Casters in the Food Industry

Stainless Steel Swivel Caster

Casters and wheels are a essential partner in the food processing and service industries. These casters range from heavy duty to light duty and come in assortment of styles and options.

Some of the most common are the non marking gray rubber wheels on a stainless steel caster. This is a quiet, easy to roll, corrosion free setup. With the constant cleaning and spraying down of the carts in the food industry, stainless steel is a logical choice. The standard zinc coated casters will resist rusting but over time will corrode and while the stainless option is more expensive this set up will save time and money in the long run.

Another popular one is the high temperature caster and wheel, phenolic or nylon, these wheels will withstand extremely high temperatures, perfect for ovens, autoclaves and steaming. The high temp nylon wheel is perfect for high temps that have a high humidity level or wet applications, the Phenolic is better in dry heat.

The bottom line is that casters are a fixture in the food industry, whether food service carts, dollies, kitchen and bakery racks, equipment or cleaning and service carts like Rubbermaid. Whatever your needs high quality casters and wheels are a must. But the proper application for each casters is paramount. Contact our caster specialists and let them assist you in finding the right casters and wheels for your application.

Product Review: Buy Casters V Groove Wheels

Cast Iron V Groove wheel

V-Groove caster wheels are commonly used in heavy duty industrial applications. They are made of steel / cast iron, Ductile steel , drop forged steel, polyurethane and nylon.
The most common is the cast iron aka semi steel, these are economical and have great capacities and and durability. V groove wheels are specifically made for riding on inverted angle iron track but can be also used on flat surfaces. The "v groove" in the wheel allows for load equalization while running on the track. These wheels, depending on the size, can handle loads up to 3500 lbs per wheel, they have a tensile strength of 30,000 psi, and can handle temps from -40f to 600f.

An excellent high quality option that have been put through rigorous tests to handle the abuse and heavy duty applications of today's industrial and manufacturing industries.

Offered with several bearing types, roller and tapered bearings are the most common.

V-Groove wheels are the perfect solution to keeping those heavy duty carts and dollies safely on track.

Product Review : Rubbermaid Replacement Casters & Wheels

Rubbermaid mop buckets and carts are high quality and expensive equipment that can take some excessive abuse, if your wheel or caster has failed, don't throw away the cart or bucket, replace the casters with an economical and high quality set of casters and wheels. The sets available a BuyCasters.com are direct OEM replacements and exceed the standards of Rubbermaid. 

Mop Bucket Caster Se

Rubbermaid Mop Bucket Casters are 3" diameter thermo plastic non marking rubber wheels with a swivel grip ring stem. The casters are zinc coated to resist corrosion. They fit perfectly into the existing holes on the buckets. Each set of 4 casters comes complete with extra inserts, just in case yours have worn out. 

Rubbermaid 4401, 4500, 4505, 4525 Caster

The  Rubbermaid Cart Casters are a direct replacement for the 4401, 4500, 4505, 4525 series carts. They are made of zinc plated steel with a 5" thermoplastic non marking rubber wheel. The set contains 2 swivel plate mounted casters and 2 rigid plate mounted casters and easily bolt right up to the existing holes in the cart. (mounting hardware not included).
 

Installation of these casters is easy with some basic tools. 

An economical and simple fix to a common problem.

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.

Advantages of Non Marking Casters Wheels

Polyurethane Shopping Cart Wheel

There are several types of wheels that are non marking and choosing the right one for you can be a challenge. We are here to help, while non marking caster wheels have some great advantages they have some deficiencies as well and depending on the wheel material they have different characteristics. 

Polyurethane Wheels
Polyurethane wheels are a great non marking wheel with great rolling, wear and abrasion resistance characteristics, they also offer some cushioning.
These wheels can handle more weight than a rubber wheel and are less affected by the elements / weather and can handle rough surfaces, like concrete and asphalt and still protect a smooth painted or finished flooring. For these reasons grocery stores use polyurethane on there shopping cart casters as well as heavy duty industrial will use a polyurethane tread on their carts and equipment if they need to protect a floor.

Albion XS Gray Rubber Wheel

Rubber Wheels
Rubber wheels are not all non marking, black rubber will usually leave skid marks but will protect a floors finish. For a truly non marking rubber wheel, we suggest "Soft Gray Rubber". This wheel still has decent weight capacities but have excellent cushioning wear resistance, along with quiet smooth rolling operation. these will wear more quickly that the polyurethane but is much quieter. These are often seen on hospital carts and equipment, laboratories, food processing plants and even Home Depot and Lowes use a soft rubber wheel on some of there larger dollies and lumber carts to avoid excessive noise. Some great, commonly used wheels are the BuyCasters Xtra Soft Rubber, the Albion XS Wheel and the Colson Performa wheels. All are excellent quality, come in a variety of sizes and offer the floor protection you will need. 

What ever your needs we can keep you rolling at Buy Casters, call toll free if you have any questions about what caster or wheel is right for you! 
1-855-943-3511 (1-855-WHEEL11)

Shopping Cart Casters and Replacement Wheels

Go to any grocery store or department store and you will see an abundance of casters and wheels. The most common would be the shopping cart casters. These casters and wheels take a lot of abuse from excessive use and from the elements. Just because the wheels are bad does not mean the shopping cart is not worth saving. These cart casters and wheels are out doors in rain, snow and heat, they roll over transitions in and out of stores and are used on rough concrete or asphalt in the parking lots. A quality universal replacement caster and wheel is a necessity to keep your carts rolling smoothly and quietly. 


At BuyCasters.com we sell Pemco and an in house brand, Pemco is an OEM supplier of several cart manufacturers.These are perfect and in some cases exact replacements for your worn wheels. Made from the highest quality polyurethane and using sealed bearings they are extremely durable. 5" Polyurethane wheels are an industry standard because they handle the elements, offer some cushioning and handle heavy loads all while being safe on all flooring. We offer other wheels like a cheaper thermo plastic and a soft rubber but in most cases the polyurethane is the way to go. All wheels and casters are available in  4" and 5" diameters.

Replacing these casters and wheels is as easy as removing one nut and bolt and the new ones simply bolt back up into place, often times when removing the old bolts and axles they may become damaged due to corrosion and rust, new axles are available at an affordable price.

Check out our wide selection and great prices on our website www.buycasters.com or call Toll Free 1-855-943-3511for assistance. Quantity discounts are available on the website or by request.
 

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.