Working out your required load capacity needed is probably the most important and the very first thing you’ll need to do. There are many factors to consider and you can read more about these here. Because the total load a set of castors can handle depends on how many castors you are using, the load capacity quoted on websites and in catalogues is usually the load capacity of a single castor.

The most commonly used formula to calculate the required load capacity of a castor is:

Minimum Load Capacity Required = Total Weight / (the number of castors used minus 1)

For example:

• if the weight of your transport equipment is 50kg and the maximum load you will put on it is 400kg, the maximum total weight to be supported by a set of castors is 450kg.
• Assuming the usual 4 castor configuration, the recommended minimum load capacity of the castor is 150kg. That is, 450kg divided by 3 (4 castors minus 1).

Therefore, you need to know how many castors you will be using.

Most castor applications use 4 castors but there are applications that use more or less. For example, a long platform trolley uses 6 castors with the middle two used to pivot the platform so it can turn more sharply. There are some smaller dollies, usually circular, that may use 3 castors.

If you have an application requiring 6 castors, the middle two need to be a size larger than the 4 on the corners (to allow the pivot), and because they are, for a time, supporting the total weight, each of the middle two castors need to support at least 50% of the total weight.

If you are using only 3 castors, each castor should be able to hold at least 40% of the total load. This configuration is only recommended for small trolleys or dollies and light loads.

Once you know the minimum load capacity you need for a castor, you are ready to either call us and let us help you with your options, or browse our online store and search for castors that match your required load capacity. On our website, once you have selected the load capacity range you need, the remaining castor attributes available show all the castors meet that load capacity range chosen and you can select your preferred castor. For example, you can select:

• Wheel Diameter (75mm, 100mm, 125mm etc)
• Bracket Type (Fixed or Swivel)
• the wheel tread material (Nylon, Polyurethane, Rubber, Cast Iron, Polypropylene, Polyurethane, Phenolic)
• bearing type (Plain, Roller or Ball Bearing)
• Fixing Type (Single Bolt, 4 Hole Top Plate)
• Bracket Material (Pressed Steel, Fabricated Steel, Stainless Steel)

BROWSE ONLINE HERE