MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Hi all,
I have made a small rolling platform. It is currently rolling on roller blade wheels, but these are too firm as they pick up every slightest bump from the surface.
I am looking for a small wheel, around 70mm (very roughly) in diameter, can take bearings (ideally with an 8mm internal diameter, the same as roller blade wheels), and is soft. Oh and cheap as possible 😛
I'm thinking either foam wheels, or non-solid rubber wheels (I guess non-captive would allow to be softer).
I have thought of RC car wheels, but they have the bearings in the hub rather than the wheel, so would not work.
Any ideas would be great.
Thanks, Duane.
Skateboard trucks?
They're even harder than roller blade wheels!
Hi mate, it might be worth lookign at larger roller blade wheels. I think you can get 110mm quite easily and i'm sure ive seen 130mm. These are generally speed skate wheels so might not be cheap but a second hand worn set could be right up your street.
doh just reread and you want softer wheels not larger to go over bumps.
I cant help 🙂
Aye, need them to be soft to soak up bumps 🙂
Why do the wheels need to be so small? Limits your choice a bit.
If you really have to have small wheels, how about a softer mounting block for the existing wheels?
And what are you using it for?!? 😀
Something like this will be a bit softer: http://www.keystonecastors.co.uk/lsv075rpbh.html but as Rusty says small wheel won't be the best. If you go a little bigger you can get a pneumatic tyre which will be loads better.
I think the front wheels on a 2wd RC car may have the bearings in the wheels, not the axle. I think my Tamiya Fox was like this, but it was a long time ago.
Thanks for replies
Guess they don't have to be so small, but it is desirable for various reasons. Softer mounting block wouldn't work due to design constraints I'm afraid.
The load isn't that large, so even small bumps are obvious.
Current plan is to get some foam wheels with plastic hubs for RC planes, and drill out the hub to take a 22mm OD bearing (standard size for roller blade wheel bearings).
Ta, Duane.
have a look at mountain board wheels (plenty of them are air/inner tube) but I suspect their diameter will be too big
Yup, too large I'm afraid.
Make some. You can cut the outer off your roller blade wheels after takign a plaster of paris impression with a centre support to ensure concentricity. Put the centre back in, put a wee bit of plastercine around the bottom end of the bearing to stop it being filled then buy yourself some two part polyurethane rubber of about 80 or 90 hardness.
Recently re-made an engine mount this way for £30 which would have been >£100.
I'm assuming the units of "hardness" are fairly constant, if so the wheels I have are 82 hardness I think, so I'd want something like 40 (assuming it's linear)..
Making my own wheels is an option, but sounds fairly laborious, plus foam wheels for RC planes are only a couple quid anyway. Will bear it in mind though.