How to keep your equipment rolling

On the one hand, flat wheels or a flat spot on the wheel, occur quite commonly during and after the summer months, when machines are often stationary for an extended period of time. Because it’s summer, temperatures can rise to higher levels, causing the rubber or polyurethane wheels to soften and lose their rigidity to support the material handling equipment like forklifts and side loaders. The result is easy to guess: when you return from holidays, you’re faced with an issue before you can even restart working.

On the other hand, you can get a flat wheel from working in summer. During these warmer months, heat builds up inside the rubber and polyurethane and causes internal softening. When parking the machine, the excess weight is too much for the wheels, and before you know it, you’re faced with a flat spot. The rest is physics: a wheel with a flat spot – or any deformed wheel in general – is harder to roll and causes vibrations when driving.

A third cause of flat spots or wheels is sheering. This happens when lighter equipment and the rigid casters are pushed or dragged sideways.

Sometimes, a flat spot can be solved on its own when the wheel, still softened up, starts rolling and regains its form. However, this does not always happen and shouldn’t be counted on. Besides, when this occurs, it’s clear it won’t be the last time. Thus, the wheels should be replaced with other ones.

Knowing the problem is half the solution. In the case of flat spots or flat wheels, replacing these parts is the desired solution. It’s better in the long run, is a relatively low investment, and you’re sure to prevent it from happening again with new and improved wheels.

One cause of flat spots is that the polyurethane is too soft for your application. In other words, the compression set value is too high. So, the way to go forward is to choose wheels with a higher hardness; these new wheels are stronger and are more likely to maintain their integrity. Additionally, you can look for wheels with a larger diameter or width, as these reduce the stress on the material.

Whatever the case, it’s always recommended to have spare wheels within reach to avoid sudden downtime during the workday.

TVH wants to keep you going, so we work on improving and expanding our range on a daily basis. We offer a wide range of castors and wheels in all shapes and sizes to guarantee you find the right wheel for the application.
Not sure which wheels to choose? Contact our team of technical experts. They are more than happy to help you select the right set of wheels for your situation.