Which Castor Wheel Brakes Are Right for You?
If you are shopping for new castor wheels or are looking at equipment that is outfitted with castor wheels, you may have already decided that a braking system is essential. Whether you're dealing with office chairs, ambulance stretchers, industrial carts or anything else, a solid braking system allows you to prevent runaway equipment.
You may be surprised to learn, however, that there are lots of different brakes on the market. Which one do you need? Here's a look at some of the most popular options and a few facts to help you decide.
1. Cam or Single-Side Brakes Provide the Basics
If you are dealing with relatively lightweight equipment, you may want to opt for castor wheels with a cam or single-side brake. Both of these brakes are situated on one side of the castor wheel, and to engage them, you just press down with your hand or foot.
In most cases, these brakes tend to be the most economical option. The only difference between the two is that cam brakes are best for smaller, lighter castor wheels, and single-side brakes can handle larger castors.
2. Dual-Side Brakes Provide a Bit of Extra Security
Dual-side brakes engage just like cam and single-side brakes—you simply press them down to lock the wheels. However, as suggested by the name, these brakes have levers on both sides of the castor wheel.
With some designs, you just need to push down one side for the brakes to work—that makes it easy to reach the brakes regardless of which way the wheel is facing. With other designs, you need to engage both sides.
The key advantage to this design is that the brakes go through the hub of the castor wheel, which ensures that the wheel can't roll anywhere. Many other brakes are face-contact brakes—they work by just pushing against the face of the wheel.
3. Wrap-Around Brakes Are Convenient
If you want a design that you can reach easily with your foot, regardless of which way the wheel is facing, wrap-around brakes may be the best option. To imagine a wrap-around brake, visualize a metal rectangle that goes around the whole castor wheel. To engage the brake, you just press down on any part of the rectangle until the brake locks in place.
4. Pneumatic Brakes Work for Pneumatic Tires
All of the options above work for metal or polyurethane castor wheels. If you have air-filled or pneumatic wheels, you will need a brake system that works with that.
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