How to Make Polyurethane Forklift Wheels: Machine, Process and Parameters

July 17, 2026

By Miku Zhang

Polyurethane forklift wheels are made by casting a PU tread onto a primed steel or aluminium hub: the hub is shot-blasted and primed, a two-component PU system is metered at a fixed ratio and poured into a heated mould around the hub, the wheel is post-cured, then the tread is machined to final diameter at Shore A 80–95. PU is chosen over rubber because it carries higher load, resists wear and chunking, rolls with less resistance and leaves no marks on warehouse floors. The tread is produced on a two-component PU elastomer casting machine — we build that machine; you run it with your own or sourced PU system.

Polyurethane vs Rubber vs Nylon Forklift Wheels

Before choosing a machine, be clear on why the wheel is polyurethane in the first place — the trade-offs below are what a forklift buyer weighs, and they set the hardness you will cast to.

Property	Polyurethane	Rubber	Nylon
Load capacity per wheel	High — holds shape under load	Lower — deforms	Highest
Floor marking	Non-marking	Marks (black)	Non-marking
Rolling resistance (battery / operator effort)	Low	High	Lowest
Grip on smooth or wet floors	Good	Best	Poor
Noise and shock absorption	Medium	Best	Worst
Wear and chunking on rough floors	Good	Chunks	Can crack

That is why most forklift, castor and trolley wheels are cast in PU at Shore A 80–95 — hard enough for load and rolling, soft enough for grip.

What You Need to Produce Forklift Wheels

PU elastomer casting machine — meters and mixes polyol and isocyanate at a fixed ratio and temperature
Wheel moulds — one cavity per wheel size/profile
PU system + core adhesive — sourced by you (MDI or TDI based, per your hardness target)
Post-cure oven — for full property development

The Process, Step by Step

Core preparation — degrease and shot-blast the steel or aluminium hub, then apply bonding primer. Adhesion failure at the core is the No.1 cause of tread separation.
Mould and material conditioning — preheat the mould and hold polyol/isocyanate at the set temperature; PU viscosity and reactivity are temperature sensitive.
Metering and mixing — the machine meters both components at the fixed ratio and mixes them; ratio drift shows up directly as soft spots or brittle tread.
Pouring — pour into the mould around the core, filling from the bottom to avoid air entrapment.
Gel and demould — leave to gel, then demould at the set time.
Post-cure — oven cure to develop final hardness and mechanical properties.
Finishing — machine the tread to final diameter and profile.

Key Parameters to Control

Hardness — forklift and castor treads are typically cast in the Shore A 80–95 range; harder for load and rolling, softer for grip and floor protection
Ratio accuracy — the single biggest driver of consistent hardness part to part
Material and mould temperature — controls flow, gel time and surface finish
Pot life vs pour time — must suit your wheel size and cavity count
Post-cure schedule — under-curing leaves soft, low-wear-resistance tread

Common Forklift Wheel Defects and What Causes Them

Defect on the finished wheel	Cause in the casting process	What prevents it
Tread separates from the hub	Grease or scale left on the hub, primer applied unevenly	Degrease, shot-blast and prime every hub before the mould closes
Soft spots in the tread	Ratio drift between polyol and isocyanate	Metering pump accuracy; check ratio at the start of every shift
Brittle, chipping tread	Ratio off in the other direction, or mould too cold	Hold mould and material at set temperature; verify ratio
Bubbles or voids	Air trapped during pouring	Pour from the bottom of the mould; use vacuum degassing on the machine
Tread wears out early	Under-cure	Run the full post-cure schedule in the oven

Which Machine

For forklift, castor and trolley wheels we supply the Fork Wheel Making Machine (PU elastomer casting). See the full PU elastomer casting machine range, including universal wheel casting machines.

Yongjia fork wheel PU elastomer casting machine

FAQ

How are polyurethane forklift wheels made?

Why do polyurethane forklift wheels separate from the hub?

Almost always hub preparation: grease or scale left on the steel, or primer applied unevenly, so the tread never bonds. Degrease, shot-blast and prime every hub before the mould is closed.

What hardness should a forklift wheel be?

Most forklift and castor treads are cast between Shore A 80 and 95. Harder treads carry more load and roll easier; softer treads grip better and protect the floor. Your PU system and post-cure set the final value.

Can one machine make forklift, castor and trolley wheels?

Yes. The same casting machine feeds different wheel moulds, so changing the mould lets you produce different wheel sizes and profiles without a new machine — see how to make polyurethane wheels and rollers for the full process.

MDI or TDI system for wheels?

Both are used. TDI systems are common for high-performance treads, MDI systems for easier handling. Tell us your hardness and output target and we advise the machine configuration.

Do you supply the polyurethane material?

No — we build and supply the casting machine and can match moulds. You run it with your own or independently sourced PU system, so you keep control of formulation and cost.

Tell us your wheel size, hardness and daily output — we will propose the right casting machine and quote.

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