Common Caster and Wheel Repairs, Limits, Issues, and Pain Points
Businesses and individuals depend on casters and wheels to fulfill their purpose – to keep on rolling. The daily use of casters and wheels in institutional, industrial, commercial, retail, office, and home settings unavoidably will produce a degree of wear and tear, don’t worry, this is expected! Over-loading, chemical contact, temperature extremes, transitions between outdoor surfaces and indoor flooring – all of these could potentially impact the expected lifespan of your caster or wheel.
Here are some tips to maximize the lifespan of your casters:
Regular Inspections should be conducted with attention to the following areas:
- General wear, cracks, tread material separation, or other forms of damage to the wheel
- Check fasteners, axles, bolts, and nuts for tightness and integrity
- Ensure casters swivels bearings (especially on exposed raceways) are free of debris
Lubrication:
- Use appropriate grease for your specific application (ex: high temp, corrosion resistant)
Cleaning and Debris Removal:
- Regularly remove any accumulated hair, dirt, or debris wrapped around axles and wheels
- Wipe down casters and wheels of grime and dust that can eventually cause rolling resistance
Load Capacity:
- Be aware of the weight limits of your particular caster wheels, keep in mind that this weight may shift radically to one or two casters if the object is being moved over uneven flooring or being moved at high speeds
- Try to evenly distribute weight to prevent flat-spotting of wheels
Proper Flooring and Environmental Use:
- Keep in mind that wheel tread materials are meant for a specific flooring or a limited ranged of surfaces (polyethylene for indoor use, pneumatic wheels for outdoor use)
Replacement, and Repairs:
- Be sure to replace wheels, bearings, or brakes before they fail completely potentially leading to an unsafe situation or a costly failure while in operation
Common Caster and Wheel Pain Points:
- Plate Mount Casters: If not mounted/threaded properly, can bend and become unstable and even unusable
- Swivel Casters: Swivel functionality can be impacted by uncovered raceways accumulating dirt and debris
- Rigid Casters: If rigid casters experience side impacts, jumps, or dragging – those actions can bend the rig and cause loss of contact with floor surface
- Expandable Stem Adapters: Always ensure that the expandable adapter stem is fully tightened, expanded and locked in place
- Watch for Loose Washers: Locking washers should be used when mounting casters, Loctite may be applied as well for extra security
- Flat Spotting: Typically, due to prolonged pressure without movement or use of heavy loads that exceed the weight capacity of the caster or wheel
- Embedded Material: Just like the tires on your car or truck – sharp objects can potentially become lodged in the tread of your wheel
- Locked Wheels: Accumulated hair, metal shavings, and other debris can cause wheels to not rotate within the rig
- Watch Your Speed: High speeds over certain rough surfaces can severely impact the lifespan of the caster and wheel
Properly maintaining your casters and wheels is a critical step towards ensuring optimal performance and longevity. Advance Caster offers a wide range of caster wheels and casters that will hold up to the elements. Our expert team is here to help you find the perfect solution for your needs.