Category: Lawn & Garden

Choosing Pneumatic Wheels For Casters

Pneumatic wheels have two major benefits over many other caster wheels. In addition, they come in a variety of sizes, styles, and tread patterns. Read on to find out if a pneumatic wheeled caster would be useful for your application!

The first major benefit of pneumatic caster wheels is that they offer a very cushioned ride. This is useful for applications that need protection from excess vibration, or travel over rough surfaces such as rocks, concrete, dirt, or grass.

The second major benefit is that pneumatic wheeled casters provide an extremely quiet ride even on uneven and rough surfaces.  This is helpful in any environment where noise is an issue.

A variety of options are available for pneumatic wheels. Choose selections for tube and tubeless depending on application. Multiple bearing types as well as bearing sizes allow for pneumatic wheels to be used on many caster frames. Tread styles also vary greatly, and include smooth, ribbed, diamond, sawtooth, and knobby tread patterns.

Call Service Caster at 1-800-215-8220 to find out if Pneumatic Wheel Casters are appropriate for your application.

 

Flat Free Foam Filled Tires

What are these flat free foam filled tires, and why use them? Let’s find out.

The flat free tire can be used in any situation a pneumatic tire could be used, such as garden cart wheels, wheelbarrel wheels, hand truck wheels, and caster wheels. The difference is that instead of being air filled, the tire is filled with a polyurethane foam matrix. The foam maintains the flexability, shock absorption, and easy movement of a pneumatic tire, but won’t deflate even if punctured.

Flat free tires are great for any application where there is a high likelihood of tire puncturing, such as a warehouse floor with metal shavings or staples, or for anyone who simply doesn’t want to have to worry about refilling a pneumatic tire. This feature does add to the cost of the tire.

Ask us at Service Caster about flat free foam filled tires today!

Caster and Wheel Bearings

A confusing term at times can be bearings in regards to their use in casters. Bearings are used in casters for both wheels and swivel heads, and here we will discuss both.

Wheel Bearings

Wheel bearings sit between the wheel and the axle, and provide a way for the wheel to easily spin on the axle. These bearings come in a number of different types, each with its own advantages.

Delrin bearings are inexpensive, and need no maintenance. They are a simple bushing made of Delrin, a plastic material. Delrin bearings work well in wet applications since they have no moving or metal parts that could corrode.

Roller bearings are best suited to low speed, manual operation with intermittent use. The roller bearing consists of a series of rollers arranged to sit on an axle and easily roll around it. Roller bearings can be solid or split caged. Split cage roller bearings do not handle side thrust as well as their solid counterpart, which is inserted into the wheel with a press. Roller bearings require regular maintenance.

Precision Bearings are a high quality ball bearing. These are excellent for applications that require high speed, quiet, and/or continuous operation. Precision bearings do not require regular maintenance to function properly. Semi-Precision bearings offer a less expensive, low speed and light duty option for those that still want quiet, maintenance free operation.

Tapered bearings are used on the heaviest duty casters. These bearings can handle high speeds and power driven application. Tapered bearings also handle side thrust well, and excel at continuous operation. They do require regular maintenance for good performance.

Please visit our caster wheel bearings page for images and additional information.

Swivel Head Bearings for Casters

Swivel Head bearings are typically ball bearings inside of a raceway. The swivel head assembly and its bearings allow for the wheel to easily turn and add steerability to applications. This raceway can be sealed or exposed. A sealed raceway protects the bearing assembly from dirt and other debris that is harmful to the bearing. The raceway can also be precision made and hardened to increase the longevity and performance of the swivel head.

Chickens on Wheels – Mobile Coops with Casters

It’s that time of year when this seasons little peeps reaching chicken teenhood are needing to get out into the fresh air. Many people have small coops for 3 to 10 chickens, and an ongoing issue is the destruction of the turf beneath the coop and attached run. The solution for those in suburban locales or with limited space in rural settings is a mobile coop set on casters.

Our own experience first occurred about 20 years ago when we put a pair of solid rubber wheel casters on a friends newly built coop. By placing the casters on the heavier end, this created an efficient fulcrum, and the coop could be moved by hand or garden tractor.

With a heavier coop, wheels might be needed at all 4 corners. Then, attached to a small tractor, the unit becomes easy to move. The type of casters or wheels needed will depend on the coop weight, and the sod. A harder rocky soil will require a different wheel than a more wet, possibly soggy location. This moveable system can help  provide a healthier environment for all involved.