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Whenever we need to move something on a trolley with castors, we must take into account several points that will determine its right movement. We have to think carefully of different elements such as the kind of castor (swivel castors, fixed, swivel with brake…), the floor, the load to be moved, the tread material for the wheel, the conditions of use (long or short distances, areas to cover…), fitting types, etc.
One of the main elements to ensure efficiency at your workplace is the castor configuration for your work trolley or your dolly cart. A wrong castors arrangement may cause poor travelling, instability and safety problems.
In this article written by Ruedas Alex’s technicians we will show you different ways to place the castors properly.
Why is industrial castors placement so important?
Let’s imagine we buy Alex castors to put on a work trolley or platform. Do we know which is the best way to put them? Placing them in the right way will make our cart travel easier, with a good manoeuvrability and requiring lower effort.
The intended use for the work cart will be the main point to consider. Do we need stability or better manoeuvrability? Will it travel straight and long distances or in small areas? Those questions will help us determine how to put the castors on a cart to ensure the best possible mobility.
We will explain below 7 right ways to arrange the industrial castors on a work cart:
3 Swivel castors
This castors configuration is intended for moving small and medium loads and is perfect for drum dollies due to its excellent manoeuvrability in small areas together with a good load capacity. We will know its maximum load capacity per castor by dividing the total load by 3.
We can see in the image below a drum dolly with 4 swivel castors instead of 3 swivel castors, allowing the same excellent manoeuvrability above mentioned, but in this case with more stability.
1 Swivel castor and 2 fixed castors
This is a perfect configuration whenever we want to move lighter loads and we need a lot of manoeuvrability. The cart must be small with an evenly distributed load, as a 3 castors arrangement may be more unstable than a 4 castors configuration. The load distribution should be even and, if possible, in the central part of the cart. Nevertheless, this configuration makes the travelling smooth and is a perfect solution when looking for light loads and good manoeuvrability. We will know its maximum load capacity per castor by dividing the total load by 3.
4 Swivel castors
This is one of the most used castors configuration because it gives us a very good manoeuvrability and a good load capacity. However, we do not recommend it for use over long distances or heavy loads. Not advisable either for use on uneven or bumpy surfaces. We will know its maximum load capacity per castor by dividing the total load by 3.
2 Swivel castors and 2 fixed castors
The fixed castors give stability over long distances and the swivel ones make the platform easier to manoeuvre. That is why this configuration is perfect for an industrial use, as it combines a good load capacity together with a good manoeuvrability in long distances.
4 Fixed castors, 2 of them located on the central axle
When putting 4 fixed castors in a diamond-shaped configuration on a cart, it will allow us to move medium-heavy loads with a good straight travelling at a higher speed, as the cart will move with great stability.
2 Swivel castors y 2 fixed castors in the centre
This configuration is quite similar to the previous one, but the castors mounted on the longest axis are swivel ones. This way we can have a good load capacity together with a stable travelling in the direction of the long axis and a great manoeuvrability in small areas.
We will know its maximum load capacity per castor by dividing the total load by 2.
4 Swivel castors and 2 fixed castors in the centre
Ideal for big factory trolleys moving heavy loads. The four swivel castors will be mounted on the four corners of the cart, which must have a strong base. On the two longest sides we will put the fixed castors in the middle axis for greater stability. This configuration will allow the cart to pivot whenever it is necessary on its central fixed castors, allowing an easy straight travelling.
We hope that these examples will help you deciding the best castor configuration for your factory trolleys, according to your different needs.
If you don’t know which ALEX castor to choose for your business, we invite you to visit our online catalogue for industrial wheels. We have the solution to your mobility needs.