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Learning more about the different wheels you can use (such as V-Groove, Flanged Casters, Forged Steel or Poly) with your heavy-duty steel casters can help you make safer and more productive decisions. While steel casters are the foundation that ultimately bears the weight of heavy loads, the wheels have a lot to do with safety and productivity, too. Here’s what you need to know about the different types of wheels available.

V-Groove Wheels

V-Groove wheels offer roller, tapered, or plain bearings that can withstand temperatures of up to 800 degrees. They have 90-degree grooves machined into the wheels along with relief grooves that accurately direct the load when the wheel is in use. These wheels are designed to be used with tracks, but they can also be used on flat surfaces without damaging them. They’re strong and one of the best choices available for heavy loads.

Flanged Wheels

Flanged caster wheels come with roller or tapered bearings, and they can also withstand temperatures of up to 800 degrees. These heavy-duty flanged casters were designed specifically for use on steel tracks to help reduce the amount of effort that goes into guidance and rolling. Their cast iron construction guarantees a long life, and they come in various bore sizes that will allow you to use them with different bearings and keyways.

Forged Steel Wheels

You can use roller, tapered, plain, or even Teflon bearings with forged steel wheels, and again, they withstand temperatures of up to 800 degrees. With a capacity of up to 20,000lbs per caster, they have incredible ductility and tensile strength. Their load capacity is mirrored with outstanding impact strength and rollability, and they are ideal in a variety of different settings.

Premium Cast Iron Wheels

These wheels have heavy cross-section castings to make them perfect for heavy-duty use, and they are also abrasion-resistant. Much like forged steel wheels, these were designed with heavy loads in mind and can support 15,000 pounds per wheel. You can use these with precision tapered bearings and they can withstand a great deal of heat, as well. The rounded edges are precisely machined to finished tolerances.

Phenolic Resin Wheels

These can be used with precision ball, tapered, and straight roller bearings, and they’re excellent for applications like platform trucks and waste bins with their 8000lb capacity. The phenolic resin caster wheels can be used continuously in temperatures of up to 450 degrees and intermittently as high as 500 degrees. They are available in laminated, standard black, and high temperature variations to suit your needs.

Polyurethane Wheels

Polyurethane wheels are some of the most ergonomic on the market and provide less resistance than all other wheels. The precision sealed ball bearings require no maintenance and lubrication, and are ideal in many applications, including towing at up to 5mph. They come in various styles, including round tread, standard profile, and high profile, among others, so you’re sure to find something that suits your needs.

Other options for more specific applications include Nytec, keyway, a and mold-on rubber wheels, each of which have their ideal uses.