Applications and options for Locking Casters

Casters and wheels by nature roll and move easily, sometimes when we don't want them to. The solution is simple, a brake, to turn your swivel caster into a locking caster and keep your carts and equipment from rolling away.

What brake is right for you?
In this article we will discuss the different styles of brakes for locking casters, from heavy duty industrial to light duty to furniture wheels.

Cam Brake (side brake) is a lever along side of the caster and wheel that when activated pinches the caster fork legs and puts pressure on the spanner and bearing to prevent movement. This is very popular due to it's clean look and easy activation. Note: the lever may stick out past the wheel on 4" and 5" casters. This brake can not be used with sealed precision bearings. Available in stainless steel.








Top Lock Brake (face brake) is the most common style lock for casters. This style has a lever on the side that when activated moves a steel pad onto the top / face of the wheel to prevent movement. A economical option that works well with all types of wheels and bearings. Available in stainless steel.








Tech Lock Brake is an extremely easy to use lock that is mounted to the caster at the front and has a foot lever that when pressed, engages a pad on the top / face of the wheel. These come in  nylon or steel. 
Note: This style will add a couple inches on to the swivel radius.






Total Lock Brake is a fantastic option to completely stop movement on your cart or equipment. The total lock is a more expensive option but it will lock the wheel and the swivel of the caster when actuated. It will stop all movement of the caster. This comes in a single pedal style as pictured and a dual pedal to lock each the swivel and wheel separately. Note: This style will add inches to the swivel radius.

Caster and Wheels for Metro Brand Wire Shelving

BC-D-METROSET-5

Do you ever wish you could easily move or roll your Metro shelving from place to place? Maybe you are using it in a kitchen or the food industry and are working at a table it would be easier to move the wire racking near you and move it back when finished. At Buy Casters we have a excellent high quality and easy to install solution. The  BC-D-METROSET-5 is a set of 4 swivel grip ring stem casters with bumper guards to help protect other equipment and carts when moving the shelf around. The set includes 2 regular swivel casters and 2 locking casters with non marking soft TPR (thermo plastic rubber) rubber wheels with precision bearings. The gray rubber wheel is 5" in diameter and the set of four can handle about 1300lbs and still roll easily. The swivel grip ring stem is a direct fit after removing the inserts and fits a tube that has an inside diameter (I.D.) of .846". The stem is .846 x 2-3/16".

For a safe, reliable and economical way to mobilize your Metro Shelf stop in at buycasters.com and take a look at the metro shelf caster and wheel set, they are in stock and ready to ship out.

Bulk quantity discounts are available. For any questions finding the caster right for you, please call or email us at 1855-WHEEL11 (855-943-3511).

5 Unexpected Caster Applications

Casters are ideal units to add to anything that needs to move easily. Common examples include shopping carts and dollies. There are however, some unexpected yet helpful uses for casters in everyday life.

Here are 5 unexpected ways that you can use casters to make your life easier:

1. Garbage and Recycling Bins – Do you have several heavy garbage and recycling bins that need carried out the curb each and every week? Add a couple of swivel casters to the bottom of the bins so you can easily roll them out to the curb. Swivel casters will help you easily maneuver the bins across sidewalks and other surfaces. Moreover, a small pallet fitted with casters could act as a cost effective garbage and recycling cart to haul cans and bins around. 
2. Kitchen Appliances – Put kitchen appliances on locking casters. Apply locking casters to the refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove in order to easily move them away from the wall when it comes time to clean. Afterwards they could be safely locked back into place. While this may not be ideal for some kitchens, it would certainly also work in the laundry room. Washer and dryers alike would become an easy move once fitted with casters and provide an easy way to grab that pesky lost sock. 
3. Garage Shelving & Storage – Use casters on garage shelving and storage units. If your garage is full of storage, why not make moving it a little less of a struggle? Mounting casters on the bottom of a shelving unit would allow for items to be easily accessible from all sides of the unit. Additionally, rearranging storage to accommodate for an alternate garage set-up would be a breeze. Do you need to move some items out of you garage? Just roll the shelves out into the driveway and load your item right into a car or truck. Make sure the casters you choose anticipates not just the load of the shelves, but the items that you plan to store on them. 
4. Large Sports Equipment – Do you have a soccer goal or basketball hoop that you don’t enjoy leaving outside overnight? Just add some casters and wheel it out of storage when your friends come over for a pickup game. When the game is over, simply wheel it back inside. Locking casters would be ideal for this application in order to keep the unit in place while using. 
5. Desks – Add casters to your computer desk at home or at the office. Some office desks come with wheels already attached, but if you're the unlucky one who has no wheels, an upgrade might be in order. Adding casters to the desk at home or at the office makes peripheral cable management easier. Just simply unlock the casters, pull out the desk, and plug in your new peripheral. 

Do any of the above ideas have you thinking about what you have around the house or office that you've been struggling to move for years? Find casters and wheels at www.buycasters.com and get moving!