Buy Castors Online in Australia
Castors — Quick Reference
Castors are the wheels that make workshop trolleys, warehouse carts, storage racks and production equipment mobile. AIMS Industrial stocks the full EasyRoll range plus Colson heavy-duty institutional castors and MoveIt general-purpose castors — swivel, fixed, braked and locking, in rubber, polyurethane, nylon, cast iron and pneumatic wheel options.
| Castor Type | Best For | Common Mount |
|---|---|---|
| Swivel Castor | 360° manoeuvrability in tight spaces | Plate, bolt hole, stem |
| Fixed (Rigid) Castor | Straight-line tracking, directional stability | Plate, bolt hole |
| Braked / Total Lock Castor | Holding equipment still on a slope or during loading | Plate, bolt hole |
| Direction Lock Castor | Locking swivel only, for controlled straight-line pushing | Bolt hole |
| Stem Castor | Furniture, chairs, light trolleys with tubular legs | Grip ring or threaded stem |
| Bed Leg Castor | Furniture and light equipment legs | Threaded stem |
| Rubber / TPR Wheel | General purpose, quiet, non-marking | — |
| Polyurethane (Urethane) Wheel | Smooth concrete, higher load per wheel size | — |
| Nylon Wheel | Wet, oily or chemical-exposed floors | — |
| Cast Iron Wheel | Very heavy loads on hardened floors (will mark softer floors) | — |
| Pneumatic / Flat-Free Wheel | Outdoor, gravel and uneven ground | — |
Selecting a castor: match wheel material to your floor and environment, confirm the mounting type suits your equipment frame, and check the load rating printed on the specific product listing — then divide your total equipment weight by the number of castors fitted and build in a safety margin, since real-world use includes shock loading, uneven floors and impact from doorways and ramps. A typical four-castor setup uses two swivel and two fixed (or two swivel, two braked swivel) for a balance of manoeuvrability and control.
Types of Castors We Stock
Swivel Castors
Swivel castors rotate a full 360° around a vertical axis, letting equipment turn and manoeuvre in any direction — essential for trolleys, carts and workstations that need to move through tight aisles or turn on the spot. Most of our range is available in swivel configuration across every wheel material and mount style.
Fixed (Rigid) Castors
Fixed castors only roll in one direction and don't swivel, giving predictable, stable straight-line movement. They're typically paired with swivel castors on the same piece of equipment — fixed at one end for directional control, swivel at the other for manoeuvring.
Braked, Total Lock and Direction Lock Castors
Braked castors lock the wheel to stop it rolling once the equipment is in position — useful for workbenches, machine stands and anything that needs to stay put while in use. Colson's range distinguishes between direction lock (locks the swivel action only, so the castor tracks straight) and total lock (locks both the wheel and the swivel, holding the unit completely still). Choose total lock where full immobilisation matters — e.g. medical or lab equipment — and direction lock where you just need controlled straight-line pushing.
Wheel Materials and Bearing Types
Wheel material and bearing type together determine rolling resistance, noise, floor protection and how much abuse the castor can take.
Rubber and Elastic Rubber Wheels
Grey rubber wheels are the standard general-purpose choice — quiet, non-marking, and reasonably grippy on most hard floors. Elastic rubber (cushioned rubber) wheels add extra shock absorption for equipment that's frequently loaded and unloaded.
Polyurethane (Urethane) Wheels
Polyurethane wheels handle higher loads than rubber for the same wheel diameter and roll well on smooth concrete and hard floors. They're a common upgrade where a trolley needs to carry more weight without stepping up to a larger wheel.
Nylon Wheels
Nylon wheels resist chemicals, oil and moisture better than rubber, making them suited to wash-down areas, food processing floors and workshops where spills are routine. They're harder than rubber, so expect more noise on hard floors.
Cast Iron Wheels
Cast iron wheels are the heavy-duty option for the highest loads, typically on plain, ball or roller bearings depending on how often the equipment is moved. They will mark or damage softer floor finishes, so they're best kept to industrial concrete and hardened floors.
Pneumatic and Flat-Free Wheels
Pneumatic (air-filled) wheels cushion loads over gravel, uneven ground and outdoor surfaces — commonly used on dollies, garden and agricultural equipment. Flat-free (puncture-proof) wheels give the same cushioned ride without the risk of a flat, at a small cost in shock absorption. Replacement tyres and inner tubes are stocked separately for maintaining pneumatic wheels already in service.
