Wheels & Castors: See the best heavy duty, tyred, steel, nylon wheels and castors UK
Brauer manufactures the largest range of Industrial Wheels and Castors for sale and distribution in the UK and worldwide.
At Brauer, we’ve got wheels and castors for a variety of uses, so you can find the right product for you. All of our different products can be found on this page (above this article), under the different product categories.
To help you in your search, here’s an overview of the different types of wheels and castors we sell.
Different types of wheels and castors
Wheels and castors come in a wide range of types to suit different loads, floors and environments. Here is a brief overview:
- Polyurethane and rubber-tyred wheels are ideal where you need a balance of quiet running, floor protection and good grip
- Nylon and cast nylon wheels offer low rolling resistance and high chemical resistance for cleaner, more controlled environments.
- Steel and cast iron wheels (including V-groove and rail wheels) are used for heavy duty applications where high loads, impact resistance and defined tracks matter more than noise.
Pairing wheels with castors
The wheels are paired with castors – fixed or swivel, often with brakes – to make equipment mobile. From light-duty trolleys through to heavy duty industrial castors and jacking castors for positioning machinery.
By combining the right wheel material, tread profile and castor style, you can optimise handling, safety and durability for almost any industrial or commercial application.
Different types of castors
At Brauer, our castors come in many different types, each designed for a specific job, surface and load. One of the most important parts is understanding what type of castor you need for different usages.
For example, do you need small furniture castors that make a cabinet easier to move? Or do you need heavy-duty units under hospital beds or industrial trolleys?
Choosing the right style has a big impact on safety, stability and ease of movement. To help you out, here’s a quick summary of common castor types and where they’re typically used.
Swivel castors
Swivel castors rotate a full 360°, allowing equipment to change direction easily and manoeuvre around tight corners. They’re ideal where frequent steering or repositioning is needed.
Most applications pair swivel castors at one end with fixed castors at the other, giving a balance of manoeuvrability and directional control.
Fixed castors
Fixed castors roll in a single, straight line and don’t rotate, giving stable, predictable movement along a set path. They’re well suited to longer pushes and corridor-style routes.
Used together with swivel castors, they help keep heavily loaded equipment tracking straight and easy to control.
Braked & locking castors
Braked castors include a foot- or wheel-operated lock that holds equipment securely in place once positioned, preventing unwanted movement during use.
Options range from simple wheel brakes through to total-lock and directional-lock mechanisms, with central locking available where several castors need to be braked from a single pedal.
Pneumatic-tyred castors
Pneumatic castors use air-filled tyres to cushion loads and absorb shock, making them ideal for moving delicate equipment or for use over rough, uneven or outdoor ground.
They roll smoothly across debris and surface imperfections that would stop a solid wheel, protecting both the load and the floor.
Industrial & heavy-duty castors
Industrial castors are built for workshops, factories and warehouses. They’re used on dollies, stillages, machinery stands and handling equipment.
These castors are paired with robust wheels (often polyurethane, steel or cast iron), reinforced forks and strong brakes. They’re designed to cope with higher loads, rougher floors, impacts and more demanding duty cycles.
Jacking & levelling castors
Jacking or levelling castors combine a wheel with an integrated jacking or screw-down foot. They’re ideal where equipment must be mobile for positioning but sit rock-solid once in place.
You wheel the unit into position, then jack or wind down the foot so the load rests on a fixed pad, improving stability, accuracy and vibration control.
Twin-wheel castors
Twin-wheel castors use two narrower wheels side by side instead of a single wider wheel. This spreads the load over a larger footprint and reduces point pressure on the floor.
They swivel more easily under load and are common on office chairs, medical equipment and lighter-duty trolleys where smooth, precise manoeuvring is important.
If you need help picking the right castor for you, get in touch with our team.
Wheels and castors that we sell
Once you know the castor types for your usage, it’s time to pick the right product. Here are some of the options that we have, which you can check out above.
We’ve divided these into the following sections:
- General Wheels & Castors
- Axles, Rail & Guidance Components
- Wheel Materials, Profiles & Special Constructions
- Load-Rated Series & Capacity Ranges
General Wheels & Castors
These ranges cover everyday handling equipment, from simple trolleys to demanding industrial applications, giving you a broad choice of mobility options.
Tyred Wheels
Resilient running surfaces help equipment roll smoothly over uneven floors while cushioning loads from vibration and minor shock.
Heavy Duty Industrial Wheels
Robust constructions handle demanding conditions where high capacities, frequent movement and tough surfaces are expected.
Castors
Versatile swivel or fixed units support a huge variety of applications, combining load-bearing brackets with suitable running gear.
Heavy Duty Castors
Engineered for challenging environments, these assemblies support substantial weights while still allowing precise manoeuvring.
