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Caster wheels are the critical hardware typically attached to the bottoms of a cart, dolly, or material handling equipment which supports the load of what is being moved. The applications and industries they are used for can range from medical, automotive, warehouse, shopping carts, construction, and much, much more to name a few. The wheel size, specs, and fastening types of these casters all play an important role in determining the right caster for your needs. In fact, the varying tread types such as Non-marking Polyurethane, Thermoplastic Rubber, Nylon, Plastic, or Steel are among the widest used in the market and are what usually takes on the bumps and turns in your everyday rolling adventures or tasks. Choosing the correct wheels for your needs means finding the best fit for the type of environment you will have your cart on and this will affect how your cart takes on its jobs.
Another important factor is the Load Capacity required for your cart or project. Make sure you are using the max load weight on your cart or project for determining the minimum load capacity for your specific caster. For example, if you can only load a maximum of 2,000 lbs. per cart or object, then you will need a minimum of 525 lbs. per caster in load capacity to ensure the proper fitment for your needs. The empty cart may only way up to 200 lbs. without the max load which means you need to compensate for the 1800 pounds of excess load in addition to achieve the full 2,000 lbs. load capacity needed.
Finally, check and make sure the fastening type matches up with your cart. There are several configurations from square and rectangular top-plates, short and long threaded stems, as well as grip-stems to name a few that will need to be measured and checked against the hole spacing or thread type of your cart.
Caster wheels are made in many different sizes depending on the style of cart you have and what it's purposed for. For instance, in an industrial setting you might find that the casters are 5”x 2”, 6”x 2”, or 8”x 2” in terms of wheel sizes for Heavy Duty load needs. These might be Nylon, Hard Rubber, Polyurethane or Steel treads to support the heavy loads. When compared to restaurant equipment, you might find that the wheels that are smaller in diameter such as 4” x 1.25” or 5” x 1.25” and typically made of Polyurethane, Phenolic Resin, or Thermoplastic tread to maneuver quickly around turns, tolerate high temperatures, and prevent any marking on surfaces while still holding a sizeable load. Since there are such a wide variety of wheels and sizes to fit your style of cart, it’s important to make sure the size and function make a good fit before finally selecting a color. On average, most caster wheels can last more than 20 years.
Depending on the industry, function, and wear & tear, some casters are replaced as often as every 6 months such as shopping cart casters. Regardless, solving for proper fitment and purpose first ensures the maximum benefit for your investment.
The correlation between wheel size and the terrain is actually quite close. For example, if you have large industrial equipment weighing in at over 3,000 lbs. it may require a 6” Heavy Duty Polyurethane caster such as a 6660-01-PRX which can carry up to 1,000 lbs. each without causing any scratch or marking to the surface due to its non-marking attributes. In other cases, there might be a need for a 6” or 8” Pneumatic or Flat-Free casters such as the 6660-01-PNU or 6680W-01-AFR kit for equipment that needs to roll over uneven and jagged surfaces while delivering comfort and stable ride. The beauty of these casters is that they absorb a lot of vibration and turbulence so that you don’t have to. Poly, Plastic, or Steel, the complexity is made simple with the wide variety of caster wheels we offer and the ease in filtering through by wheel size, wheel type, industry application, and load capacity to arrive at the perfect matching caster for your needs.
It’s imperative to understand how the material type of your caster can make an impact on the desired outcome and budget for your needs. This knowledge is made easy through our process of navigation and detailed specifications when considering the right caster for your needs. Heavy, Light, Hot, Cold, or Bumpy, we have the right configuration a few clicks away to arrive at the best possible fitment for your mobility management needs.
Contact Icon Caster Wheels today or visit our website to see a full list of all caster wheels we offer for purchase. If you have any questions, one of our specialists is happy to answer any questions and go over any concerns that you may have.