Choosing the right heavy duty caster can be a challenge, especially with so many options out there in the market. Choosing the right caster can have critical implications on worker safety, material handling, costs, productivity, and ergonomics.

Here at LINCO, we understand that these heavy duty wheels will be a big part of solving the numerous problems that hound businesses today.

Read on to know how you can find the best qualities for an industrial caster and be one step closer to a safer and more productive working environment.

Know the Right Wheel Size

The main consideration to think about when looking for the right wheel size is the load that you will be hauling. Knowing the weight of load to be carried by the caster allows you to add more capacity as a margin of safety. To make up for the shifting loads, your caster should be about 30% of your maximum weight. Increasing the wheel diameter means less effort to initiate rolling or to keep the wheels rolling. However, as the width of the wheel increases, it also becomes more resistant to switching directions and increases surface pressure.

Larger wheels are generally easier to mobilize and carry heavier loads, though switching directions can be harder as the size increases. Determining the right wheel size necessitates knowing the weight of load, so you can strike a balance between material load capacity and floor protection.

Knowing the right wheel size in relation to the weight of the load is critical because if you use a caster that is underrated for the heavy loads you are moving, then you risk the safety of your workers through either heavy equipment collision or overexertion.

What Wheel Material Should You Use?

Now that we have settled the right wheel size, we have to take a look at the appropriate caster material. As the loads increase in heaviness, your materials should get harder. For industrial casters, the recommended material to use is polyurethane; the treads on casters made of this material are soft enough to bounce off debris, which prevents damaging or leaving a mark on floors, thus helping you spend less on floor maintenance and upkeep. Polyurethane also strikes a great balance between durability and ergonomics.

Think About the Rig

When buying a heavy duty caster, you don’t have to think solely about the wheels. A good, durable caster has three considerations:

1.A properly sized swivel section

2.A hot forged swivel section

3.Leg thickness and width

Properly Sized Swivel Section

A properly sized swivel section refers to the ball bearing interface in between the top plate and the yoke base. These ball bearings and the raceway circumference determine the carrying capacity of the swivel section. For heavy duty casters, the balls and raceways should range from at least 0.625 inches and the diameter should be six to eight inches.

Hot Forged Swivel Section

It is worth noting that swivel sections are generally manufactured in two ways: cold-stamping or hot-forging.

While cold-stamping is relatively inexpensive, it is only limited by the thickness of the metal. For heavy duty casters, cold-stamping is only limited to 0.25 inc steel plates.

This is the reason why we recommend hot-forged swivel sections because although they are more expensive, the plates used are much thicker than its cold-stamped version. The plates are around the range of 0.875 inches. Hot-forged steel produces the strongest and highest quality material suitable for heavy duty casters.

Leg Thickness and Width

Sizing the width and thickness of the leg correctly is important to support loads safely. You need to remember that the width and thickness of the leg supports a static load, impacts the amount of side thrust the caster can withstand, and influences the level of force a caster in a trailing position can withstand.

Heavy Duty Casters for Heavy Duty Work

Heavy duty casters are used in a variety of industries for a variety of reasons. If you are looking to buy industrial-grade casters, be sure that they tick off all the checkboxes that we have outlined in this blog post. If you need to buy the best heavy duty casters, then we can definitely help you out.

Here at LINCO, we understand how important it is that your businesses and workers enjoy safety and increased productivity by having only the best heavy duty casters possible. That is why we sell only the highest quality casters from top brands that will improve your heavy duty caster performance and durability.

Get in touch with us today to know more on how you can get your heavy duty caster, or give one of our experts a call at 866-306-9566.