Application guide — sizing, models and mounting advice from the manufacturer
Racks are the hardest thing to caster, because they are light when empty, very heavy when full, and usually run in long rows where every upright has to sit at the same height. Get it right and a whole racking run becomes movable; get it wrong and one overloaded upright buckles.
Racks lean when the floor slopes, because the load is carried at every upright and the height differences accumulate along the run. Independent pads let you bring every upright to the same height.
Racks are designed for point loads at the base plates. A leveling caster with a proper plate spreads that load rather than crushing the foot of the upright.
A racking run that can be rolled out of the way saves completely stripping the shelves for a layout change.
Once the pads are down, the rack is standing on fixed feet — no creep, no rocking when a forklift nudges it.
Size on the fully loaded weight of the section above each upright, not the total weight of the run divided by the number of casters. A rack loaded to 3,000 kg per upright needs a caster rated at least that, with a margin. If you are using four casters under a movable rack section, 2,000 kg loaded means 500 kg each before the margin — so DC-100F at 750 kg. Long runs need a caster under every upright, and you must check that the floor is flat enough across the whole run that no single caster ends up taking a disproportionate share.
| Model | Per caster | Mounting | Why it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC-60F | 250 kg (550 lb) | Top plate | Light shelving units and small racks |
| DC-80F | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | Top plate | General storage racks and shelving runs |
| DC-100F | 750 kg (1,655 lb) | Top plate | Loaded pallet racking and heavy shelving |
| DC-120S | 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) | Threaded stem M16 | Racks with existing threaded sockets in the base plate |
| DC-150F | 1,500 kg (3,305 lb) | Top plate | Heavy industrial racking and gantry bases |
Nylon is the right choice: it carries a high load in a small wheel, resists the grit and dust found in storage areas, and does not mark the floor. Polyurethane is smoother where the rack has to roll on a finished floor. For a rack that only ever moves once a year, priority should go to load rating and bracket strength, not rolling comfort.
Yes, and it is done. The important thing is to size each caster for the column load above it, not for the average load of the run, and to check that the floor is flat enough that no single caster takes a disproportionate share. Send us your upright spacing and load per upright and we will size them.
One under every upright is the safe answer. Adding casters between uprights rarely helps, because the rack frame is not designed to transfer load to a mid-span point.
That depends on the total weight, the floor and whether the rack was designed to be mobile. If you have to cross an expansion joint or a threshold with a fully loaded rack, describe the route and we will advise honestly. It is often better to make a rack mobile for layout changes when empty.
If four casters carry the section, that is 500 kg each before any margin. DC-100F at 750 kg per caster gives you the margin you need, and the 73 mm wheel handles typical warehouse floors.
Tell us the equipment weight, how many casters you plan to fit, the mounting you have and the floor it runs on, and we will come back with a model, a price and a lead time. Need the geometry first? Request the 2D drawing and 3D model and we will send them once your mounting is confirmed. If you are still choosing, the leveling caster buyer’s guide walks through load calculation and materials, and the applications index lists every scenario we build for. Factory profile, certifications and commercial terms are on the leveling caster manufacturer in China page, with quantities, MOQ and payment terms on the wholesale & OEM terms page.
Contact us for OEM/ODM inquiries, bulk pricing, or custom specifications. Free samples available!
