CASTER

SELECTION GUIDE
PAIRING THE RIGHT CASTER WITH YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Casters are rolling mechanisms used to support and help maneuver carts, racks, dollies and other
material handling equipment. They come in different materials, wheel diameters, tread widths, load
ratings and overall heights to give you improved mobility in a variety of work environments. To help
determine which type of caster best fits your needs, ask yourself the following questions:
• Is the environment wet or oily?
• Is exposure to chemicals or corrosives a concern?
• What temperature range will the casters be exposed to?
• What floor or surface type do you need to maneuver across?
• Are aesthetics or noise reduction a concern?
• Are brakes needed?
• Do you need certifications in CA Prop 65, NSF for food service use or other standards?

CASTER TERMINOLOGY
CASTER TYPE
Swivel: Caster raceway capable of rotating 360°.
Rigid: Stationary or fixed caster without a raceway. Can roll forward or backwards, but restricted from swiveling 360°.
Kingpinless: Swivel caster constructed without a kingpin. Provides a superior raceway for shock conditions. Can be used in
towing applications.
PNEUMATIC & SOLID RUBBER
Pneumatic: Air-filled wheels designed for low-speed manually moved applications (commonly found on hand trucks, lawn mowers
and wheelbarrows). Provide a cushioned ride, shock absorption and quiet operation.
Semipneumatic: Extra-thick, solid, soft rubber tire has no air and eliminates the risk of a flat tire. Designed to reduce the vibration
and shock caused by floor surfaces that are not smooth.
Solid Rubber Wheel: Designed for high-capacity applications (commonly found on hand trucks, lawn mowers and wheelbarrows).
Feature a solid tire construction.
Flat-Free Wheel: Solid, polyurethane tire provides shock absorption and load handling characteristics similar to a pneumatic tire
with the benefit of never going flat.
BRAKES & LOCKS
Brake: Prevents movement of the caster wheel. Not designed to stop moving equipment, nor intended for use on ramps or inclines.
4-Position Directional Lock: Locks the swivel of the caster to a rigid position for straight line travel.
Total Lock: Simultaneously locks both the swivel and wheel of the caster to hold equipment in place.
MOUNT TYPE
Plate: Attaches using bolts through designated bolt holes in the top plate.
Stem: Uses a stem as the attaching device.
Bolt Hole: Stemless caster where a standard bolt is inserted into the hole and bolted to the equipment.

DETERMINE THE WHEEL MATERIAL TO FIT YOUR NEEDS

Cast Iron: High-capacity and abrasion-resistant
for easy rolling and long service life on concrete.
High-temperature options available.
Ductile Iron: Superior resistance to breakage,
cracking and chipping for long service life in the
most severe applications.
Forged Steel: Indestructible in normal applications
and long service life. Used where floor protection is a
secondary consideration, or for use on steel plates.
Glass-Filled Nylon: Will not chip, absorb water
or break down in caustic environments. High-
temperature options available.
Monoprene: Rejects debris while offering the
same great features as a pneumatic wheel without
going flat.
Neoprene: High resistance from oil and chemicals
while providing sufficient cushioning to substantially
lower or eliminate shock, vibration and noise levels.
Nylon: Withstands solvents, corrosive environments
and temperature extremes.
Phenolic: Floor protective and highly resistant to
oil, grease, gasoline and mild acids. Recommended
for use on smooth concrete. Not recommended for
wet applications or use over rough surfaces. High-
temperature options available.
Polyolefin: Lightweight, one-piece solid sanitary
design suited for use in wet and corrosive
applications.
Polypropylene: Resists absorption and withstands
most chemicals and solvents.
Polyurethane: Easy-rolling wheels cushion loads,
protect floors and offer superior chemical resistance.
Rubber: Long-wearing wheels provide floor
protection and quiet operation.
Stainless Steel: Strong and durable design. Ideal
for use in wet, corrosive or sanitary environments.
Steel: Provides strength and shock resistance with
long service life and economy for use in rough
service conditions.
Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR): Chemical- and
water-resistant. Absorbs shock and protects floors
while providing easy rollability. High-temperature
options available.
Vulkollan: Highest quality polyurethane. Extremely
durable with excellent abrasion resistance. Easy
to roll.

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 MATCH YOUR CASTER TO YOUR FLOOR

FLOOR-TO-WHEEL GUIDE FLOOR GUIDE: DUROMETER

Measures the hardness of the wheel material—the higher the number, the harder
the material. Using the Shore A or Shore D scale is the preferred method for
rubbers/elastomers and is also commonly used for softer plastics such as
polyolefins, fluoropolymers and vinyls. The Shore A scale is typically used for
softer rubbers. Shore D is used for harder rubbers.

