This guide is for buyers, facility managers and workshop supervisors who move equipment, instruments or goods that must not be shaken. Floor, speed and load decide how much shake reaches your equipment. Here is what to check and what to tell us before you order.
Find where the shaking comes from
Start by walking the route your trolley takes. Most shock does not come from the trolley. It comes from the floor and from how people push.
Look for these points:
- Expansion joints and cracks in the floor
- Door thresholds and ramps
- Lift gaps and the small step at the lift door
- Drain covers and patched areas
- Tiles that have lifted at the edge
Write down each one. A route with one threshold is a different problem from a route with twenty joints. Also note how fast the trolley usually moves. Fast pushing over a joint shakes the load far more than slow pushing.
What shock absorbing casters are
In our catalogue, the HOD D1 shock absorbing series uses double bearing wheels. It has three wheel groups: ER, Al.PU and Iron Core PU. The load ranges are 200 to 350 kg, 300 to 400 kg and 280 to 380 kg per caster.
Each group comes as a swivel top plate caster, a swivel top plate caster with brake and a rigid top plate caster. Load ranges are per group, so check the group that matches your code.
We cannot promise how much shock a caster will take out for your equipment. That depends on the load, the floor and the speed. Tell us what you move and what you fear most, and we will tell you which group to look at.
Think about load before you think about comfort
A caster rated below your load is a wrong order. A worn wheel can add to the shake.
Work out the load like this:
- Weigh the trolley and everything it carries, at its fullest.
- Divide by the number of casters, then leave a margin. On an uneven floor, one caster can carry more than its share for a moment.
- Remember that load ranges in our catalogue are given per caster.
If your load is higher than the ranges above, tell us and we will look at another series. Our heavy duty series covers HOD 72 and 73 casters. They have double bearing wheels in several wheel materials. Each comes as a swivel, swivel with brake or rigid top plate caster. The catalogue range is 120 to 505 kg, depending on the wheel.
Our shock absorbing series is listed separately from the heavy duty series. If shaking is your main problem, ask us to compare the two.
Use brakes and locks on the trolley
A trolley that rolls when you do not want it to is also a risk to sensitive equipment. A brake on at least two casters keeps a trolley from rolling on a slope or when someone leans on it.
Decide which casters need the brake, and check that the brake can be reached without staff bending awkwardly. Rigid casters help the trolley track straight over long corridors. Swivel casters help in tight rooms. Many trolleys use a mix of both.
Maintain the floor and the wheels
Casters do their best on a clean, even floor. A worn floor joint or threshold can add shake, so check it too.
Check wheels for flat spots, cracks or debris stuck in the tread. Replace the whole set when they wear, so that all wheels are the same height and the trolley stays level. Mismatched wheels can leave a trolley uneven.
If you already have a trolley, record the current caster codes before you change anything. That will help us match mounting and height. Our caster finder can help you build a shortlist by mounting type.
What to send us for a quote
Send us this information, and we will confirm the right series and code:
- What you move, and the empty and loaded weight of the trolley
- What must not be shaken, and how sensitive it is
- The number of casters, and how many need a brake
- The mounting type and dimensions: top plate hole spacing, plate size and overall height
- Floor type, and the joints, thresholds or ramps on the route
- Photos of your current casters and their codes, if you are replacing them
You can browse the shock absorbing casters, then request a quote or message us on WhatsApp.