Castors & Wheels Guide
What are Castors?
Castors and wheels are essential components designed to facilitate the movement of equipment, machinery and various tools by providing a rolling and swivelling function.
A castor consists of a wheel housed within a mounting system, often referred to as a bracket or fork that is attached to the bottom of equipment, furniture, trolleys or machinery through a fixing plate or stem that enables either a fixed or swivel controlled movement of equipment across various surfaces.
Castors are used in various applications across multiple industries including warehousing, healthcare, retail, office environments, and hospitality in both indoors and outdoors.
Understanding the types, features and applications is crucial for selecting the most suitable castors for your needs.
Types of Castors
Swivel or Fixed Castors
Swivel Castors
Swivel castors enable full 360-degree movement, offering improved agility and versatility for manoeuvring in confined areas and effortlessly alter direction.
- Movement: 360-degree rotation. Allows for easy direction changes and manoeuvrability.
- Applications: Ideal for trolleys, trucks and workstations. Suitable for tight or cluttered spaces.
- Advantages: Superior ease of turning and flexibility. Smooth movement in all directions.
- Considerations: Less stable in straight-line movement over long distances. May require more effort to push straight.
See Swivel Castors >
Fixed Castors
Fixed castors are designed for linear movement and provide control for equipment that requires steady directional travel.
- Movement: Moves in one direction. Ideal for forward and backward motion.
- Applications: Best for equipment that does not need to frequently change direction.
- Advantages: Provides stability and is more suitable for straight-line loads. Easier to control.
- Considerations: Limited manoeuvrability. Turning requires moving the entire equipment or setup.
See Fixed Castors >
Fixings Types
Top Plate Fixings and Bolt Hole Fixings are the two common methods for attaching castors to equipment or machinery. Each have advantages that are suited to specfic application types.
Top Plate Fixings
Top Plate Fixings have a flat metal plate attached to the bottom of the castor. This plate has multiple holes for screws or bolts that secure and stabilise the castor to the equipment.
Top plate fixings are predominantly used for:
- Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of equipment and furniture
- Stability: Provides a secure attachment with a larger surface area to evenly support weight
- Ease of Installation: Simple to align and attach using standard screws or bolts
See all Top Plate Castors >
Bolt Hole Fixings
Bolt Hole Fixings refer to castors that have a mounting system that has pre-drilled holes for bolts directly into the equipment or machinery, typically located on a bracket or directly on the wheel assembly.
Bolt holes fixing types are most suited to:
- Precision: Provides a robust direct attachment.
- Custom Fit: Ideal for custom made equipment where the precise placement is required.
- Durability: Offer a strong connection, particularly for heavy duty applications.
See all Bolt Hole Castors >
Castor Load Capacity
Castors are rated by their load capacity, which is the maximum weight they can safely support. This can range approx from:
- Light Duty Typically holds up to 75kg per castor
- Medium Duty 75kg to 140kg per castor
- Heavy Duty Above 141kg per castor
The weight that each castor can support will vary by product, always read the manufacturer guidelines.
Applications
Castors are an incredibly versatile components that are used in various applications to facilitate the movement of objects across a vast range of industries and environments such as:
In addition there are numerous other applications for castors across various industrial and commercial settings.
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