Transport wheels

Portability is necessary for a modern work environment. From industrial trucks to cordless tools, the ability to transport various goods makes the transfer of items easy and makes it safer. Now, this notion becomes even more imperative to implement when you’re building huge DIY projects on your own. However, to achieve such mobility, you must have the right type of castors or transport wheels. But, just like any other product, you’ll find them in different types, models, sizes, and materials. In this post, we look at them in detail and also give you a few insightful tips to buy castor wheels online in UAE in a hassle-free manner. So, read on!

First things first, let’s begin by defining this tool. Transport wheels or castor wheels are a kind of un-driven trundles. You often place them at the rear end of an object such as a vehicle. This facilitates its movement. Today, you’ll find these transport wheels in diverse applications such as workplace seats, medical facility beds, and carts. Better yet, several types of castor wheels work best for different applications. For instance, a heavy-duty castor wheel works best in various industrial applications like trucks, assemblies, and carts. Similarly, there is a separate castor wheel for furniture and more. Now that you have a subtle idea about the castors and where you can use them, it’s now time to shop. Or is it? Well, there are a few more things you ought to know and understand their types in detail to achieve a successful purchase. Let’s take a look at that next!

The different types of transport wheels for your various DIY projects

Before we delve into the types, let’s take a peek at their humble beginnings. The history of the castor wheel dates back to 3500BC. It is in this era where the potters’ wheels were designed from a chunk of rounded wood. David Fisher is believed to be the inventor of the antique castor wheels. The invention was fostered by Fisher’s exploration of a tool that had the aptitude to move equipment, tools, and furniture from one pace to another without causing damage. He developed a crude device with the capacity of transmitting heavy objects safely and easily in 1876. The device encompassed a glass roller and leather pulleys which helped save medical expenses incurred by workers obligated to carry heavy objects on their backs. Today, you’ll see a wide range of castor wheels in the market with distinctive features. Let’s check out a few best ones in detail.

The swivel castors

This is one of the most common varieties of transport wheels. Seibert Chesnutt facilitated its invention in 1920. Swivel castors consist of a wheel that’s often fixed to a fork by a joint that performs a 360° rotation. The fork enables the wheel to rotate in all directions. This, in turn, facilitates the movement of a track to diverse directions without altering its orientation. A swivel castor may be attached to the handle that permits the user to set the required orientation manually. The castor comprises an offset space from the central point of the wheel to the accompanying shaft. For instance, when you push this castor wheel, the offset distance forces the device to move around the central point.

The braking and lockable castors

The braking and lockable castors encompass a special feature that averts the wheel from turning in the wrong direction. The devices have a clamp that pushes a brake cam on the device. These castor wheels allow one to lock and brake the device without engaging individual mechanisms on each device. The process is completed by using a central lock mechanism employed by a rotating ring in each device. This occurs on the upper side of the wheel, which pushes down the brake to prevent both the castor and swivel from turning. Through its braking and locking mechanism, castor wheels easily and safely make all equipment moveable.

The forged steel, ductile steel, or stainless steel castors

With a sturdy built, you can use these wheels when loads are too great for floor protective wheels. Similarly, you can also utilise them in cases where floor protection is not an issue. Thanks to their solid, unbreakable structure, they easily absorb shock and impact without failure. Besides, they can also withstand very high temperatures. However, compared to ductile steel, the forged steel wheels offer greater load capacity. Moreover, they also display more impact strength and rolling ability. The wheels work best on concrete and smooth steel surfaces. Do get them if you’re looking out for ideal castor wheels for a trolley.

The hard rubber castors

Hard rubber transport wheels are a great addition to your projects, particularly when you want a castor wheel for an office chair that’ll be mostly on a carpet or floor. The one-piece moulded construction makes it a unique and sturdy wheel. You usually find them in black or grey colour. Well, thanks to their sturdy structure, they have a much higher load capacity than the others in the line. The hard rubbers do not flatten easily while sitting under loads. Moreover, they also offer easy rolling ability and great durability. But, remember, hard rubber caster wheels aren’t great with chemicals, oils, grease, solvent and other cleaning agents.