All casters, including removable casters, are complete wheel and horn assemblies which, when attached to a piece of equipment, allow it to move. There are many types of removable casters such as swivel, rigid, ball bearing, wheel locking, brake, shock absorbing, electrostatic and non-marking casters. Casters can also be mounted on a special plate that allows them to slide in and out on a track.

The biggest advantage removable casters offer is that they are easy to replace. Every day use, chemicals, high temperatures, dirt and debris can cause a caster to fail. Constantly rolling over rough or uneven floors can also damage a caster. Removable caster wheels are useful if an application changes and a different type of wheel is needed. When very large equipment is being shipped, removable casters can be taken off to reduce the space being used in the transport trailer or cargo hold.

The following checklist will help you chose the correct removable casters for your application:

1. What kind of load capacity will the removable casters bear?

2. What wheel tread width is needed?

3. What wheel diameter is needed?

4. How far off the floor do the removable caster wheels need to stand?

5. What is the floor surface?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy removable casters for light duty applications

Light duty removable casters are used on interior furniture, office chairs, health aids such as walkers, free standing shelving and shopping carts.

I recommend: Caster Technology Corporation manufactures removable furniture casters for light duty applications and ordinary floor surfaces. W. T. Hight Company is a distributor of casters with removable wheels and demountable wheels for light duty applications.

Find general duty industrial and commercial removable casters

Examples of general duty casters can be found on stock carts, bakery racks, food service equipment, furniture dollies and platform trucks.

I recommend: Caster Technology Corporation is a manufacturer of medium duty removable wheel casters used on ordinary floor surfaces and in operations where constant station to station movement is required. FallLine Corporation manufactures and distributes custom molded products including demountable wheel casters as well as polyurethane tread, rubber and movable/detachable wheel casters.

Purchase heavy duty removable casters online

Industrial removable casters are used on cargo containers, heavy duty platform trucks, heavy equipment and pianos.

I recommend: Hamilton Caster and Manufacturing Company offers heavy gauge steel material handling removable casters for carts, platforms and dollies up to 20,000 pounds. Warehouse Equipment and Supply is a distributor of removable caster wheels capable of loads up to 15,000 pounds. Services include assistance in design, planning and installation services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Removable furniture casters are commonly designed with a steel peg at the top that simply slides into a pre-drilled hole on the underside of the furniture.