How long does a polyurethane-coated wheel last compared to a rubber one?

Polyurethane coating wears 2-5 times more slowly than rubber: DIN 53516 abrasion is 38-39 mm³ versus 100-200 mm³ for SBR rubber. In practice, where a rubber tyre requires quarterly replacement, a polyurethane one operates for years. Exact service life depends on load, floor type, and operating regime.

What polyurethane hardness should I choose for a wheel?

For most warehouse and transport wheels, the 85-95 Shore A range is appropriate: the wheel carries load while damping surface irregularities. Harder grades up to 70 Shore D are used for high point loads and hard flat floors where minimum deflection and low rolling resistance are important. Softer grades closer to 80 Shore A give quieter running over uneven surfaces. Exact hardness is selected for the weight and speed.

Can an old metal wheel be restored by lining?

Yes. Polyurethane lining is applied to the metal rim of a worn wheel, restoring the working surface without replacing the entire part. The rim is cleaned and sandblasted, an adhesion layer is applied, and polyurethane of the required thickness is cast. This is less expensive than a new wheel and can be repeated many times.

Does a polyurethane wheel leave marks on the floor?

Cast polyurethane does not leave black marks on concrete, tile, or self-levelling floor, unlike many rubber compounds. This is why these wheels are used in warehouses, food processing shops, and clean zones. The material is also unaffected by small sharp fragments and swarf that cut rubber.

What is the operating temperature range of a polyurethane wheel?

The operating range of cast TIMOL polyurethane is from -60 to +100 °C. The wheel rolls equally confidently in frost in an unheated warehouse and in a warm production shop. For sustained operation in heating zones above +100 °C, a special grade is selected; standard wheels are not used in such conditions.

Can a wheel be ordered in a non-standard size or for a specific axle?

Yes. TIMOL factory manufactures wheels and tyres to a drawing or sample: to the required diameter, width, axle fit, and bearing type. Free-casting technology allows even a single wheel with a complex profile to be cast. For a calculation, supply dimensions, wheel load, and operating conditions.

Polyurethane Wheel Coating: Lining and Service Life

A rubber tyre on a warehouse cart wears to the metal rim within a few months, and a wheel that has run over metal swarf receives a cut and fails in a single pass. Polyurethane coating solves both problems: it wears 2-5 times more slowly than rubber and is not cut by sharp fragments. This article covers what polyurethane wheel coating delivers, how to select hardness for the load, and how to order a wheel in the right size.

What Polyurethane Wheel Coating Delivers

Polyurethane wheel coating increases the service life and reliability of a rolling node where rubber abrades and metal makes noise and damages the floor. Polyurethane combines elasticity with abrasion resistance, so the wheel runs quietly, carries the load, and wears for a long time.

The primary advantage is wear resistance. DIN 53516 abrasion of polyurethane is 38-39 mm³, while SBR rubber loses 100-200 mm³ in the same test — rubber wears 3-5 times faster. The second advantage is cut resistance: tensile strength of polyurethane is 39-87 MPa versus 8-20 MPa for SBR, so small sharp fragments and swarf do not cut through the tyre. The third is that a polyurethane wheel does not leave black marks on concrete and tile, and is unaffected by oils, petroleum products, and salt water.

Comparison with Rubber, Metal, and Capron

The direct choice of wheel material comes down to four options: polyurethane, rubber, metal, or hard plastic capron (PA6). The numbers show why polyurethane has become the compromise choice for most rolling nodes.

Property	Polyurethane TIMOL	SBR rubber	Capron PA6	Steel St3
Abrasion DIN 53516, mm³	38-39	100-200	30-90	n/a
Operating t, °C	-60…+100	-40…+80	-40…+100	-40…+500
Density, g/cm³	1.05-1.25	0.94-1.1	1.13-1.15	7.7-7.9
Tensile strength, MPa	39-87	8-20	60-85	370-700
Rebound elasticity, %	34-61	30-55	5-15	n/a
Floor marks	none	possible	none	noise, dents

The table reads as follows. Rubber is close in weight but wears four times faster and can mark the floor. Capron is almost non-abrasive and strong, but its rebound elasticity is only 5-15 % versus 34-61 % for polyurethane — so a rigid capron wheel rattles over irregularities and does not absorb impacts. A metal wheel withstands any load but weighs 6-7 times more, makes noise, and dents the floor. Polyurethane delivers wear resistance close to capron while remaining elastic and quiet.

Ready-Made Wheel or Rim Lining

There are two routes, and the choice depends on what you already have on hand. The first is to order a ready-made polyurethane wheel from scratch when new inventory is needed. The second is to line an existing metal rim when only the contact layer is worn while the hub and bearings are still sound.

Lining is economically advantageous because it brings a costly core back into service. The process consists of cleaning the rim, sandblasting the contact surface, applying an adhesion layer, and casting polyurethane of the required thickness by free casting. There is no seam, and the coating bonds to the metal as reliably as in a fully cast wheel. The procedure can be repeated many times as the layer wears.

Practical tip: do not economise on rim preparation before lining. The quality of polyurethane-to-metal adhesion is 90 % determined by the sandblasting and surface cleanliness: no oils, rust, or old adhesive residue. If the rim is left greasy, even a perfectly cast layer will start to peel at the edge under load. Degreasing and a fresh sandblast matter more than coating thickness.

Selecting Hardness and Coating Thickness

Wheel hardness is selected for the load weight and floor type. The TIMOL polyurethane range — from 50 Shore A to 70 Shore D — covers all rolling operating regimes.

For medium-weight warehouse carts and forklifts, grades at 85-95 Shore A are optimal: the wheel carries the load while damping floor slab joints and minor irregularities. Harder grades up to 70 Shore D are used for high point loads and hard, level floors where minimal deformation and low rolling resistance are important. Softer grades closer to 80 Shore A give quieter running on uneven surfaces but will heat more at high speed.

Coating thickness depends on wheel diameter and load. A thin layer is sufficient for light transport wheels; heavily loaded tyres require a thicker layer that distributes pressure evenly and does not overheat. Optimum thickness is calculated by the technologist to avoid internal heating and delamination. Typical wheel sizes and profiles are in the product catalogue.

How to Order a Wheel at TIMOL Factory

A wheel or lining can be ordered to a drawing, from a sample of the dismantled part, or from a sketch with dimensions. Free-casting technology allows even a single non-standard-profile wheel to be cast without expensive tooling, so it is equally practical to order a series of identical wheels or a single repair replacement for an imported equivalent.

For an accurate calculation, specify wheel diameter and width, axle fit, bearing type, load per wheel, speed, and ambient temperature. From this data the technologist selects the polyurethane grade and hardness. The full scope of manufacturing and lining services is on the factory services page; to place a calculation order, use TIMOL contacts.

Polyurethane wheel coating delivers 3-5 times longer service life than rubber, quiet running without floor marks, and the possibility of repeated rim restoration. For rolling nodes where wear resistance, weight, and noise all matter simultaneously, this solution pays back within the first season of service.