Polyurethane total lock casters use a single pedal that engages BOTH the wheel brake AND the swivel lock simultaneously — immobilizing the caster fully. Required for medical equipment, calibration carts, and any OEM machinery where lateral drift compromises safety or accuracy. CasterHQ stocks 90 polyurethane total lock configurations rated 350 to 2,500 lb per caster across plate and stem mounts.
Side lock (wheel lock) stops only the wheel from rotating — the swivel can still spin freely, so the cart can drift sideways under load. Total lock stops the wheel AND locks the swivel race, fully immobilizing the caster. Total lock is required for medical, calibration, and any OEM machinery where lateral movement compromises safety or accuracy.
Always for: medical carts (patient transfer safety), dental and operating room equipment, calibration and metrology carts, CNC and machine setup carts, infusion pumps, X-ray and imaging equipment, sterilizers, and any OEM machinery with an accuracy spec. Side lock is not enough — if the swivel can rotate, the cart can drift.
Foot-operated pedal at the back of the caster yoke. Press down to engage (locks wheel + swivel), press the opposite end of the pedal to release. The pedal is positioned for ergonomic toe-press without bending. Designed for repetitive engagement — medical staff engage and release brakes 50+ times per shift.
Does total lock reduce caster load capacity? No — total lock casters hold full rated capacity when engaged. The brake adds locking force, not load reduction.
Are total lock casters ADA compliant? Medical total-lock casters are designed for low-force engagement (under 5 lb toe pressure) meeting ADA operator guidelines.
Can I retrofit a total-lock onto existing casters? No — total-lock is integrated into the yoke. Replace the full caster with a total-lock unit.
Cost premium vs non-brake? Typically 50-80% more per caster vs no-brake equivalent.
Stainless total-lock? Yes, full 304 stainless for pharmaceutical, food service, and clean room applications.
Divide total cart weight by 3 (not 4) because uneven floors cause one caster to temporarily lift, redistributing load to the remaining three. Multiply by 1.25 for dynamic impact (rolling onto floor seams, dock plates, thresholds). Example: a 1,500 lb cart needs casters rated ≥ 625 lb each (1,500 ÷ 3 × 1.25).
| Brake | Locks | Use Case | Cost | Load Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side Lock | Wheel only | Workbenches, shelving | Lowest | 75–1,250 lb |
| Top Lock | Wheel only (top engage) | Overhead-access equipment | Low | 200–900 lb |
| Total Lock Most Popular | Wheel + Swivel | Medical, OEM, calibration | Medium-high | 350–2,500 lb |
| Tech-Lock | Direction lock | Hospital beds, AV carts | Medium | 200–1,200 lb |
Rolled out 240 medical infusion-pump cart conversions with CasterHQ's 4-inch poly total lock casters. Zero brake failures over 24 months. Procurement validated the friction coefficients against our floor tile spec before ordering — their engineering team took our floor map and matched the brake force exactly.
Application engineers on staff · ISO-certified facility · 50,000+ businesses served · 100+ combined years in caster design
