Mar 3, 2017

Why should I care what casters are on my cart?  It’s all About the Wheel.

Selecting the right (or wrong) casters can have a dramatic impact on the overall performance and life of the cart or dolly you are using.  Better performance and longer life can translate into less workplace frustration, time savings and lower costs. Here are the top three things you should evaluate when selecting casters and wheel options:

1. Caster Life and Durability

If you are depending on your cart to do the job you need, shouldn’t it hold up to the demands required? The construction of its casters can add a great deal to the overall durability of the cart. Many casters may look alike, but can vary drastically in the way they are constructed and perform.  Often you pay about the same for casters regardless of the manufacturer, so why not get premium features like those found in Akro-mils casters?

These features can add to the longevity and smooth operation of your carts:

2.  Caster Materials

Many people don’t realize that the material in a caster’s construction can have a great impact on how that cart performs in differing conditions. Casters can be selected for the environment and conditions where the cart is going to be used.  Floor surfaces, floor and environmental conditions (hot, cold, wet, chemicals, etc.) and other worksite conditions need to be taken into consideration. It’s important to consider factors like if the cart will be under a standing load, used for long term storage, and if the cart needs to be quiet and non-marking to the floor surface.  These and other use factors should be included in the selection process. 

This comparison chart shows the applications and properties for different standard casters & wheel materials: 

3. Caster Weight Capacity

Most people select a cart for an application without realizing the casters drive the weight capacity of the overall cart itself.  The type of materials used in a caster’s construction are one important factor – harder materials have higher weight capacity ratings.  The wheel diameter of the caster is another major factor in determining weight capacity ratings. The larger the wheel diameter, the greater the weight the caster can support.  It’s important to note that weight capacity ratings are given for the full cart (four casters) and represent carts under evenly distributed loads.   

Akro-Mils’ offers a generous selection of caster and wheel options which allows our products to be customized to fit hundreds of applications, surfaces and conditions. Caster and wheel choices should be given much more consideration to help you resolve problems of noise control, floor protection, impact and abrasion resistance and load capacity. Custom caster solutions are also available for any unique situations and applications you may have.   

For More Information on Casters

To select the best caster options for your application, view our casters selection guide  - or contact us or your local Akro-mils distributor.

Do you have tips for using Akro-mils casters? Tell us in the comments section below.