For years the ceiling on stainless steel casters sat around 800-1,000 lb. Above that, buyers had to compromise: a carbon-steel caster with a stainless-plated frame, or a true stainless caster that couldn’t carry the load. Hamilton built the WHS Workhorse to close that gap — a genuine all-stainless caster rated from 550 lb up to 1,600 lb per caster.
The WHS series spans four wheel diameters and a 550–1,600 lb capacity band. Every build uses stainless precision ball bearings and the lifetime-guaranteed forged kingpin. Pick the wheel by floor type; pick the capacity by load per caster plus a 25% safety margin.
| Wheel | Capacity | Mount Height | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4″ solid stainless | 550–800 lb | ~5.5″ | Compact sanitary equipment, pharma carts |
| 5″ solid stainless | 800–1,000 lb | ~6.5″ | Food production tables, washdown equipment |
| 6″ solid stainless | 1,000–1,250 lb | ~7.5″ | Heavy sanitary platforms, dairy & meat processing |
| 8″ x 2″ solid stainless | 1,600 lb | 9-1/2″ | Maximum-capacity sanitary platforms, 4″ x 5″ top plate |
| 4–8″ stainless V-groove | 550–1,600 lb | varies | Track-guided sanitary transfer systems |
The WHS earns its premium in exactly one situation: you need both a high load rating AND genuine corrosion resistance. That combination shows up in dairy processing (heavy equipment, daily caustic washdown), meat and poultry plants (USDA washdown protocols, heavy carcass-rail equipment), pharmaceutical manufacturing (GMP-mandated stainless, heavy mixing and granulation equipment), and marine/offshore equipment (salt exposure plus structural load).
If you only need corrosion resistance at lower load, the lighter Hamilton stainless series cost less. If you only need high load and the environment is dry, a carbon-steel Workhorse is the better value. The WHS is specifically the answer when you can’t compromise on either axis.
