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Caster Shock Load Calculator

Convert a dropped or set-down load into the equivalent static force one caster sees, so a buyer can check whether the wheel's dynamic rating covers the impact.

Setting a heavy load down is not a static event. Enter the load per caster, the drop height, and the deflection available in the wheel and floor, and the calculator returns the equivalent static force from the drop and compares it with the caster’s dynamic rating.

The comparison is the point: a wheel rated for the standing load can still be destroyed by a set-down that momentarily multiplies that load several times over. The estimate assumes the whole per-caster load drops the stated height and that the wheel does not bottom out before reaching the deflection.

Inputs

Load and drop

Range: 1–40,000 lb

Use the per-caster share of the load, not the whole cart.

Range: 0.05–12 in

How far the wheel drops before the load is caught again, for example a dock plate lip or floor joint.

Range: 0.01–1 in

Typical starting points: phenolic or steel 0.02 in, hard polyurethane 0.05 in, soft rubber 0.15 in, pneumatic 0.4 in. Measure or ask the wheel maker when the result drives a purchase.

Result

Equivalent impact load
3,702
Impact multiplier applied to the static load
7.40

What to check

  • Use the load one caster takes at impact, not the total load.
  • Enter the real set-down height rather than a design worst case nobody performs.
  • Confirm the result against the manufacturer's shock or dynamic rating.

Related calculators

A screening estimate, not a structural certification. It assumes the whole per-caster load drops the stated height and that the wheel does not bottom out before reaching its deflection, so a failed tyre, a bottomed suspension, or a partially shared impact changes the answer. Confirm the result against the caster maker's shock or dynamic rating before ordering.