Larger wheels make load easiervto move?

In summary: I'm just thinking that a wheel that's a little bit bigger will help distribute the load more evenly, and make it easier to move. Sorry if I was a little too terse in my previous response.In summary, the wad boy recommends that you go with a larger wheel when moving his workstation. He is concerned that a smaller wheel will cause a high load concentration at the four points where the wheels touch the floor. Additionally, he recommends that you pivot out on the left front point and pivot on the right rear wheel in order to occasionally get down behind all of the gear and wires.
  • #1
wadboy
3
0
hello everyone.i'm a disabled; by a surprise stroke at 49 forcibly retired54 year old guy who has been able to figure out or understand almost everything related to home construction in my 25 years as home owner having built on 640 sq ft single handedly from the ground up to roofing.wiring&plumbing .tomorrow will be the only day i will have help available for weeks to get a project done.i have a real nice producer's workstation desk for my pc and musical recording equipment which is on wheels and really very heavyi'm estimating about 240lbs. all loaded up the supplied rubber casters were busted by shipper so i used some i had layin' around that are only 2 inches diameter and with only one good leg and arm anymore i can't hardly move the monstrosity. am i correct in my thinking that buying 4 significantly larger rubber casters to install will make this thing easier to pull and rotate one handed?and if so why is that?more area on each wheel to distribute load?i just thought some physics people were the quickest way from a to z to get this answered.it just seems to make sense to me.
whadaya say? anyone willing to comment to help out a formerly very active project dude?
sorry for no caps where appropriate, can't reach shift one handed.thanks and god bless all!
billy
 
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  • #2
You will benefit by going to a larger wheel, but it really depends on the floor surface you are on. If you are on carpet, then you definitely should go with the larger wheels. The smaller wheels are causing a much higher load concentration at the four points where the wheels touch the floor. Since they are smaller, you will also have more internal resistance within the wheel. By spreading that load out, you can reduce the pressure at each location (especially if you are on carpet). By the same token, a larger wheel should naturally handle the load better, i.e. higher load rating, and will have less internal friction to overcome.

One thing to be careful of though, just be cautious with going to too large of a wheel. You "could" raise up the center of gravity too high and make the thing unstable when moving. I say that because I have no idea what the loading of this workstation is like. You may not have that problem at all. It's just something to keep in mind.

We run into this a lot with engine build stands and such. Some times it comes down to playing with wheel material/compound and the expected floor you are going to be going over.

Good luck.
 
  • #3
Welcome to PF, Wadboy. (I don't even want to think about how that name came about...)
I had intended to respond to this last night, but apparently the beer overcame my intentions. I just woke up to a warm beer, two half-burned smokes, and this thread on my Mac. :redface:
In addition to Fred's very good advice, I would suggest checking out semi-spherical castors. In my experience, they're a lot easier to steer than the linear type, especially on a carpet.
 
  • #4
dnger; you mean the kind we often find on a bed frame? if so the only ones I've seen are made out of hard plastic andi'm afraif they might crack i fingered a larger wheel would help but just like when i built on i usually get the expert's opinion before i bull ahead.
about ali really need this monstrosity to do is pivot out on te left front pooint pivoting on te right rear wheel so i can occasionally get down behind all the gear and wires and being disabled i take up a larger footprint myself when clammering to the floor now
than the old indian style sit.thanks for getting back and any other thoughts willbe appreciated
billy
the wad boy wasme coming home pi'd off one day throeing my car keyus through my favorite oil painting.and my psych major roomie said you're having a gran mal, you're blowing your wad it's a gran mal wad then evr since 1`979 I've been wadboy amongst the old college gang
 
  • #5
wadboy said:
blowing your wad

I hope that you're in England, because that means something completely different in North America.
I don't know about bed frames; none of mine had any castors, and the one that we have now uses cylindrical rollers. The ones that I'm thinking of go by the brand name 'Orbit', although there are now generic units. I'm going to go look for a link, then come back and edit it in.

edit: This is really weird. I just Googled my *** off, and couldn't find a spherical castor. I have some, though, so I know that they exist.
 
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  • #6
yo danger, I'm not in england and it's not as in blowing yer wad the way you're thinking. my roomie meant it in terms of shooting my whole wad of brains out at once[lke in 1968 catholic 8th grade graduatoion i aked a girlfriend if she had any graduation present money "no i shot my wad already"] behaving like a gran mal seizure over my anger fit throwing the keys through my oil paintingso the gang called it a gran mal wad whenever i would over react to a situation.in my 20s and so back to business, i don't know what type of better steering spherical casters you meanunless it's thosepuppies usually gold colored plastic.but I'm again suspicious of their load bearing abikityunless I'm picyuring the wrong type.you could shoot a jpeg of yours and zip it to me wjthill54@yahoo.com.sorry. but hang in with me.have a great easter sunday!
 
  • #7
wadboy said:
it's not as in blowing yer wad the way you're thinking
Gotcha. I really should get my mind out of the gutter... and back into the sewer where it belongs. :biggrin:
wadboy said:
1968 catholic 8th grade graduatoion i aked a girlfriend if she had any graduation present money
Bloody hell, you must be even older than me. I was in grade 7 in '68.
wadboy said:
i don't know what type of better steering spherical casters you meanunless it's those puppies usually gold colored plastic.but I'm again suspicious of their load bearing abikity
Those are indeed the type that I meant. They're good for at least a hundred kilos each. I can't send you a photo just now, since mine are back at my house (I don't live in it). Maybe soon, though, but I'm pretty sure that you've already got the idea of what I referred to.
wadboy said:
have a great easter sunday!
Thanks. I'm an atheist, and therefore don't celebrate it, but the wife is gone as of today to spend it with the grandbrats, so I have the place to myself and my cat. My friends next door invited me to supper Saturday night, so that's a bonus. Hope you have a great holiday yourself.
 
  • #8
wadboy said:
.. estimating about 240lbs. all loaded up the supplied rubber casters were busted by shipper so i used some i had layin' around that are only 2 inches diameter and with only one good leg and arm anymore i can't hardly move the monstrosity. am i correct in my thinking that buying 4 significantly larger rubber casters...
These might be just the thing... Shopping cart casters -- Polyurethane wheel molded to a polyethylene core, 5" diameter, 275-lb. capacity.
http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/18208_lg.gif
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_13418_13418"
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_16136_16136"

They (http://www.northerntool.com" has a huge selection, but they can be expensive.
 
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1. How do larger wheels make it easier to move heavy loads?

Larger wheels have a greater diameter, which means they cover more ground with each rotation. This reduces the amount of force required to move the load, making it easier to push, pull, or roll.

2. What is the relationship between wheel size and load weight?

The larger the wheel, the greater the surface area in contact with the ground. This distributes the weight of the load more evenly, reducing the strain on the wheels and making it easier to move.

3. Can larger wheels make a difference in moving small loads as well?

Yes, even for small loads, larger wheels can make a difference. They still cover more ground with each rotation, reducing the effort needed to move the load.

4. Are there any other benefits of using larger wheels to move loads?

Aside from making it easier to move heavy loads, larger wheels also provide more stability and smoother movement. They are less likely to get stuck in cracks or bumps on the ground, ensuring a smoother and more efficient transport.

5. Is there a limit to how large the wheels should be for optimal ease of movement?

Yes, there is a limit. If the wheels are too large, they may become cumbersome and difficult to maneuver. It's important to find the right balance between larger wheels for easier movement and a manageable size for practical use.

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