Caster Wheel Brakes

Caster brakes are an important component of heavy-duty caster wheels and have many benefits.

As a backup to operator strength and to reduce strain, caster brakes can be used to slow and stop a cart. And they can help prevent carts or racks from moving unexpectedly, preventing both damage to the product and injury to employees.

For heavy-duty applications, there are several different caster brake types with their own set of benefits. A quick review will help you determine which would be the best for your application.

Single Side and Dual Side Caster Wheel Brakes

These types of brakes utilize a foot pedal on the side of the caster, so the operator doesn’t have to constantly bend over to apply the brake.

Single Side Caster Brakes

• A single-side brake is the best option for medium-sized heavy-duty casters with wheels ranging in size from six to 12 inches. These brakes offer some of the most ergonomic brake operations in the industry.

When all the casters attached to a cart or rack are equipped with these brakes, they do an exceptional at keeping a load stationary. This brake can be applied to a variety of caster styles, as well.

Dual Side Caster Brakes

• Ideal for creating heavy-duty locking casters.  These brakes are some of the most cost-effective for companies on tight budgets. With this operation, the user manually engages the brake on both sides to provide reliable and effective holding power. Like single-side brakes, these work best for loads that are on the lighter end of the heavy-duty spectrum.

Face Contact Brakes

• Face Contact Caster Brakes are very good when working with heavy loads.  These brakes provide an expanded holding force. This force is achieved through a threaded rod that pushes a plate into the running surface of the industrial caster wheel.

This brake requires the user to tighten the brake shoe against the caster tread. While it does offer robust stopping power, it is not as ergonomic as the other options.  For caster wheels with heavier tread, this type of brake is good for preventing motion, but it is not the best solution for certain types of shock-absorbing wheels or those made from softer, more flexible materials.

Poly Lock and Poly Cam Brakes

Caster Brakes are designed for heavy-duty loads when you need excellent stopping power.

Poly Lock Brakes

• Poly lock brakes utilize a polyurethane lock roller that engages with a steel brake shoe against the tread of the wheel. This friction prevents skidding and slipping.

These are foot-activated brakes and are designed for heavy-duty loads. They can be installed in two different ways – toe out and toe in – to best suit your unique application. The levers are easy to engage either way and provide excellent, reliable stopping power.

Pneumatic Poly Cam  Brakes

• The poly cam brake offers the advantage of adjusting pressure placed on the tread to any desired level. These brakes employ a polyurethane cam that — when engaged, places direct pressure against the running surface of the wheel, providing holding force against extreme loads.

Poly cam brakes are much like traditional poly lock brakes, but the brake shoe offers more (and more fluid) movement in order to compensate for thicker pneumatic tires. An advantage is like the standard poly lock brake, this one is also foot-operated and is relatively easy to engage and release. This works very well for heavy loads that require plenty of shock absorption but still rely on good brakes to keep loads stationary.

Wrap Around (W) Brakes

If you rely on pivoting heavy-duty casters to move loads, then you might understand the difficulty involved in properly lining up your casters for access to the foot-activated brake. Wrap-around brakes solve this problem by giving operators access to the brake from all angles, no matter how the caster is oriented. This can save time and keep employees safer, all while reducing frustration.

As you can see, there are plenty of different brake options from which to choose. If you are still unsure of the best option for your needs, contact the experts at Caster Concepts today. With a bit of information about your needs and your application, you can easily discover the best casters and the best brakes for your individual projects and facility.