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Quality vs. Price Shouldn’t be an Either/Or Issue

In times of economic belt-tightening, there is a balancing act of measuring a caster’s quality against its price. This concern is understandable. However,  a decision based solely on price often results in buying an imported and undersized caster rig.

It’s a solution that might work in the short run, but maintenance costs and wear over its life cycle usually lead to bigger problems.

A caster with too small or inconsistent swivel section progressively becomes more difficult to push. And a cart that is hard to push raises the potential for back injuries. This also takes a toll on the caster, shortening its lifespan while increasing the frequency of casters needed for replacement.

A good example of this happened to a large food processor who was experiencing frequent caster and wheel failure due to moisture. In the end, significant downtime and frequent repair costs became an issue.

The solution was a moisture-resistant polyurethane wheel with a sealed swivel bearing (maintenance-free) from Caster Concepts. Down-time due to caster failure and replacement costs was reduced by more than 50%. There was also a 75% decrease in maintenance labor costs. The additional cost upfront more than paid for itself over a longer-lasting and maintenance-free life cycle.

Grease stays in. Dirt stays out.

The bearings in maintenance-free casters are pumped with grease and sealed on each side of the ball raceway. The importance of the seals is twofold: keep grease locked in and keep dirt or liquid out. This attribute extends caster life in the toughest of industrial environments.

Maintenance-free casters range from medium-light duty to heavy-duty.  They can support between 750 to 5000 pounds per caster. And if you are looking to minimize the effort to move a cart, pairing a maintenance-free rig with the proper wheel can significantly reduce push force.

Here are some unique features of maintenance-free casters:

For more information on the extended life and cost-savings benefits of maintenance-free casters, chat with a Caster Concepts representative or call us at 517-680-7950.