4 Types Of Castor Wheel Fixings – Key Features And Advantages

If you've been tasked with buying industrial castors, you'll find plenty to choose from. As a result, it can be easy to select the wrong ones. In this article, we provide an overview of the four key types of castor, to make it easier to make the right decision for your application.

1) Fixed Plate Castors

Also known as a rigid castor, a fixed plate castor features a steel plate with four bolt holes, so weight will be evenly distributed across it. Fixed plate castors do not rotate, making them suitable for equipment that needs to be moved in a straight line. Known for their durability, these heavy-duty castors are capable of supporting sizeable loads, making them a popular choice for use on warehouse and factory floors. However, they are fairly large, so they may not be the ideal solution for equipment with small bases.

2) Swivel Plate Castors

These castors also feature steel plates with integrated bolt holes, but the wheels rotate the full 360 degrees. This means that you can manoeuvre the equipment you've attached to them in a straight line or around corners. Heavy duty swivel castor wheels can also handle large loads and will be sturdy enough to last. You can even buy models with built-in brakes so they will only rotate when you want them to. Like fixed plate castors, however, they can be too big for some equipment.

3) Bolt Hole Castors

These are usually smaller than fixed or swivel plate castors, so can be used on equipment with limited space on the base. A bolt hole castor features a stem, bolt, or expander, which screws into the head of the castor and can be fixed to the bottom of your equipment. All bolt hole castors boast swivel designs, providing 360-degree manoeuvrability. However, while you can buy industrial bolt hole castors that can carry gross weights of up to 400kg, they are not designed to support larger loads. They are also not stable enough for use on uneven surfaces.

4) Expander Fitting Castors

These are essentially bolt hole castors which can be used with expanders. The expanders allow you to fit the castors into either square or round tubes, so you can attach them to equipment with hollow legs. They come in a range of sizes, and you can buy expanders with cap head or hexagon head bolts. Simple to install, they have similar advantages and disadvantages to bolt hole castors and are available with and without brakes.

Next Steps

At Rolltek, we stock an extensive selection of castors and expanders for a variety of applications, and all products can be ordered directly from our online store. Please give us a call or send us a message if you have any questions, or require help selecting the best solution.

Image source: Pixabay

In this article, we provide an overview of the four key types of castor, to make it easier to make the right decision for your application.