Which Material is More Suitable for Forklift Wheel
If the forklift often works on indoor marble or painted floors and needs to protect the floor, polyurethane wheels may be a better choice. If the forklift needs to work outdoors in rough or hot environments, nylon wheels may be more suitable because of their higher mechanical strength and heat resistance. Due to their cost-effectiveness and traditional versatility, rubber wheels are still a viable option in certain applications, especially where good quietness and carrying light cargo are required.
Forklift wheels can be made of a variety of materials such as nylon, rubber, and polyurethane. Each material has different properties in terms of durability, tear resistance, and chemical reaction. Here are the properties and application of three materials: nylon, polyurethane, and rubber.
Nylon Forklift Wheel
• High mechanical strength and good toughness.
• Low friction coefficient, not easy to damage, long service life.
• Excellent heat resistance, which can be used normally in high temperature environment.
• Outstanding insulation performance.
• Weak chemical reaction：Resistant to weak acid and alkali corrosion, wide range of applications.
Nylon wheels are suitable for uneven ground, have low rotational resistance, are easy to pull, and have stable chemical resistance.
• High hardness (adjustable), providing good load-bearing capacity and low rolling resistance.
• First-class wear resistance and long service life, especially in wet or oily environments.
• High tear resistance, small compression deformation, which is full of good mechanical wear and impact resistance.
• Polyurethane wheels are suitable for electric forklifts and situations where the ground needs to be protected, such as painted floors.
Rubber forklift wheel
• Low hardness(67-75 degrees) , providing a certain cushioning capacity.
• Soft material and low noise, suitable for carrying light cargo or environments that require noise.
• Low crack resistance and tear resistance, resulting its load-bearing capacity is relatively low.
• Weak chemical reaction: Prolonged contact with organic solvents causes swelling and performance may be weakened.
Based on the above characteristics, if the forklift often works on indoor marble or painted floors and needs to protect the floor, polyurethane wheels may be a better choice. If the forklift needs to work outdoors in rough or hot environments, nylon wheels may be more suitable because of their higher mechanical strength and heat resistance. Due to their cost-effectiveness and traditional versatility, rubber wheels are still a viable option in certain applications, especially where good quietness and carrying light cargo are required.
The final choice of forklift wheel material should be determined based on specific usage requirements and environmental conditions.
