Application guide — sizing, models and mounting advice from the manufacturer
Two separate problems get called “uneven floor”. The first is a floor that is not level — it slopes or it dips. The second is a floor that is not smooth — joints, grit, thresholds, gravel. A leveling caster solves the first properly and the second partly, and it is worth knowing which one you have before you specify anything.
Independent threaded pads take out slope and dip at the equipment, so it sits level even though the floor is not. This is the problem a leveling caster is genuinely designed for.
A caster climbs an obstacle roughly a third of its wheel diameter, so diameter is the single most important number on a bad floor. Our largest is 92 mm on DC-150F; 73 mm on DC-100F. We will tell you straight if your surface needs a different caster class rather than sell you the wrong one.
On a sloped and pitted floor you need to move the equipment and then stand it solid. A leveling caster does both without a packer under one leg.
Equipment on plain casters creeps downhill on a sloped floor. A pad takes the load and the creep stops.
Size for the worst case, not the average. Add 50% rather than 30% if the floor slopes, because a slope puts more load on the downhill casters. A 1,500 kg machine on four casters on a sloped floor works out around 560 kg per caster — so specify DC-100F at 750 kg rather than DC-80F at 500 kg. Check the pad travel against the difference in floor height across the machine footprint: if one corner sits 20 mm lower than the other, the pads need at least that much adjustment left in them.
| Model | Per caster | Mounting | Why it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC-100F | 750 kg (1,655 lb) | Top plate | 73 mm wheel — the default for pitted workshop floors and joints |
| DC-150F | 1,500 kg (3,305 lb) | Top plate | 92 mm wheel — our largest, for the worst floors and heaviest equipment |
| DC-80F | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | Top plate | Lighter equipment on a floor with moderate joints and dips |
| DC-600 | 150 kg (330 lb) | Screw rod, low profile | Workbenches and light fixtures on a sloped floor |
| DCRB-500 | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | Adjustable block | Where a block caster with extra adjustment travel suits the application |
Nylon is the best all-rounder on a rough floor: hard, so it rolls over grit rather than absorbing it, and it does not pick up swarf. Polyurethane rolls smoothly but a sharp edge will cut it. Soft rubber grips best but wears fastest on grit and is the worst choice where the floor is the problem. Whatever you choose, sweeping the route matters more than the wheel compound.
It depends whether the floor is unlevel or unsmooth. For a floor that slopes, a leveling caster with threaded pads is the right answer, because it takes out the difference at the equipment. For a floor that is rough, wheel diameter matters most — 73 mm on DC-100F, or 92 mm on DC-150F for the worst surfaces.
Yes, within the adjustment travel of the pad. Each pad winds down independently, so you can bring the equipment level on a slope and then stand it on fixed feet. Check that the pad has enough travel left after taking up the slope.
Our leveling casters are designed for indoor floors — concrete, epoxy, tile and steel plate. For gravel or broken ground, the small caster classes are not suitable and we will tell you so rather than let you order the wrong product. Tell us the surface and we will advise.
Wind the leveling pads down until they carry the load and the wheels leave the floor. Fixed pads cannot roll, so the creep stops.
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!
