Stem Casters, Common Styles & Applications

There are several different styles of stem casters, from industrial applications to food service carts and dollies to furniture and displays. The problem with these casters and wheels is that there are many options and sizes to choose from and it can at times be confusing. Most stemmed casters are also available in stainless steel.

Pictured are the styles of stems that are most common.







Threaded Stem Casters are the most complex due the size and thread pitch variations available.
These are very common but may need some expertise in determining the correct size.
See measuring a caster on the BuyCasters.com website. These casters are used on displays, furniture, carts and medical equipment, etc. and is usually used in light duty or medium duty applications.

Grip Ring Stems are used on most new office chairs and furniture, seen often on the hooded twin wheel casters for chairs. There are several other applications like Metro Brand Wire shelving, casters for Rubbermaid Mop Buckets and many more. They are designed to fit into a tube or socket and the C-Clip when compressed applies pressure to the tube. Very easy to replace and install.

Expandable Adapter casters are commonly used larger round and sometimes square tubing, these caster stems will expand, within a size range, by tightening the collar on the base of the stem and apply pressure to the walls of the tubing. These can sometimes be difficult to install and a wrench is usually required. Often used in Medium duty industrial and custom applications.

Grip Neck Stems are not used that often anymore, these stemmed casters are mostly seen on older wooden furniture. This stem needs a socket that is hammered into the legs of the furniture and the caster and wheel snaps into the socket.

If you have any questions about your caster and wheel needs please call 1-855-943-3511 or stop by www.buycasters.com

Casters for high temperatute applications

High Temp Phenolic wheel

A common problem for industries that use high temperature applications , (such as industrial, autoclaves, bakeries, paint booths, foundries, etc.), is what caster and wheel to use that won't be affected by the extreme heat.
We can offer a few solutions to the problem. First off a few questions...







What type of heat is it, humid or dry?  

Glass Filled Nylon Swivel Caster

For dry heat we recommend either steel or a high temperature phenolic wheel with a plain bore or roller bearing with high temp grease installed. The Phenolic wheel will offer similar capacities to the steel but won't spark and offer a little better floor protection.
For wet or humid heat applications a high temp glass filled nylon wheel will be perfect. You can use steel wheels but they may rust over time.

Ductile Steel

 How long will the caster be in the heat?
High temperature casters can be in extreme heat but the but the duration of the heat can lessen the overall temperature handling of the caster, wheel and bearings. For extended extremely high temps and periods of time, a steel wheel with a plain bore will be necessary, there may be some engineering involved to allow for expansion around the axle in harsher circumstances.

How hot is it?
All of our products will have heat tolerances listed in the technical specs.

If you have any questions about your application please visit our website or call one of our knowledgeable staff at 1-855-943-3511.

What is a Caster and where are they used?

Look around casters are every where there is rarely a industry that doesn't used casters and wheels in some aspect. Hospitals, grocery stores, offices, industrial plants, delivery and warehouses, laboratories, industrial plants & your home, just to name a few. 

A caster (or castor) is an un-driven (non motorized), single, double, or compound wheel attached to a swivel or rigid caster fork. They are designed to be mounted to the bottom of a larger object, like a cart, dolly, display, furniture or equipment, so as to enable that object to be easily moved. They are available in various sizes, and are commonly made of steel, rubber, polyurethane, plastic, nylon, aluminum, or stainless steel.
Casters are found in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, and material handling equipment. High capacity, heavy duty casters are used in many industrial applications, such as platform trucks, carts, assemblies, and tow lines in plants. Generally, casters operate well on smooth and flat surfaces. There are options like pneumatic casters that are air filled that will work well on all surfaces and absorb bumps and cracks.

There three most common casters types are as followed...

Rigid Caster                             Swivel Caster 

Rigid Casters: A wheel mounted to a stationary fork with an axle and nut that allows the cart or equipment to roll but will restrict lateral movement.

Swivel Casters: Similar to the rigid in that it is a wheel mounted to a fork, but the swivel will have a pivot to allow the wheel to rotate freely to help with movement and steering.

Locking Caster: Locking casters are usually but not always swivel. These casters are equipped with a brake mechanism to prevent the wheel from rolling when activated.

Casters & Wheels, Choosing from the assortment of options.

