A common misconception:
Are harder wheels more effortless?
Not necessarily. Hard wheels on rough ground are more bumpy, noisy, and have greater impact, making them more prone to damage bearings and brackets.
Dimension 3: Flexibility and Handling (the core of “pushing” depends on the bearings and steering structure)
Many cars that cannot be pushed have problems outside the wheel surface, but in the bearings and steering.
The selection of bearings for light and heavy loads is different
The lubrication and protection at high and low speeds are also different
The machining accuracy of the steering structure will directly affect whether the 360 ° rotation is smooth
To promote lightness and smooth turning, it’s not just about the wheels, but also about:
Bearing type, sealing grade, steering wheel structure and machining accuracy.
Dimension 4: Safety (brakes are not decorations, they are systems)
Wheel safety is often simplified as’ having brakes is enough ‘, but in reality there are many subdivisions:
Side brake/front brake: common basic brake
Dual brakes: simultaneously lock rolling and steering, suitable for scenarios with high stability requirements
Ramp/slope conditions: may require stronger parking capabilities or special braking schemes to avoid slip accidents
If there are personnel operating, precision instruments, sloping terrain, or frequent parking on the equipment, safety priority must be raised.
Dimension 5: Dynamic performance (impact resistance, fatigue life, and maintenance cost)
Casters are not static load-bearing, they face dynamic loads caused by continuous pushing, turning impact, and uneven ground.
So, in addition to the “nominal load-bearing capacity”, what is more crucial is:
Dynamic load capacity
Impact resistance capability
Fatigue life (structural stability after long-term rolling)
Dustproof, waterproof, and easy maintenance (can we reduce maintenance and downtime)
Many companies change their wheels frequently, not because the wheels are expensive, but because downtime, labor, and repairs are expensive.
3. From “selling casters” to “making solutions”: solving problems from the perspective of application scenarios
In the caster industry, what is truly valuable is not memorizing the specification sheet, but being able to ask the right questions:
What is the material of the ground? How is the roughness?
Humidity, cleaning method, and presence of chemical media?
What is the total weight and single wheel distribution of the equipment? Is there any unbalanced load?
Is it necessary to implement frequency, turning radius, speed, and silence?
Do you need anti-static, traceless, and clean grade?
Only by clarifying these scene parameters can the selection of wheels change from “almost” to “just right”.
4. Conclusion: Load bearing is just the starting point, the real selection is “system matching”
Returning to the original question: Is the selection of casters only based on whether the load-bearing capacity is sufficient?
Of course it’s not enough.
The load-bearing capacity determines whether it can withstand, but the following five dimensions determine whether it can be used effectively in the long term:
Environmental adaptation
Ground matching
Handling and flexibility
Safe braking
Dynamic lifespan and impact resistance
When you treat casters as the “feet” of equipment rather than “accessories”, what you choose is not just a wheel, but a more stable mobility efficiency and lower overall cost.
Post time: Jan-13-2026