LOAD RATING & DIMENSIONS

Load Rating: The load rating of each caster adds to the overall
capacity that can be supported. Each caster represents an incremental
increase in load rating capacity. To find the load rating for each caster
that is necessary for your application, divide the weight of the load
by the number of casters. For a safety factor, remove one caster and
divide the weight of the load to get the load rating for each caster. WHEEL SIZE & OVERALL HEIGHT
Dimensions: Collect the following information for all casters: overall
height, wheel diameter, wheel width and swivel radius. Unique
dimensions will also need to be collected for each mounting type
. . hole).
(plate, stem, bolt
Plate
PlateCaster
CasterSelection
SelectionGuide
Guide
PLATE
STEM TYPES CASTER
Caster
CasterTerminology
Terminology Wheel
WheelSize
Size&&Overall
OverallHeight
Height
Swivel
Swivel Caster
Caster – Caster
– Casterraceway
raceway capable
capable of of
rotating
rotating360°.
360°.
Rigid
Rigid
Caster
Caster – Stationary
– Stationaryor or
fixed
fixedcaster
casterwithout
withouta raceway,
a raceway,that
that
cancan
rollroll
forward
forward or or
backwards,
backwards, butbut restricted
restrictedfrom
fromswiveling
swiveling
360.
360.
Brake
Brake– Prevents
– Prevents movement
movement of ofthethecaster
caster
wheel.
wheel. NotNotdesigned
designed to to
stop
stop
moving
moving equipment,
equipment, nornorintended
intended forfor
useuse
ononramps
rampsor or
inclines.
inclines.
4‐Position
4‐Position Directional‐Lock
Directional‐Lock – Locks
– Locks thethe
swivel
swivelof of
thethecaster
caster
to to
a a
rigid
rigid
position,
position, forfor
straight
straight
line
linetravel.
travel. STEM
CASTER
Total‐Lock
Total‐Lock – Simultaneously
– Simultaneously locks
locksbothboththethe
swivel
swivel
and andwheel
wheelof of
thethe
caster
caster to to
hold
holdequipment
equipment in inplace.
place.
Kingpinless
Kingpinless Caster
Caster– Swivel
– Swivelcaster
caster constructed
constructed without
without a kingpin,
a kingpin,
provides
provides a superior
a superior raceway
raceway forfor shock
shock conditions.
conditions.

PLATE SIZE & BOLT HOLE SPACING

Plate Size & Bolt Hole Spacing
Plate Size & Bolt Hole Spacing
A. B. C. D.

Wheel
WheelMaterials
Materials
Cast
Cast
Iron
Iron – High‐capacity
– High‐capacity and and abrasion
abrasion resistant
resistant forfor
easyeasy
rolling
rolling concrete.
concrete.NotNotrecommended
recommended forfor
wet
wet
applications
applications or or
useuseover
over
and
and
long
long service
servicelifelife
onon
concrete.
concrete. rough
roughsurfaces.
surfaces. The product statements presented are intended for informational purposes only. Such
Ductile
DuctileIronIron– Superior
– Superior resistance
resistance to to
breakage,
breakage, cracking,
cracking, and
and Polyolefin
Polyolefin– Lightweight,
– Lightweight,
productone‐piece
one‐piece
statements solid
dosolid
notsanitary
sanitarydesign
constitute design suited
a product suited forfor
recommendation or representation as
The
chipping
chipping Grainger
forfor
long
longservice Choice
servicelifelife
in in badge
thethe
most
most severesignals
severe of of a broad
applications.
applications. use
use
in in
wetwet
and and
corrosive
corrosiveapplications.
applications.for a specific purpose. W.W. Grainger, Inc. does not guarantee
to the appropriateness
Forged selection
Forged Steel
Steel of products
– Indestructible
– Indestructible in in thatapplications
normal
normal deliver
applications quality
andandlong
long Polypropylene
Polypropylene – Resist
– the
Resist
absorption
absorption
result and
of product andwithstand
withstand
operation most
most
or assume chemicals
anychemicals
liability for personal injury or property
service
servicelife.
and life.
Used
Used
value, where
where floor
brought floorprotection
protection
to you isby aissecondary
aGrainger.
secondary and
and
solvents.
solvents. damage resulting from the user’s reference to any product statements.
consideration,
consideration, or orforforuse
use
onon steel
steel
plates.
plates. Polyurethane
Polyurethane – Easy‐rolling
– Easy‐rollingwheels,
wheels,
cushion
cushion loads,
loads,
protect
protect floors,
floors,
Glass
Glass
Filled
Filled Nylon
Nylon – Will
– Will
notnot chip,
chip,
absorb
absorb water,
water,or or
breakdown
breakdown in in and
and
offer
offer
superior
superiorchemical
chemical resistance.
resistance.
caustic
caustic
environments.
environments. Rubber
Rubber – Long‐wearing
– Long‐wearing wheel
wheel provides
providesfloor
floor ©2015 W.W.
protection
protection and Grainger,
and quietInc. W-XEXE106 8S
quiet
Monoprene
Monoprene – Reject
– Reject debris,
debris, while
while offering
offering thethe
same
same great
great operation.
operation.
features
features as asa pneumatic
a pneumatic wheel,
wheel, without
without going
goingflat.
flat. Stainless
StainlessSteel
Steel
– Strong
– Strongandanddurable
durabledesign,
design,ideal
ideal
forfor
useusein in
a wet,
a wet,
GRAINGER.COM/CHOICE
Neoprene
Neoprene – High
|
– High
1.800.GRAINGER
resistance
resistance fromfrom oiloil
andandchemicals
chemicals while
while corrosive
corrosiveor or
sanitary
sanitary
environments.
environments.
providing
providing sufficient
sufficient cushioning
cushioning to to
substantially
substantially lower
lower or or
eliminate
eliminate Steel
Steel
– Provides
– Provides strength
strengthandandshock
shock
resistance
resistance with
with
long
longservice
service