Source for very heavy duty wheel

[MChalkley]

I'm looking for a very heavy duty wheel & tire assembly for use as a gauge wheel for my EF-5's FEL. It's a very experimental project at this stage.

A friend of mine once had a wheel and tire assembly that came off a bomb dolly that would've been about perfect, so that's the kind of thing I'm looking for. Something maybe 12"-18" in diameter, and capable of handling 2,500 pounds or so of weight. I could use two wheels side-by-side to provide enough weight capacity, if necessary. Width of the tire, or both of them together if in a dual configuration, would need to be less than 18" or so. I don't care if it's solid, foam filled, whatever, or even what it's made of, except that I'd prefer that it not be solid steel, of course, unless it had a rubber surface. Any ideas?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Have you thought about a replacement wheel for a rotary cutter (i.e., Bush Hog)? They aren't very expensive.

 

[MChalkley]

I had thought about them, and I wouldn't mind a composite type construction like they use, but I've got a feeling the hubs on that type are 1500 or so pounds too low in capacity for what I need.

 

[Knight9]

Don't know if this will help but try these:

Mapp Caster (American)

They both sell castors and wheels of varying materials and sizes.

Kevin

 

[rdln]

forklift tires at northern tool.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/Category/NTE_LLCATDSP.d2w/report?cgrfnbr=7380&PHOTOS=on&prlngth=13752.0000>tires</A>

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Mark,
There is a Boeing surplus outlet in Seattle (Kent) and I have seen a lot of heavy duty castors both fixed and rotating, with rubber, steel, and plastic covered steel. Some go up to 10,000 lbs.

Al

 

[Egon]

Assuming you are welding would the rear wheel or wheels off of a wrecked front wheel drive car be convertable.

Egon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Just in case non of the above suggestions pan out, here is one more. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tandemloc.com/casters/cast_index.htm>These guys</A> have wheels that range in size from 5-6 inches wide and up to 12 inches in diameter. Capacity is also in the 2000 to 20,000 pound range. These wheels can be configured in a number of ways from all cast iron to rubber/poly on iron. They will also do custom wheels. Hope this helps.

 

[MChalkley]

A car tire would be nice from the width standpoint, but they're just too big in diameter.

Thanks for the other suggestions, guys - I'm checking all of them out.

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

Hi Mark,

<font color=blue>...I'm looking for a very heavy duty wheel & tire assembly for use as a gauge wheel for my EF- 5's FEL. It's a very experimental project at this stage.</font color=blue>

Forgive me, I'm a beginner.. but what purpose would such a wheel serve on a FEL? I'm trying to picture this, but not sure how it would work. You want the loader to be able to dig down, and rise up.. presumably.. the wheel would limit how far down it could dig? If that's the goal, why not use the sort of thing they use on snowplows.. just an upside down mushroom, or an adjustable steel skid of some kind?

Having said that, it seems to me that the wheels and tires I've seen on forklifts might meet the requirements.

Best,
Bob