Ever tried to move a road case without wheels? Without the right set of road case casters, transporting your equipment or goods can become a challenge especially when one of your wheels breaks, risking damage to your equipment. 

The correct set of caster wheels makes a huge difference in your road case’s durability and usability. It is especially important to consider their weight capacity and wheel diameter. 

Whether your case is being used for a major outdoor music festival or a warehouse floor, there are many casters available on the market, from casters with suitable wheel tread for multi-terrain transport to casters that can precisely manoeuver in tight corridors and industrial casters for heavy-duty applications. So how do you choose the right casters? 

Choose the right caster for the load you are carrying 

When you are choosing casters, you need to start with the weight of what you are transporting. The casters need to be perfect for the occasion, preventing wheel failure and damage to your contents inside the road case.

We recommend you follow this simple formula to find out your required load capacity per caster: 

C = required load capacity of caster 

L = maximum cart load

W = Cart/Case Weight

N = number of casters

SF = safety factor  

Unless stated otherwise, weights used are in lbs or kilograms:

Maximum Cart Load (L)

A crucial parameter for your road case, this weight helps to determine the overall load.

Cart/Case Weight (W)

Do not forget your road case and its components also need to be factored in as they have their own weights to consider. 

Number of Casters (N)

While traditional road cases use four, depending on your design and specifications, it may require more. It is also important to ensure that they are evenly spaced and secure, and we recommend a good mix of braked casters in your selection for more control. 

Safety Factor (SF)

The safety factor is the margin of flexibility that you give for unexpected equipment or loads, uneven distribution, or the physical strength of the end user as Cart Load and Cart Weight will not account for environmental factors. Remember that some cases may be stacked on top of each other.

So, for example, if you are looking at casters at around 3” diameter, you would only look for light-duty applications with moderate loads, while 4” casters (depending on the design) can take heavier loads, whilst larger models such as 5” casters can take high capacity loads across uneven terrain.

Our large selection of caster wheels provides models suitable for almost any application, and we also supply casters which have been designed to fit specific uses.

Choose your casters based on the surface it will be traveling on 

Coupled with load and capacity, the surface your road case will be used on is important when choosing the right casters. From limiting floor damage to increasing your casters’ longevity and maintaining their performance, finding the right caster is important.

Crucial things to look out for are ease of movement and traction. Moving your road case at an outdoor event will be vastly different to moving it in an industrial setting. 

Smaller casters are suited to indoor spaces due to their compact size and ability to work with hard or polished surfaces, whereas larger casters can deal with heavy-duty items and varied terrains. 

Swivel casters, fixed casters, and caster plates 

How your caster wheels manoeuver across different surfaces also proves to be a factor in choosing the right caster wheels.

Depending on your road case and the configuration of your casters, your choice of swivel casters or fixed casters (or even a combination) can determine what you can or can’t do.

Swivel casters are known for their ability to move through tighter spaces, offering your road case flexibility and improved steering. Fixed casters, while mostly only moving along a straight line, offer simple stability with fewer moving parts.

In addition, you may want to consider using caster plates, as they can aid your road case in different ways. Most caster plates help with installation, strengthening the mounting of your wheels onto the case with instant threads for more accurate fitting.

Meanwhile, a quick-release caster plate makes it easy to take casters on and off. Quick-release plates can make storage simple, taking off wheels for easier stacking if you are not using caster dishes, and making wheels easily replaceable when damaged or changing the use of your road case.

Edge casters and corner casters

Where most road cases will feature casters mounted to the underside/bottom of the case, there are some instances where edge or corner casters may be more suitable, such as for smaller trolley style cases where you may need to tilt the case to pull or push along (like a suitcase). It is important to note that both edge casters and corner casters do not swivel or rotate.

Caster material

Caster wheels come in a variety of materials, each suited to specific applications. Selecting the right material depends on factors like load capacity, surface type, environmental conditions, and noise considerations.

Rubber caster wheels offer excellent shock absorption and are ideal for smooth, quiet movement on uneven surfaces, making them perfect for indoor use. 

Polyurethane wheels provide a combination of durability and floor protection, making them suitable for warehouse and factory environments where they must endure heavy loads without damaging flooring. 

Nylon and plastic caster wheels are lightweight and resistant to chemicals and corrosion, making them ideal for use in laboratories and food service environments.

Conclusion

Choosing the right caster for your road case is made easier by knowing what you are loading, where you are going, and if you need to adapt.

Finding out the weight of your equipment and your case is the starting point, and understanding if the environment and surfaces you will encounter will help you narrow down the options, along with how you will be using and storing the road case.

At Penn Elcom we can help you find the right hardware to get your road case working smoothly, with an extensive selection of road case hardware including casters, case handles, latches, dishes and more.

Explore the full range of Penn Elcom Casters