Polypropylene, Stainless and High-Temperature Options
Polypropylene wheels are a lighter-duty option used on gravity conveyor rollers. Stainless-bodied castors (EasyRoll's G7 series) suit wet, washdown or corrosive environments where a standard steel castor body would rust. High-temperature wheels with axle tubes are available for equipment that runs near ovens, kilns or other heat sources.
Mounting and Bore Options
The mount type has to match your equipment frame or leg, and the bore or stem has to match the socket you're fitting into.
Plate Mount Castors
Top plate castors bolt directly to a flat surface — the underside of a trolley deck, machine base or equipment frame — using four bolt holes in a standard pattern. This is the most common mount for purpose-built trolleys and equipment frames. Our dedicated Plate Castors collection covers the full plate-mount range in depth.
Bolt Hole Castors
Bolt hole castors mount through a single central bolt hole (or a twin-bolt pattern) rather than a full plate — a simpler fitting for lighter equipment or where a plate mount isn't practical. Available in single and twin-wheel configurations, with and without brakes.
Stem and Bed Leg Castors
Stem castors fit into a tubular socket via a grip-ring or threaded stem, giving fast, tool-free installation — common on chairs, light trolleys, medical and lab equipment. Stem sizes vary (5/16", 3/8", 8 mm and more), so check the existing socket size before ordering. Bed leg castors use a similar threaded-stem fitting sized for furniture legs.
Brands We Stock
EasyRoll is our core castor and wheel range — Australia's specialist in castors, wheels and material handling mobility, covering swivel, fixed, braked, plate, bolt hole and stem castors across every wheel material we carry, plus conveyor rollers, dollies and trolleys.
Colson supplies heavy-duty institutional castors — bolt hole swivel castors with direction lock and total lock braking, built for demanding continuous-use environments.
MoveIt is an Australian brand of industrial material handling equipment covering general-purpose castors, stem wheels and heavy-duty dollies for workshops and warehouses.
Companion Collections
- Plate Castors — the full top-plate-mount range in detail
- Bolt Hole Castors — single and twin-bolt mount castors
- Stem Castors — grip-ring and threaded stem mount castors
- Standard Industrial Wheels — replacement wheels sold without a castor body
- Castors & Wheels — the broader material handling mobility range
- EasyRoll and Colson — shop by brand
Order from AIMS
Not sure which castor suits your equipment, floor or load? Our team can help you match wheel material, mount type and capacity to the job. Call us on (02) 9773 0122, get in touch via Contact Us, or send us your list through Request a Quote for bulk or account pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a swivel and a fixed castor?
A swivel castor rotates 360° for manoeuvring in any direction; a fixed castor only rolls in one direction and doesn't turn. Most mobile equipment uses a mix — swivel castors for turning, fixed castors for straight-line stability.
What's the difference between a braked, direction lock and total lock castor?
A standard braked castor locks the wheel so it can't roll. A direction lock castor locks the swivel action only, so the unit tracks straight. A total lock castor locks both the wheel and the swivel together, holding the equipment completely still.
Which wheel material should I choose?
Match the material to your floor and environment: rubber for general quiet, non-marking use; polyurethane for higher loads on smooth concrete; nylon for wet, oily or chemical areas; cast iron for the heaviest industrial loads (on hard floors that can take marking); and pneumatic or flat-free wheels for outdoor or uneven ground.
How do I work out what load capacity I need?
Take your total equipment weight (fully loaded) and divide it by the number of castors you're fitting, then check that figure against the load rating listed on the specific product page — with a safety margin for uneven floors, doorway thresholds and shock loading during use. If you're unsure, call our team on (02) 9773 0122 and we'll help you size it correctly.
What mounting type do I need — plate, bolt hole or stem?
It depends on your equipment frame. A flat underside with room for a bolt pattern suits a plate mount. A single fixing point suits a bolt hole castor. A tubular leg with an internal socket suits a stem castor — check the socket diameter before ordering, as stem sizes vary.
Do you stock replacement wheels without the castor body?
Yes — our Standard Industrial Wheels collection covers replacement wheels in rubber, polyurethane, nylon, cast iron and pneumatic, sold on their own for repairing or upgrading existing castors and equipment.