Abstract: The disclosure is of a friction drive wheel of the type employed for driving continuous conveyor belts. The wheel is lagged with a textile fabric which comprises a base of woven polyester yarn and a friction surface of polyester textile fibers needled to the base. The lagged wheels of the invention exhibit enhanced durability over prior art frictional drive wheels, reducing the down time of conveyor units incorporating them. In comparison to asbestos lagged drive wheels there is also a reduction of potential health hazards to operating personnel as will be appreciated by industrial health personnel.