What types of bearings are available?

Choosing the right bearings for your caster wheels is crucial for ensuring smooth operation, longevity, and overall performance. High-quality bearings reduce friction, allowing the wheels to roll more easily and with less effort, which can significantly enhance manoeuvrability, especially under heavy loads. This not only minimizes wear and tear on the wheels and the surfaces they move across but also reduces the physical strain on users, improving safety and efficiency in the workplace. Additionally, appropriate bearings can withstand different environmental conditions, such as moisture or extreme temperatures, further extending the life of the caster wheels and reducing maintenance costs over time.

Plain Bore

Designed as part of the wheel or as a nylon bush inserted into the wheel to run directly on a shaft or axle. This is the simplest bearing design with no internal moving components. They are, mostly maintenance-free and, depending on the material properties, also corrosion-resistant. Reduced requirement for grease or lubricants, they perform well in wheels on light-duty equipment that is moved at low velocity over short distances.

Needle Roller Bearings

These bearings consist of a steel or synthetic cage that holds a series of tapered steel rollers (needles). The rollers roll between the axle and the wheel hub, causing rolling friction rather than dynamic friction. Even under heavy loads, the wheel’s rolling resistance is relatively low, making them ideal for high-speed and power-towed applications. The bearings are lubricated with a long-life grease and should be maintenance-free if used for standard applications.

Ball Bearings

Precision steel balls encapsulated in a steel cage reduce the friction between the wheel and axle of the shaft, and they are best suited for very high loads and offer superior rolling characteristics, even at high speeds. They provide superior corrosion, temperature, and chemical resistance and are ideal for Indoor, outdoor and heavy-duty applications.

With decades of experience, our specialists are experts in advising and specifying top-quality castor solutions. Don’t hesitate to reach out and speak to an advisor today.