cast iron have a capacity of between 700 pounds to 15,000 pounds. Finally, machined steel wheels have weight ratings of up to 20,000 pounds.
Polyurethane: Polyurethane wheels come in a wide range of styles and ratings. Solid urethane wheels have weight ratings of between 500 and 3,000 pounds, while urethane on iron wheels can handle up to 9,000 pounds. When it comes to urethane wheels, thicker wheels can handle more weight, as with our ultra-thick urethane wheels, which are rated for up to 10,300 pounds.
Rubber: Rubber wheels are much like polyurethane wheels in that the material choice and thickness significantly influence weight rating. Our ESD rubber wheels are rated for up to 350 pounds, while our pneumatic wheels are rated for up to 3,630 pounds. We also offer mold-on rubber wheels rated up to 2,800 pounds, soft rubber wheels rated up to 200 pounds, hard rubber wheels rated to 260 pounds, as well as elastomeric high tensile rubber wheels and elastomeric non-marking wheels rated to 2,280 pounds.
Nylon/plastic/phenolic: Our polyolefin wheels are rated up to 800 pounds. High-temperature nylon wheels are rated to 1,200 pounds. Our pinnacle thermoplastic wheels are rated up to 1,400 pounds. By comparison, our Ergo GT elastomer wheels are rated at 3,400 pounds, the Durastan phenolic wheels are rated at 8,000 pounds, and the Ultron wheel is rated at 16,500 pounds.

Other Wheel Features

The features you add to each caster are as vital as size and material choice on weight capacity, rollability, and wheel clearance. These other features will also influence noise, shock absorption, and other factors. Common features to consider are mounting plate size, mounting bolt diameter, bolt hole spacing, axle size and construction, lubrication fittings, and finish.

Perhaps the most important features include:

Brakes: Choosing face contact brakes, side action brakes, side wheel brakes, wrap-around wheel brakes, etc., will significantly influence braking power. We offer 16 different types of brakes.

Bearings: We offer a broad range of bearings that will influence rolling action. These include:

At RWM, we offer a top-quality selection of specialized wheels that are designed to deliver exceptional durability and performance, including:

Torus wheels may not be the go-to for high-temperature or high-weight applications, but they offer excellent ergonomics, noise reduction, and floor protection.

Omega wheels are resilient and designed to roll over metal chips and floor debris without picking them up.

RWM Casters Signature™ Premium Wheel is engineered with a lightweight, reinforced nylon core and a high-strength rubber tread. This unique design offers the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any wheel in the industry and provides noise reduction and floor protection.