Industrial wheels endure tremendous loads and punishment as the critical mobility components on material handling equipment, carts, and machinery. But excessive wear, impact damage or changing operational requirements eventually means wheel replacement. Being able to identify the signs of declining performance helps avoid unplanned downtime or potential accidents related to sudden wheel failures.
- Vibration/Noise Increase. As tread contacts deteriorate from debris or develop flat spots and cracks, excessive vibration occurs during rolling. This vibrational increase stresses equipment and signals reduced load safety.
- Visible Defects. Polyurethane and rubber wheels experience gradual tearing of tread contacts leading to chunking loss over time. Visible missing sections or uneven wearing exposes the internal wheel construction threatening smooth function. Debris or moisture can get inside and deteriorate the wheel even quicker.
- Looseness Develops. Wheels secured to axles via press fits, tapered bores or set screws loosen over tens of thousands of loading cycles. Eventually significant looseness develops indicating the wheel can disengage entirely. Even minor looseness should be addressed promptly.
- Size Changes. If industrial wheels exhibit noticeable increases or irregularities in rolling diameters from extended use, this alters floor clearance expectations designed into the equipment. Transport and mobility challenges result.
Rely on our experts at Heavy Duty Casters to recommend when upgrading old industrial wheels to new components makes operational sense, and which styles optimize your unique equipment parameters. Don’t settle for lackluster mobility or wait for complete failures. Keep your material handling equipment rolling smoothly with our quality wheel inspection, replacements, and upgrades. Contact us today, we ship nationwide.