How Did Wagon Wheels Work

Most wagon makers soaked wheel parts in boiling linseed oil before any irons were put on to make them moisture-proof. A steel tire is shrunk tightly upon the wheel to provide a wearing surface, while holding the felloe firmly on the spokes and the spokes tightly into the hub.

Did wagon wheels have tires?

Other wagons included farm and delivery wagons, all of which required four wheels, the wheels again being larger in the back and smaller in the front. Tires were placed on wheels to reduce wear and improve their performance on rough roads. Early tires were made of leather or steel, which was forged around the wheel.

How did wooden wheels work?

The first wheels were simply solid discs, carved out of one lump of wood, with solid wheels made from three shaped planks following dating from about 5000 BC. Solid wheels were not only heavy, but also tended to break across the grain of the wood, and so an improved and lighter wheel became desirable.