Three Commonly Used Caster Wheel Bearing Types

There are three commonly used bearing types for caster wheels:

• Delrin Bearing
• Roller Bearing
• Sealed Precision Ball Bearing

1. CASTER DELRIN BEARING OVERVIEW

Dupont originally designed the Delrin bearing. It was developed for applications operating in wet environments. In fact, when used with a spanner bushing, the Delrin bearing acts as a washer to keep the spanner bushing secure.

2. CASTER ROLLER BEARING OVERVIEW

Three components make up a caged roller bearing:

• A sleeve
• Roller bearing
• Spanner bushing

The sleeve encases the roller bearing to help keep dirt and debris out. Correspondingly, the spanner bushing allows the roller bearing to spin freely. They are ideal for light duty applications. You should not use it for towline applications, as it can't handle the stress. They can get noisy during use and isn't suitable for places where noise is a concern.

3. CASTER SEALED PRECISION BALL BEARING OVERVIEW

An outer rubber shield encases the ball bearings, preventing any need for maintenance. Unlike roller bearings, sealed precision ball bearings use top hat bushings to spin freely. Ergonomically, sealed precision ball bearings are your best option, and when you want to reduce the noise of an application, you want to use sealed precision ball bearings.

To recap, the Delrin bearing is suited for applications operating in wet environments, a roller bearing is often used for light duty applications, and the sealed precision ball bearing is best for ergonomic push/pull. If you're interested in learning more about different bearing types, check out this page.