There are a wide selection of caster and wheel options like brakes and bearings. We will hopefully give you some insight into choosing the correct options for your application.

First, after choosing your caster size and whether it is swivel or rigid and the wheel you would want to decide on a bearing. There are several choices and we have listed the most popular below.

Plain Bore: With this type there is actually no bearing, the axle rides directly on the hub of the wheel. This is often used in extremely heavy duty applications with very high heat or very light duty like displays and furniture. 

Roller Bearing

Roller Bearing: This is the most popular choice, the axle rides on a greased roller supplying an easy and smoother ride, coupled with a axle with a grease zerk, it is easily maintained. Great for indoors and dry environments on dollies, carts and equipment.

Precision Ball Bearings: These bearings are sealed and need no maintenance or lubrication and are great indoors, outdoors, Perfect for most light to medium duty applications. They offer easier, quieter & smoother rolling characteristics than the roller bearing. Some examples; Medical equipment, lab carts, shopping carts, and dollies

Delrin Bearings: Delrin is a thermoplastic that is used a lot with stainless steel and in wet applications because they will not corrode. They roll better than plain bore but not as well as roller or precision bearings. They are also good in food industries, laboratories and bakeries for steam cleaning, there is a high temp delrin also available.

Tapered Bearings: Tapered are used in heavy duty industrial applications due to the nature of the tapered bearing it can handle much more weight. They are also recommended if you are using a tugger to pull your carts or if they are in a tow line, these bearings can handle higher speeds without over heating and failing. 

Next options are the brakes to turn your casters into locking casters. Mostly brakes are only used on the swivel caster not the rigid.

Top Lock

Top Lock Brake: This brake attaches to the caster and when the lever is pressed it applies pressure to the top of the wheel.This is our most popular brake for locking casters.

Cam Brake: This style has a larger pedal on the side that when depressed pinches the caster at the bearing and prevents it from moving. This style brake works well but only with roller bearing and plain bore wheels.

Tech Lock Brakes: These are a front pedal brake that also puts pressure on the wheel. This option is easier to operate that the rest but increases your swivel radius.

Total Lock: This brake is similar to the reck lock but also locks the swivel on the casters as well as the wheel. Perfect solution for that cart or table that can have no movement at all.

*All the metal bearings and brakes are also 
available in stainless steel for corrosion and rust prevention.

Anatomy of a Caster

Purchasing the proper casters and wheels can sometimes
be daunting. Are you looking for swivel casters or industrial casters is there a stem or a top plate. There are certain terms used by the  industry to describe parts of the caster itself. So whether you are replacing you casters on your carts and dollies or you shopping carts or equipment, or have a new project that needs casters and wheels, Buy Casters can help and hopefully this blog will be educational.
This guide is designed to help you with those terms and hopefully this can help you make a good decision on the caster that is right for you.

Pictured is a caster "Yoke or Rig" with a top  plate mounting style. 

1. King Bolt
2. Rivet or Kingpin 
9. Thrust Race
12. Thrust Bearings
13. Button
14. Nut
These attach the caster legs to the top plate.
For a stronger option there is a kinpinless model.
3. Mounting Bolt Holes
Holes for the bolts to mount the casters.
You will need to know the spacing of these to determine proper fit.
4. Top Plate
The top plate it the mounting bracket, there are various sizes and styles, stem mounted is another option, 
which is a post. Threaded stems, grip ring stems and 
expandable adapters are the most common styles.
5. Load Race
6. Load Ball Bearings
7. Yoke Base
These are all components of the swivel mechanism, better components here will allow for greater weight capacity and smoother swivel action.
8. Zerk Fitting
A zerk is required for greasing the bearings in the race way higher quality casters and heavy duty casters would have a zerk fitting.
10. Legs
The size of the legs determine the size wheels that can be used in the caster, also the legs will be fitted with a slot for mounting a brake to turn it into a locking caster.
11. Axle Hole
The axle hole on the caster legs are specific sizes determined by if the caster is light duty, medium duty or heavy duty. 1/2 " axle is the most common but other sizes are available.

These are just a few of the common terms used when describing a caster. Interested in learning more or finding casters to aid in your project? Visit buycasters.com or contact us at 1855-WHEEL11.

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!