Quick Fix: How to Silence a Squeaky Industrial Caster Wheel in Under 10 Minutes

The high-pitched, dragging squeal of a heavy-duty castor wheel is the most annoying sound there is. You bought good tools for your business or workshop, but now every time you move them, they sound unprofessional.

The good news is that this noise is usually just a minor maintenance issue and not a sign that the castor is broken. This quick fix saves you the trouble and money of having to buy new hardware from places like Urban Hardware.

Three Steps to Quiet Wheel

Step 1: The Look Over Slowly roll the item and pay close attention. When you roll straight (axle), does it squeak? Or when you turn the corner (swivel)? Knowing where it came from is half the battle.

Step 2: The Cleaning The area needs to be cleaned quickly before adding lubricant. Use a stiff brush or a rag to get rid of any hair, dust, or other debris that is stuck around the axle and the swivel head. Use a knife to carefully cut away any thread that is tightly wrapped around the axle.

Step 3: The Hidden Ingredient Don't use plain WD-40, because it's not a long-lasting lubricant. Use a lithium grease spray or a silicone-based lubricant made just for this purpose to keep things quiet and protect against heavy loads and dust.

For the Swivel Head, spray a lot into the bearing race, which is the space between the top plate and the fork assembly. To get the lubricant in, move the castor back and forth.

For the axle, lightly spray the area where it meets the wheel hub.

Roll the unit. Is the quiet worth it? Fixing a noisy castor is a quick and cheap job that makes the workshop a better place to work right away.