Buying Tips for Caster Wheels

Wheelchair and Scooter Caster Wheels

Most wheelchair caster wheel purchases are made out of necessity. You have a broken one, or the tire you need to replace is molded onto the caster. Consider the following points before ordering new wheelchair caster wheels:

• Worn Tire: If you are observing cracks, chips, or significant wear, the tire needs replaced. Depending on your tire caster assembly, you may just need to change the tire, not the entire caster.
• Squeaking or Noisy: You might have worn out caster bearing and the bearings need to be changed.
• Spin Resistance: Spin the casters to see if they spin freely. Inspect the casters closely for hair and other debris that may be caught or wrapped around the axle preventing the casters from moving freely. If so, perform a thorough cleaning and re-check.
• Bent or Damaged: Look at the caster forks. Confirm they are straight and even. A bent caster fork can cause the chair to not roll easily or straight. You can give the wheelchair a shove on even ground. It should roll straight. If not, that could be an indicator the caster forks are damaged.
• Balanced Rotation: Check the caster fork. It should rotate freely without being wobbly. A wobbly caster fork usually means the caster stem bearing are worn out or the caster stem bolt is not properly tightened. You may also have debris caught or wrapped around the fork where it meets with the stem bolt. If so, perform a thorough cleaning and re-check.

Purchasing Wheelchair Caster Wheels

Taking note of the following information will assist in identifying the correct replacement caster wheel.

• Tire Size: Wheelchair caster wheel sizes are expressed with the tire already mounted. For example a typical 8" x 2" caster may consist of the caster rim which may only be 4" in diameter and the other 4" is made up from the tire. Look on the sidewall of the tire or on the side of the caster. You may find the size you need here. It may be expressed as metric, standard or both could be printed. If the size is not visible, you will need to measure it (See image below).
• Hub Width: Many caster wheel sizes come in several hub widths. The hub is the solid part in the center of the caster where the bearings are mounted and the axle slides through. Getting a hub that is too narrow will cause the caster forks to bend in when the axle is tightened and getting a hub that is too wide will cause the caster forks to bend outward or make it hard to mount the caster. Any of these conditions can pose a safety hazard.
• Tire Type: Tires are typically one of the following types: molded on tire made from rubber or urethane, pneumatic tire with inner tube, foam filled tire, or urethane tire. Also note the tread pattern.
• Caster Assembly Type: Caster wheel assemblies generally fall into one of these categories: two-piece split rim plus tire, one-piece rim plus tire, or single assembly (tire is molded onto the rim).
• Axle or Bearing Size: The diameter of your axle is the inside diameter of the caster bearing. The bearing must be the correct size otherwise your axle will not fit. You only need the inside dimension of the bearing or the axle diameter.

Installation of Wheelchair Caster Wheels

Installing a new wheelchair caster (with tire attached) is as simple as inserting the axle through the fork and caster bearings, and tightening the lock nut on the other side. Sometimes there are washers on the inside of the fork, on the outside of the fork, or in both places. The axle head is usually facing the outside of the chair when the chair is pushed forward. Take care not to over tighten as this can put undue strain on the bearings.