Whether you need them for an office space or a shopping cart, choosing between a rigid caster wheel or one that swivels can be a challenging task. However, knowing the intended purpose of the wheel is a great place to start.
To get the best results, you must understand that choosing the right caster wheel is paramount to having a functioning moving object in the end. How you want to move whatever sits on the casters will dictate whether you go with rigid or swivel ones.
With that being said, here are a few tips on how to choose the right caster wheel that is personalized to your application.
Know the Weight Rating
Caster wheels that are rigid are often much stronger than those that swivel. If you only need to move a heavy item or cart a few feet at a time, rigid ones might be the way to go. If you plan on moving large amounts of material with the casters, you might need to consider using both styles depending on how easily the material can be moved.
In this case, it is important to ensure that all the casters are aligned properly so that the object will roll in a straight line. The direction that the casters are facing will ultimately dictate which direction you can move the object.
Understand Turning Capabilities
Swivel caster wheels are extremely useful in objects that require steering. If you are planning on using it for a shopping cart, for example, you may want swivel caster wheels at the front and rigid ones at the back. This allows for steering ability but also keeps the cart in a straight line thanks to the rigid wheels at the back.
Using all swivel casters is a way to have every movement possible with combined stability. With this set-up, you’ll be able to rotate the object 360 degrees. For example, if you want to turn a large printer around to access the power cables at the back, setting the printer on a set of 4 caster wheels makes this job easy since all you will need to do is spin it.
In conclusion, the main difference between choosing swivel casters or rigid casters comes down to maneuverability. Depending on what you plan to do with the object that the casters rest on, you could have a highly dependable and long-lasting set of rigid casters or a highly maneuverable set of swivel casters.