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4 Advantages of Replacing Steel & Aluminum Sheaves with Cast Nylon

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For many years, steel and aluminum sheaves have used in hoists, cranes, and other load-bearing wire applications. However, these sheaves fail to perform at the highest level within these applications. What is the solution? Nylon sheaves! Recently, nylon sheaves have started to replace steel and aluminum sheaves in hoists, cranes and other load-bearing wire sheave applications. Why have nylon sheaves become the best choice for wire load applications? Nylon sheaves are durable, lightweight, rust protected, and come in various sizes.  Have a look at these 4 main reasons in more detail below! 

1. Durability:

Cast nylon wire rope sheaves have a unique combination of physical properties that contribute to their durability. They have high tensile and compressive strength as well as high elongation properties that improve the product's life span. Some features of cast nylon sheaves include providing a cushioning effect in the groove areas that contact the rope strands, reduced contact pressure at the rope-groove interface to 1/12th of a steel sheave and near-elimination of any wear on the outer layer of the wire rope strands. All these details result in increased operational safety and extend wire rope life by a factor of at least 2 to 3 times of aluminum & steel sheaves.

2. Significantly Lighter than Steel & Aluminum Sheaves:

Cast nylon sheaves are about 1/7th the weight of steel sheaves of the exact dimensions and approximately half the weight of aluminum sheaves. Lightweight properties of cast nylon sheaves result in:

  • Marine Sheaves for Critical ApplicationsReduced dead weight
  • Increased working capacity
  • Lower inertial loads in operation
  • Ease handling during installation and replacement

3. Protection Against Rust and Salt Water Corrosion:

While steel sheaves easily rust, our cast nylon sheaves are impervious to rust and salt water corrosion. Nylon is a naturally corrosion-resistant material, so there is no need to rely on the integrity of a thin coating or paint to protect the sheave.  Cast nylon sheaves eliminate the need for surface maintenance, and as nylon cannot rust, the strength and lifetime of our sheaves are vastly better than those made with steel. 

crosby sheavesindustrial pulleys

4. Variety of Customization Options:

Our suppliers have hundreds of molds to fit almost every rope sheave requirement, so by choosing eSheaves you are guaranteed to find exactly what you need! Our HardHat™ Sheaves are produced in molds custom engineered to the application, meaning that material properties are optimized, and casting stresses are eliminated, resulting in a superior component.

What Are HardHat Sheaves?

HardHat™ Sheaves are our cast nylon sheaves, used by the world's leading crane and hoist manufacturers and various other heavy-duty mechanical installations. At eSheaves, our HardHat™ Sheaves are engineered with the highest quality of materials, leading to a tough, long-lasting product. HardHat™ Sheaves are a superior option to steel and aluminum sheaves as they are constructed with nylon, making them perfect for wire load applications. By choosing HardHat™ Sheaves you get all the benefits listed above, alongside the superior service that you have come to expect from us here at eSheaves!

Take advantage of these benefits by requesting a quotation at for our HardHat™ Sheaves today at https://www.esheaves.com/products/wire-rope-sheaves/hardhat-sheaves/#hardhatrfq. If you have any further questions about our HardHat™ Sheaves our team is happy to help! You can reach out to us by email through sales@esheaves.com, or by giving us a call at 800-321-5667.