It is easy to see why using casters to help move an piece of furniture or machinery will help to make the task easier and more efficient, but have you thought that your choice of casters can actually make a difference in how efficiently you can move these things around?
Douglas Equipment has been in the business of quality casters and material handling equipment since 1955 and can help you choose the right casters for the job you need to do. We are confident that we can help you find the right type of caster at a price that is affordable, but to start here are a few things to consider when thinking of your many choices.
Size Can Make a Big Difference
Conventional wisdom says that if you want a load to roll more easily, you should choose a bigger wheel. This is generally true, but you need to make sure that you’re using the largest caster wheel that’s practical for the task at hand. Using a larger diameter wheel will allow you to cover more ground more quickly than a smaller wheel, will allow you to negotiate floor obstacles more easily, and will generally handle larger capacity loads more easily.
The difficulty with this is that a larger load will cause your load to ride higher, raising the center of gravity and introducing potential tipping concerns. All other things being equal, larger wheels will also require greater starting force.With this in mind, the efficiency gained by using the larger wheel size may not outweigh the need for safety. Casters for heavy-duty applications generally have larger wheel sizes, a few examples of which are:
- Colson 6 Series Swivel and Rigid Casters: These casters come with a zinc finish that is attractive and durable, and includes full double ball hardened raceways for better performance and greater durability. Wheel material options include Performa rubber, mold-on rubber, polyolefin, Phenolic and Thermo High Temperature, and come in wheel diameters of 4”, 5”, 6” and 8”. Capacities range from 300 pounds to 1,500 pounds to suit any needs you may have.
- Shepherd Bassick Honcho OS/OR Series: This heavy duty caster from Shepherd is built to take a large amount of abuse and carry a lot of weight while remaining strong and dependable. These casters are perfect for power-towed applications, terminal trucks, or other heavy, abusive applications. Wheel material options include urethane on aluminum or steel, and come in wheel diameters of 5”, 6” and 8”. Caster capacities range from 1,500 pounds to 1,750 pounds for the larger loads you need to move.
- Colson Kingpinless Enforcer Swivel and Matching Rigid: This model includes a zinc plated finish that is attractive and durable, as well as the kingpinless swivel design that eliminates swivel section failure due to shock and stretching of the kingpin. Wheel material options include phenolic, cast iron, forged steel, and mold-on rubber, and come in wheel diameters of 6”, 8”, 10” and 12”. Caster capacities range from 680 pounds to 4,500.
Wheel Width Can Also Make a Difference
When choosing casters for lighter loads you will more often use a narrow caster that has less surface area on the wheel. If you need to move machinery or heavyweight loads, you will want a wider caster. If you were to place heavier loads onto the lightweight casters you would place more stress on the yoke, fasteners and legs of the caster causing damage, inefficiency and premature failure. You do not want your casters to fail when you’re moving a large and heavy piece of machinery. Some casters we offer that fit the bill for heavier loads include:
- Colson 6 Series Enforcer: These casters come with an attractive and durable zinc finish, as well as the kingpinless swivel design that eliminates swivel section failure due to shock and stretching of the kingpin. Wheel material options include performa rubber, mold-on rubber, polyolefin, polyurethane HI-TECH, cast iron, mold-on nylon, phenolic and thermo high temperature, and come in wheel diameters of 4”, 5”, 6” and 8”. Caster capacities range from 300 pounds to 1,500 pounds.
- Colson Evolution Maintenance Free Casters for Towed Applications: This specialty caster from Colson comes with a zinc plated finish and is designed for dynamic towing applications with a maintenance free precision swivel raceway and steel top plate for maximum durability. All wheel options are 8” diameter and 2” wide with material options including performa rubber, mold-on rubber, polyolefin, polyurethane HI-TECH, Endure Solid Elastomer and cast iron. Caster capacities range from 500 pounds to 1,400 pounds.
- Shepherd Bassick Honcho HS/HR Series: This heavy duty caster from Shepherd is built to carry a large amount of weight while remaining strong and dependable. These casters are perfect for power-towed applications, terminal trucks, or other heavy, abusive applications. Wheels are 2-1/2” wide and come in material options including urethane on aluminum, come in wheel diameters of 6”, 8” and 10”, and have a capacity of 1,750 pounds for moving larger loads.
World Class Customer Service for All Your Caster Needs
We have been in the caster and material handling equipment business for almost 60 years, but our business is customer service. We have a dedicated team of service experts to help you with any questions you may have when it comes to choosing the casters that will make your tasks more efficient. Since we are located in South Florida we can easily service the entire United States and we can also quickly ship products to South America and the Caribbean as well. Contact us today with your questions or for guidance during the selection process.
