Swivel Casters, Two Kinds
Kingpinless is a term that is used to describe a certain type of casters. The term, though used often may not be not fully understood. Generally speaking there are two common types of swivel casters, those that have a kingpin, called traditional, and those that do not, called kingpinless. The function of the two is the same; both types allow movement and directional control over the item to which the casters are attached. However, the design of the construction varies greatly and therefore, allows for improved handling of certain stresses.
Traditional Swivel Casters
Traditional swivel casters have multiple pieces which usually include: a top plate, a kingpin, a lower race, a lower bearing, an upper race, and an upper bearing. These pieces are held together by the kingpin. So as can be easily imagined, with the kingpin being the central aspect of construction, the impact of movement is distributed through the kingpin. This design is one that has served useful purposes for decades; however; it does have its share of issues.
Two Damaging Scenarios
In particular there are two scenarios in which the traditional design can suffer unneeded damage. Normally casters are made to handle movement that is directed at walking speed, roughly two to three miles per hour. Many casters however, are subjected to towing, which increases the speed to five or six miles per hour. This small increase in speed can actually cause quite a lot of damage to the kingpin as the caster is forced to take turns at a speed for which it is not designed. The result is damage to the swivel section in which it becomes deformed.The second scenario that can cause unwanted damage is the shock of impact from improper loading or the bumpiness of uneven terrain. Both of these cause a direct impact to the kingpin in the up and down movement. This shock can cause deformity of the size of the kingpin, which hinders its movement and can result in damage to the ball bearings. These scenarios can be avoided with proper usage; however, it may be useful to consider another option, because there may be times in which the caster needs to be put in the above circumstances.
Kingpinless, A Possible Solution
A good option to consider is the kingpinless swivel caster. In fact it is for these very reasons that the design came into existence. As mentioned earlier, the design of the kingpinless caster still allows for the caster to have the same movement action. However, without the kingpin, it cannot be damaged in the same way. The kingpinless caster has a more simple design, completely eliminating the need for a kingpin. The more simple design, with a top plate and various forged parts allows for the weight to be distributed in a different way than in the traditional models. The weight is distributed over a larger surface in the kingpinless model, allowing the whole piece to endure the stress more evenly.
A Trusted Manufacturer
If you think that the kingpinless swivel caster may be the option that would work for you there are a variety of options to consider. One trusted brand that has many different options is Colson Casters. They have many series, with different characteristics and specifications that make each series better suited to a different type of work environment. Also, in some series they offer both standard, and Enforcer models, a more durable option. To illustrate this, there are some features that are considered standard on all of the Enforcer models, those include:
- Attractive zinc plated finish
- Single ball hardened swivel raceway construction
- Multi-temp grease lubricates in extreme hot and cold temperatures
- Formed fork legs feature robotic welding inside and out for consistent quality
To take a more detailed look at the different series and their specific qualities it is helpful to look at the details. The Colson series that have a kingpinless option include the 4 series, both standard and Enforcer, the 6 series, both the standard and the Enforcer, the 7 series and the 8 series. The casters in the 4 series have a range of weight load capacities, with the top load being able to handle up to 1400lbs. They feature:
- 1/2″ hollow axle with grease zerk and lock nut
- Plastic seal/retainer washer (roller bearing models)
- 5/16″ swivel steel top plate for durability, rigid top plate 1/4″ steel
- Fork legs 1/4″ thick x 2″ wide
- Grease fittings: wheel bearing and swivel raceway
The casters in the 6 series have a range of weight load capacities, with the top load being able to handle up to 1500lbs. They feature:
- 1/4″ fork leg thickness
- 1/2″ hollow axle with grease zerk and lock nut
- Plastic seal/retainer washer (roller bearing models)
- 5/16″ steel top plate for durability (1/4″ rigid top plate)
- Grease fittings: wheel bearing and swivel raceway
The casters in the 7 Series have a range of weight load capacities, with the top load being able to handle up to up to 3500lbs. They feature:
- 3/4″ solid axle with nut• 5/16″ steel top plate
- Fork legs 3/8″ thick x 2-1/2″ wide
- Recessed zerk grease fitting on swivel raceway to prevent damage, grease fitting on wheel bearing for easy maintenance
The casters in the 8 series have a range of weight load capacities, with the top load being able to handle up to 6000lbs. They feature:
- Attractive zinc plated finish
- Single ball hardened swivel raceway construction
- 3/4″ solid axle with nut
- 3/8″ steel top plate
- Fork legs 3/8″ thick x 3″ wide
- Recessed zerk grease fitting on swivel raceway to prevent damage, grease fitting on wheel bearing for easy maintenance
With all the available options, it can be a tough decision to know which one is the best suited for the type of work that you need to accomplish. We at Douglas Equipment understand this and seek to bring you the fastest and most thorough customer service in the business.
Please contact us Toll-free at 1-800-451-0030, locally at 305-888-3700, or by faxing us at 305-883-9563. We can also be reached electronically through the Contact Us section on our website. We hope to hear from you soon.
