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Caster Fit and Clearance Check

Stack wheel radius, fork height, plate thickness, and mounting clearance into one overall height, check the caster fits the space available, and see the largest wheel that would also fit.

Whether a caster fits is decided by a stack of dimensions, not by wheel diameter alone. Enter the wheel diameter, the fork height, the top plate thickness, the mounting clearance, and the space available, and the calculator returns the overall height, the space left, and the largest wheel diameter that would still fit.

A negative remaining space is reported as a failure to fit rather than clamped to zero, and the maximum wheel diameter can also go negative, which means no caster of this style fits the available height. A flexible frame shrinks the effective clearance under load.

Inputs

Caster geometry

Range: 1–20 in

Range: 0.5–15 in

The vertical distance from the axle centreline to the underside of the top plate, measured with the fork swiveled if the caster is a swivel type.

Range: 0.05–0.75 in

Space in the machine

Range: 1–30 in

Range: 0–12 in

Space needed between the top plate and the underside of the equipment for bolts, wiring, and the swivel to move.

Result

Largest wheel diameter that still fits (in)
6.13
Space left over (in)
0.563
Stacked overall height (in)
5.438
Fit verdict
The caster fits with usable space to spare.
Wheel note
There is room for a larger wheel than the one specified, which would roll more easily over thresholds and joints.

What to check

  • Measure fork height in the installed condition, not from a catalogue sketch.
  • Measure the available space with the machine loaded rather than empty.
  • Confirm the overall height against the catalogue drawing before ordering.

Related calculators

Assumes a level floor and a rigid frame, so a frame that deflects under load reduces the real clearance. Deflection of a long stem mount is not modelled, fork height must be measured as installed because a swivel fork's height changes with its angle, and the top plate footprint and bolt pattern are checked by a separate tool.