Pneumatic Tyred Castors
Air-filled tyres give excellent cushioning over rough ground, making them ideal for outdoor use or delicate loads that need extra protection.
Jacking Castors
Integrated lifting mechanisms allow operators to raise or lower equipment, combining mobility with secure positioning when stationary.
Jacking Units
These systems provide controlled height adjustment beneath machinery or platforms while retaining the ability to relocate them when needed.
Floor Locks
Mounted alongside castors, these devices lower a foot to the floor to stabilise mobile equipment and reduce unwanted movement during use.
Axles, Rail & Guidance Components
This group focuses on parts that guide, support and carry wheeled systems along defined paths, particularly on rails, channels or beams.
Axles & Axle Bracket Assemblies
Complete mounting solutions for wheels, offering reliable alignment, secure fixing and easy integration into frames or bogies.
Wheel Axles
Simple shafts designed to carry rotating components, providing a strong, central support point for single or paired wheels.
Rail
Used as a running track, this profile provides a consistent path for rail wheels, improving guidance, accuracy and repeatability.
Steel Rail Wheels
Solid units designed to run on steel track, giving excellent durability and load capacity in guided handling applications.
Cast Iron Rail Wheels
Hard-wearing wheels for rail systems where strength, rigidity and long service life are more important than noise reduction.
Cast Nylon Rail Wheels
Lightweight but strong rail-running components that reduce rolling resistance and help protect track surfaces from wear.
Steel V Groove Wheels
These wheels run in angle-iron or vee-section tracks, giving positive guidance where movement must follow a fixed line.
Steel I Beam Wheels
Designed to run along I-beam flanges, these units support trolleys or carriages suspended from overhead or floor-mounted beams.
Wheel Materials, Profiles & Special Constructions
Here you’ll find different running surfaces, core materials and profiles tailored to various floors, loads and environmental conditions.
Polyurethane Wheels
Durable tread materials offer low rolling resistance, good load capacity and quiet operation on many industrial surfaces.
Polyurethane/Heavithane Wheels
Enhanced polyurethane compounds provide extra resilience where impact resistance, cut resistance and long life are critical.
Polyurethane Tyred Wheels
Elastic tyres bonded to rigid centres combine comfort, grip and floor protection with strong structural support.
Rubber Tyred Wheels
Resilient rubber treads deliver smooth, quiet travel and help protect delicate floor finishes from marking.
Rubbathane Tyred Wheels
Hybrid tread technology blends rubber-like ride comfort with polyurethane-style toughness for demanding yet sensitive applications.
Pneumatic and Foam Filled
Air or foam-filled constructions cushion loads and cope well with rough terrain, debris and outdoor environments.
Steel Wheels
All-metal designs cope with harsh conditions, elevated temperatures and heavy loads where softer materials would fail.
Cast Iron Wheels
Dense, rigid wheels handle significant weights and high point loading, often used where ruggedness outweighs noise concerns.
Nylon Polyamide 6 (cast)
Cast engineering-grade nylon provides strong, dimensionally stable wheels with excellent wear resistance and low rolling effort.
Nylon Wheels
Lightweight yet tough, these components suit clean environments where easy rolling and chemical resistance are important.
Channel Wheels – Radius Tread
Rounded tread profiles sit inside channel tracks, improving steering and reducing edge contact against the guiding surfaces.
Channel Wheels – Flat Tread
Flat running faces maximise contact within channel sections, helping distribute loads evenly along guided paths.
Polyurethane Guide Rollers
Compact rollers support and guide moving structures, offering controlled tracking with a wear-resistant running surface.
Polyurethane Tyred Press-On-Band Wheels
Press-on tyres mount onto hubs or drums, simplifying replacement while delivering cushioned, grippy running performance.
Rubber Tyred Press-On-Band Wheels
Rubber bands pressed onto prepared centres create economical, comfortable running gear that’s easy to maintain or renew.
Castor types for different loads
Depending on the product you need, we have options for different performance and loads:
- ISOWG Series (2300kg)
- UHQZ Series (12000kg)
- HQZ Series (7300kg)
- TQZ Series (5100kg)
- Twin Wheel T Series (5000kg)
- TQZ Series Pneumatic (4200kg)
- QZ Series (4200kg)
- WG Series (3000kg)
- TWG Series (3000kg)
- T Series (2300kg)
- WG Series Pneumatic (2100kg)
- GG Series (1500kg)
- H Series (1500kg)
- Twin Wheel H Series (1500kg)
- LG Series (600kg)
- BG Series (500kg)
- E Series (380kg)
- F Series (380kg)
Wheels and castors at Brauer: a summary
Hopefully this article was useful in giving you an idea about our products and ranges.
We’ve explained the differences between materials like polyurethane, rubber, nylon, steel and cast iron and also covered key castor types – like jacking and stabilising accessories, plus rail and axle components that tie systems together.
If you’d like further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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