Trolley wheels, often called castor wheels, are weight-carrying wheels designed to be mounted on trolleys for carrying or moving various materials from one place to another in multiple industrial, commercial, and domestic settings. These durable wheels are used with axles/castors to create movable units, allowing maximum tensile strength. Depending on the applications and materials, they provide high corrosion and rust resistance with high weight-bearing capacities. Moreover, a smooth-running trolley wheel comes in varied sizes, colours, and hub-bearing types to support and aid the movement of heavy objects for multiple application needs. Additionally, the trolley’s wheels are designed to provide smooth movements without making noise and last for an extended life span.
Special Features and Benefits of Trolley Wheels
Trolley wheels offer a great range of benefits and unique features, such as:
- Easy Installation: They are easy to install.
- Durable: Made from supreme-quality materials with long service life.
- Noise Reduction: Provide smoother and quieter movement even on uneven surfaces.
- Economical: Cost-effective and robust designs.
- Mobility: Swivel 360 degrees, providing excellent mobility and maneuverability, allowing easy movement of heavy or bulky objects.
- Multiple Options: Available in various colours, materials, load capacities, attachment methods, and dimensions.
- Resistance Features: Corrosion-, wear-, chemicals-, and rust-resistant.
- Robust Load Capacity: Bear heavy or oversized weights.
- Ergonomic Benefits: Help reduce the physical strain on workers by making it easier to move heavy objects, improving ergonomics in workplaces.
Popular Types of Trolley Wheels
Trolley wheels come in various types based on their materials, including polyurethane wheels, rubber wheels, nylon wheels, steel wheels, pneumatic wheels, heat-resistant wheels, tread locking wheels, anti-static wheels, and cast-iron wheels. They are also classified into the following types based on their attachment or locking mechanism:
- Fixed Castors – These castor wheels do not swivel and are set in one direction. Fixed trolley wheels provide robust stability but offer limited maneuverability.
- Swivel Casters – Swivel trolley wheels can rotate 360 degrees, allowing easy maneuvering in any direction. They are commonly used on the front of carts for improved steering.
- Locking Casters – Locking trolley wheels come with a locking mechanism that can be engaged to prevent the trolley from moving. This feature is useful for stability when needed.
Trolley and a Castor Wheel: The Basic Difference
The castor wheels and trolley wheels are often confused terms for many people and used together; however, they are separate elements with a clear difference, especially in design. A round trolley wheel is attached to a range of objects for linear motions, whereas a castor (or caster) is a housing with the wheel and brackets attached designed to rotate/swivel objects and wheels.
Typical Applications of Trolley Wheels
Trolley wheels mount on trolleys and comprise elastic and crack-proof hubs and tyres that carry heavy loads/items in various environments such as shops, warehouses, hospitals, malls, homes, workshops, industries, airports, and garages. They can be attached to multiple wheeled or transport devices requiring effective motions, such as:
- Furniture
- Cars
- Carts and Trolleys
- Medical Equipment (Hospital Beds, Stands, and Carts)
- Shopping Carts
- Mobile Appliances (Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Ovens, etc.)
- Luggage Bags.