Why Kingpinless Casters for your Heavy Duty Industrial Applications

Heavy duty industrial, manufacturing, freight terminals, warehouses, air cargo, trash containers and many other industries that utilize heavy loads and abusive situations to carts, dollies, platform trucks, tow lines and heavy equipment can benefit from the use of a Kingpinless swivel caster. 
The swivel casters weakest point is the kingpin, this is the pin / bolt that connects the caster legs to the bearing raceway and top plate. When used in heavy shock loading situations like dropping or throwing the loads on to the cart and continuous heavy side loading. This will cause stress on the caster due to the shock of the side impacts on that kingpin. Also heavy loads on carts and equipment rolling over cracks in pavement, transitions from room to room, loading on and off docks and towing applications. If these carts are rolling at any speed this could cause catastrophic failure to the caster. At Buy Casters we recommend Kingpinless Casters to solve these issues. The Kingpinless casters are designed with no kingpin, these casters are made out of ASTM1045 steel and have a drop forged top plate integrated with a forged and precisely machined raceway with a single row of hardened ball bearings. The legs are formed and double welded to the outer raceway for maximum strength. This allows these casters to carry the maximum weight of the bearings used, without horizontal wear, kingpin failure or fracturing of welds, these advantages enable our kingpinless casters to handle extreme side thrust force.

If you are using casters in these applications or are looking for an excellent heavy duty swivel caster and wheels that utilizes a top plate, the kinpinless casters may be just what you need. While the kinpinless casters cost a bit more initially the savings will come from a longer lasting caster and a safer workplace. 
Browse our selection of kinpinless casters and wheels today. If you have trouble finding what is right for you, please call us toll free at 1-855-943-3511 (1-855-WHEEL11) we will be happy to help you!

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).

Stainless Steel vs. Tarditional Steel Casters

In most cases a traditional steel caster is sufficient for strength, durability and corrosion resistance. 
These casters are zinc coated to help with rust but are not rust proof. However there are certain applications that require more protection from the environment in which they are used.

Some examples are if the swivel, rigid or stem mounted casters and wheels are used on carts or dollies outdoors in rain or snow. Other like the food industry or medical equipment in hospitals and laboratories that require steam cleaning and wash downs on a regular basis.  Some manufacturing and processing plants may use heavy duty carts that are subject to corrosive chemicals and cleaning agents, or in marine In these cases a stainless steel caster would be ideal, While stainless steel is more expensive than traditional steel the life span will be greatly increased in those situations and will save you money and time down the road by replacing them less, it will also increase safety, by having a properly rolling cart or equipment and have less chance of operational failure.

Buy Casters' stainless steel casters are made from the highest quality materials, 304 Stainless steel coupled with a nylon, polyurethane, polyolefin or rubber wheel, with a stainless bearing and axle the caster will be virtually impervious to corrosion.

Visit buycasters.com or call us at 1-855-WHEEL11 (943-3511) for more information on our line of stainless steel casters. A experienced sales professional will be happy to help you!

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.

Product Review: Leveling Casters for Equipment Carts & Work Stations

Leveling casters are quality, affordable casters that provide both mobility and stability in application, making them great for equipment carts and work stations. Having casters on a working station is great for easily transporting tools and supplies needed for your job. Maybe you’re a mechanic and you need your tools easily accessible regardless of the girth of the car in your garage – leveling casters give you that mobility freedom. The best part? They also make it easy to keep your equipment level once your carts in place. There are plenty of work stations that can benefit from leveling casters since they provide for easy and safe access to necessary job supplies. These casters can be found on work stations in the medical, computer, communication, woodworking, automation and other industries.

When not needed for mobility purposes, these casters offer stability for the machine by sitting low to the ground with a rubber foot pad to help make them stationary. Not only does the foot help stabilize carts, but it acts as a counter to vibration. Whether sawing or writing, you’ll love the firm stationary use of your leveling casters.

Buycasters’ low profile leveling casters meet the requirements for a number of uses and offer a good balance between price and functionality. These are durable and efficient casters offered in a variety wheel sizes and other options. Leveling casters are available in a variety of wheel sizes: 1.65, 2, 2.5, and 3 inch. The multiple sizes accommodate various weight loads and dimensions of attached machines and equipment. Each of the leveling casters is made with a die-cast, powder-coated aluminum frame and a swivel head of steel. This combination of materials provides for rugged and durable use with a long life, while virtually eliminating the need for maintenance. The non-marking, ultra strong wheels make movement a snap.

Our leveling casters are available at low cost in a wide variety of options. Call 1855-WHEEL11 to ask about discounts in bulk order pricing for larger quantities.

Top Food Industry Uses for Casters

In the food industry, speed and portability are two of the biggest elements of success. Delivering delicious food in a timely, convenient manner will earn you some serious respect from your customers, and they'll be back again when they're hungry. Casters can be highly useful in a food service environment. Catering and food industry casters and wheels are typically placed on the bottom of something to make it easily mobile. Food industry businesses benefit from this idea tremendously in several ways.

• Service Carts - Perhaps the best way to serve meals to a table is with a caster-wheeled cart. Carts can allow a server to deliver food to multiple tables quickly. There is also virtually no risk of a server dropping the meals, since they aren't the ones physically carrying them. A clean cart with some simple coverings can also make you look more professional. Choose locking swivel casters for increased mobility and the ability to secure the cart while removing items from it. With the locking ability, a lot of restaurants use carts with these casters to add service area to a buffet line. Great for weekend brunch or dim sun, this is definitely something that beefs up any restaurant's image. 

• Catering Services - Casters can also be beneficial to catering services. Casters for catering carts are faster and more convenient for the catering workers to set up. By using sturdy, maneuverable casters on a cart, it makes it possible to easily diversify the setup of catering displays. As many successful catering businesses know, appearance and display mean as much as the taste of the food itself. If using casters for catering make sure the wheels are suitable for a variety of floor surfaces and establishments. Sometimes the cart will begin outside and need to be wheeled into a venue with nice hardwood floors or even carpet. It’s important to be ready for any type of environment. 

• Storage and Transportation - Casters also aid food industries by providing easier methods for storage and transportation. What if you have a bunch of chicken that needs to be stored in a freezer? It's much easier and faster to just load all the chicken on to a caster-ready cart or shelving unit and simply wheel it into the freezer than pick up handfuls of it and walk into the freezer. It's also easier to push a cart on to the back of a truck using a ramp than walking up and down the ramp a bunch of times. Sturdy, locking casters are best for this type of use. 

• Vending Appliances - Though many vending machines are stationary, they are fitted with casters for occasional movement and stationary placement. That’s why OEM and OE replacement casters are best for vending purposes. These casters are sturdy and will fit directly and easily with your vending appliances. Many of these casters are fitted with a locking feature to ensure that once your vending machine is where you want it, you can lock it in place to prevent any accidental movement. 

• Kitchen Appliances - Wheeled casters can also help you move appliances around a kitchen or back room safely and quickly. If you're preparing a bunch of food, you need your appliances to go with you wherever you go. Casters on the base of large appliances or such as a dishwasher, grill or large deep fryer help get work done anywhere. 

These are just a few of the common uses of casters in the food industry. Interested in learning more or finding casters to aid in your food service business? 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!