Definition: Service life is the usable operating duration of a caster before performance degradation or failure requires replacement.
Includes: Wheel wear, bearing fatigue, swivel degradation, corrosion, and structural damage.
Primary wear drivers
- Load level relative to capacity
- Floor conditions and debris
- Shock and side loading
- Operating temperature and chemicals
- Duty cycle and travel distance
Reality: Casters rarely fail from a single cause—wear is cumulative.
Component wear overview
| Component | Common wear mode |
|---|---|
| Wheel tread | Abrasion, chunking, flat spotting |
| Bearings | Fatigue, contamination, lubricant loss |
| Swivel raceway | Brinelling, deformation |
| Frame and fork | Bending, cracking, corrosion |
How to extend service life
- Apply appropriate safety factor
- Select wheel material for floor conditions
- Use sealed or precision bearings
- Increase wheel diameter where possible
- Address shock, side load, and debris exposure
Rule: Oversizing casters is often cheaper than frequent replacement.
Common engineering mistakes
- Designing only to static load rating
- Ignoring floor degradation over time
- Assuming maintenance will offset poor specification
- Optimizing for unit cost instead of lifecycle cost
Rule: Short service life is almost always a specification issue.
FAQs
Can service life be predicted?
Only approximately. Real-world conditions dominate outcomes.
Do heavier casters last longer?
Usually, if properly matched to the application.
Is maintenance enough to extend life?
Maintenance helps, but correct specification matters more.
When should casters be replaced?
When rolling resistance, noise, or instability increases.