Page 6 - Selecting Casters and Wheels

SELECTING CASTERS & WHEELS

Extreme Climates. Extreme temperatures can call for special solutions, although most casters
can handle a wide range of operating temperatures. Extreme temperatures, either hot or cold
will be a factor in wheel selection and can have an impact on caster components.

Environmental Considerations.
Environmental considerations include the
presence of potentially hazardous or
corrosive substances that the casters or
wheels will be exposed to, such as the
presence water, steam, oils or grease,
animal fats, solvents, and other corrosive
chemicals. Some wheel materials handle
certain substances better than others.
Plastic wheels such as
polyolefin, polyurethane and
thermoplastic rubber (TPR) are virtually
impervious
to most solvents and chemicals. Other environmental considerations include exposure to
extreme heat or cold. High-temp phenolic and other types of wheels are designed for hot
environments such as autoclaves and bakers ovens.

Mounting Types. Casters are mounted to a piece of equipment usually in one of two general
ways—either by a plate or by a stem. There are many different plate sizes for casters.

Three measurements are important with plate casters:
(1) the bolt hole pattern
(2) the outside perimeter dimensions of the plate
(3) the size of the bolt holes

Stem casters also come in several different stem types and sizes, so it’s important to know not
only what type of stem is required but the exact dimensions of the stem.