How effective are rubber casters on rough surfaces?

Rubber casters perform poorly on rough surfaces (such as concrete, gravel roads, and construction sites).

The main issues are as follows:

Rapid wear and short lifespan: Rubber (60-80 Shore A) is relatively soft. Ground debris and bumps act like "abrasives," repeatedly scraping, embedding, and tearing the wheel surface, causing scratches, cracks, chipping, and even deformation, significantly shortening its lifespan. They are far less wear-resistant than nylon or polyurethane casters with higher hardness (85+ Shore A).

Difficult rolling: Rubber's elasticity makes it prone to deformation and denting on uneven surfaces, increasing rolling resistance. They can easily get stuck in gaps or become trapped by gravel, making them difficult to maneuver, especially when loaded. Hard casters require less effort to roll.

Noise and vibration: When colliding with hard particles, the rubber's elasticity amplifies vibrations, producing a noticeable "thumping" and "swishing" noise, far outweighing their silent advantages. This can also cause the bracket to loosen.

Limited load-bearing capacity and fragility: Uneven surfaces result in uneven load distribution, and rubber has weak impact resistance. Localized high pressure when rolling over bumps can cause wheel tread deformation, hub cracking, or even fall off. Hard casters offer greater structural strength.

Special Circumstances: A few high-hardness specialty rubbers (such as those with wear-resistant fillers) can be used for short periods on slightly rough surfaces, but they lose the quietness and elasticity inherent in rubber, are expensive, and offer a low cost-performance ratio.

Summary and Recommendations:
The core advantages of rubber casters (quiet, scratch-resistant, and non-slip) are lost on rough surfaces, exposing their weaknesses (softness and lack of wear resistance). Their lifespan may be shortened to one-third to one-half, making them a poor choice.

Alternatives:

Mildly rough surfaces (cement with fine sand): Choose polyurethane casters (which offer both elasticity and wear resistance).

Moderately to severely rough surfaces (construction sites, gravel roads): Choose nylon or cast iron casters (which offer high hardness, high wear resistance, and resistance to harsh environments).

If rubber must be used: Choose a high-hardness, wear-resistant model and strengthen maintenance (clean up debris frequently and check for wear).