Start with three questions: What is the total load? What is the floor surface? Are there any special requirements, temperature, hygiene, corrosion, or non-marking?Get those three answers right and the castor specifies itself. Get one wrong and you'll be replacing them inside six months.At Vartec, we don't sell castors off a shelf. We specify them for your exact application. If you're unsure, call us or use the free engineering advice that's what it's there for.

A fixed castor only moves in a straight line. A swivel castor rotates 360°, giving you directional control. For most trolleys and mobile equipment, the right setup is two fixed castors at the rear and two swivel castors at the front. The fixed castors keep the load tracking straight; the swivel castors steer it. Using all swivel castors on a heavy load creates instability and drift. Using all fixed castors makes the equipment difficult to manoeuvre. The combination is the engineering standard, and it matters more as the load gets heavier.

The floor surface is one of the most important, and most overlooked, variables in castor selection. Using the wrong wheel material accelerates wear on both the castor and the floor. If you're unsure what your floor qualifies as, send us a photo, we'll tell you.

Yes — and we'd encourage it. Vartec offers free engineering advice on every enquiry. That means before you spend a dollar, one of our team will review your application, load requirements, floor surface, and any special conditions, and recommend the right castor for the job. This isn't a sales call. It's the reason our clients don't come back with failures. Wrong specification is the most common reason castors underperform, and it's entirely avoidable. Call us on 09 444 1335 or email sales@vartecindustrial.co.nz before you order if you have any doubt.For heavy-duty applications, use grade 8 bolts and check that the bolt pattern matches the castor plate dimensions. If fitting castors to a new frame or trolley, the plate dimensions and bolt hole spacing are listed on each product page at vartecindustrial.co.nz.

Yes. We supply castors for food production, healthcare, and other hygiene-critical environments where contamination risk, wash down procedures, and corrosion resistance are non-negotiable. For these applications, we typically specify stainless steel castors, resistant to cleaning chemicals, moisture, and bacterial build-up, or polyurethane-wheeled castors on stainless steel frames where floor protection is also a requirement. If your environment has specific hygiene standards or compliance requirements, tell us upfront. We'll specify accordingly.

To calculate the load capacity required, take the total weight of the equipment plus its maximum load, then divide by the number of castors being used. As a safety rule, always apply a safety factor of at least 1.3 to 1.5 to account for dynamic forces such as impacts, ramps, uneven floors, and momentum during movement. For example, if your trolley and its contents weigh 400 kg and you are using four castors, each castor should be rated for at least 130–150 kg (400 ÷ 4 × 1.3–1.5). It is always better to overspec your castors slightly than to run them at their maximum rated load continuously.

Standard castors: rubber, polyurethane, nylon, will degrade rapidly in high-heat environments. The wheel softens, deforms, or fails entirely, often taking the bearing with it. For ovens, kilns, foundries, and other high-temperature applications, Vartec's HT (High Temperature) range is purpose-built. These castors use phenolic or cast iron wheels with heat-rated bearings designed to maintain performance under sustained thermal load. If you're operating above 80°C, don't use a standard castor. Specify from the HT range or call us to confirm the right option for your temperature profile.

Yes — Vartec ships NZ-wide with fast dispatch. We're stocked and ready, so your project timeline doesn't stall waiting on parts. We're based in Rosedale, Auckland and welcome customers who want to visit in person, bring in their equipment for assessment, or pick up directly. If you need castors assessed on-site or fitted while you wait, get in touch and we'll sort it. 📞 09 444 1335 📧 sales@vartecindustrial.co.nz 📍 70 Paul Matthews Road, Rosedale, Auckland 0632