Whether you're customizing a hand truck to suit your work environment or you need to choose options for the hand truck you want, getting the right wheels is as important as getting the right hand truck style. This brief hand truck wheel overview should help you make the right decision. Be sure to consider your floor conditions, typical load weight, and the air temperature in your work environment.
Solid Rubber Wheel
The solid rubber hand truck wheel is a wide, treaded tire known for its toughness and durability. It is made entirely of thick, flexible, solid rubber, which is less expensive than most wheels. Its maximum load capacity at the largest 10 inch size is around 550 to 600 pounds. Solid rubber wheels are a hybrid between semi-pneumatic and moldon rubber. They offer more cushioning than moldon rubber. They are easier to move under heavy hand truck loads than are semi-pneumatic wheels.
Pneumatic Wheel
Pneumatic tires are inflated with air just like bicycle or car tires. When a pneumatic wheel goes over a bump or curb, the air compresses and acts as a shock absorber. The main advantage to this tire is that it gives hand trucks a smoother, more cushioned ride and familiar maneuverability. Pneumatic wheels are greatly affected by temperatures, just like automobile tires. They have a load capacity of about 350 pounds. This is the best hand truck wheel for soft surfaces such as grass or dirt.
Carefree Wheel
The carefree hand truck wheel is made of microcellular polyurethane foam, which falls somewhere between rubber and plastic. It is filled with millions of micro air cells, which eliminate the possibility of a flat tire. This wheel boasts superior toughness, high elasticity and tear strength, and resistance to oils and greases. It has excellent adhesion to various materials so it won't come apart from the wheel hubs. It also has excellent cold and warm temperature flexibility. However, it has a maximum load capacity of only about 300 pounds.
Semi-Pneumatic Wheel
Semi-pneumatic hand truck wheels are an economical solution that offers easy rolling over a variety of terrains. They feature molded-in air pockets, much like the air pockets in the soles of athletic shoes, to provide some cushioning during transport. These hand truck wheels never need air or maintenance and they won't go flat when punctured. Semi-pneumatic wheels offer more cushioning than solid rubber and greater durability than do pneumatic wheels. Maximum load capacity is 350 pounds.
Aluminum Hub Moldon Wheel
Moldon hand truck wheels are a type of solid rubber with little or no tread, which makes them ideal for the heaviest loads. These have higher load capacities than do solid rubber wheels, and aluminum is a lightweight structural metal with proven strength. These wheels are best suited for hand trucks used on smooth warehouse floors so they can roll easily. The defining feature of the moldon wheel is its excellent 600 pound load capacity.
Balloon Cushion Wheel
The balloon cushion hand truck wheel is a rounded, solid rubber wheel that offers a smooth, quiet ride. It is highly flexible, so it will flatten to accommodate heavy loads and return to its original shape after unloading the hand truck. The tread surface is rounded to minimize friction, which allows easier turning and transport. The results are less work and less fatigue for the operator. This hand truck wheel has a polyolefin hub and a maximum load capacity of about 550 pounds.
Cast Hub Moldon Rubber Wheel
Cast iron is one of the strongest hubs available, and moldon wheels are solid rubber with little or no tread. Together, these aspects result in a hand truck wheel ideal for the heaviest loads. These hand trick wheels have the highest load capacity at around 900 pounds. They are best suited for smooth warehouse floors where they can roll easily.
Polyolefin Hub Moldon Wheel
These hand truck wheels are cost competitive and resistant to most environments that may cause damage to rubber wheels. The polyolefin hub is inexpensive and greatly reduces the overall weight, which results in a lower load capacity of around 375 pounds. Moldon rubber wheels have a firm tread, which makes them good for heavy loads. They are best suited for smooth warehouse floors where they will roll with less effort than any other type of hand truck wheel.
Solid Polyolefin Wheel
These hand truck wheels are especially suited for use in wet or potentially corrosive environments. They are a simply designed single piece of thermoplastic polymers, which function well in a wide temperature range of 30 degrees up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Polyolefin is highly resistant to many commonly encountered liquids. Load capacity ranges from about 200 pounds all the way up to 750 pounds, depending on wheel size.
Phenolic Resin Wheel
The phenolic resin hand truck wheel has a thermoplastic polymer construction similar to polyolefin. They are generally used as caster wheels on multi-wheeled hand trucks, on platform carts, and on pallet jacks as load bearing wheels. The ride on phenolic resin is not as smooth as other wheels due to the rigid plastic coating, nor is it as quite as maneuverable. However, this is an extremely rigid and durable wheel with maximum load capacities ranging between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds.
