Everything You Need To Know About Industrial Skate Rental

Industrial skates are crucial. They help move your equipment easier and prevent accidents.

It’s easy to want to get the moving process over with. The best way to tackle heavy equipment and settle into your new facility is by renting a moving skate.

So, you’re probably trying to search for skates and finish moving as fast as possible. But how do you find the most durable and reliable skates? Before you agree to a rental, it’s important to understand skates and the process when renting them.

Prevent lifting a heavy object and sustaining an injury. Learn more about renting a skate during your next move.

The Types of Industrial Skate Options

There are many types of skates used for different purposes. To be sure you’re using the best skate for the job, understand the different types of skates:

Machinery Skates

These are rollers designed to move heavy equipment.
These skates can usually sustain up to 72 tons of weight.
Machinery skates can be fixed to hold equipment as you’re unloading but can be adjusted to move and steer equipment.
Machinery skates come in different shapes and sizes to hold various types of heavy equipment.

Structural Moving Skates

These skates are specifically used to move a structure from its original location to a new location.
These skates are useful when transporting historical or sensitive materials associated with a structure.
Structural skates can also be used when transporting specific features of a residential property.
House and building skates allow a structure to be moved in any direction.
A beam roller skate helps move heavy buildings with the help of high-capacity beams.

Know What Skates You Need

When choosing an industrial skate, understand which one you’ll need. Do you need to move large or small equipment? Some skates are better for large pieces while others are better for smaller pieces in bulk.
Movement is also important. You need a skate with excellent maneuverability while holding a large amount of weight.
There are several varieties of industrial skates. The various skate designs and materials are made for different purposes.

The Rental Process

There is a specific process when renting a skate. After you know which skate you need and find it, you can start the renting process. Here are the most important facts to keep in mind:

Dates. Know the dates you’ll be needing the equipment. It’s better to add an extra day or two in case there are any delays in the moving process. Be sure you can return the equipment by the final day of your rental.
Quantity. Include the quantity of the skates you’ll need. It’s best to rent an extra one in case you end up needing more skates than you expected.
From here, you’ll receive your quote. Have a tentative budget in mind when renting an industrial skate.

Time to Rent an Industrial Skate

There may be a time when you need to rent a skate to move heavy equipment. When you need to relocate, always rent a skate. These skates help make a move a smooth process. They can sustain heavy weights and are easy to maneuver.

If you need to move heavy equipment, renting skates to make the move easier makes sense. But, moving heavy equipment can be dangerous, so it’s important to know that the skates you rent are of the highest quality.

Before renting, be sure to ask the rental company if they carry Hevi-Haul skates. Our skates have been known and trusted for decades for their high quality, durability, and reliability. If you need to move anything heavy, you can trust Hevi-Haul.

Rigid Casters Vs Swivel Casters: Know The Difference

For every large moving job, you’ll need to decide what type of caster or skate to use. There are essentially two types: rigid casters and swivel casters.

To decide which kind to use, consider asking yourself these questions:

How much space do I have to maneuver?
Am I moving the materials more than once?
To where am I moving the load?
How much does the moving load weigh?
What is the distance I’m covering in the move?

In this post, we’ll explore the differences between each caster and help you settle on a wheel configuration that best suits your move.

Rigid Casters

Also referred to as fixed casters, rigid skates do not turn. They are great for moving materials in straight lines, forward, and backward. Things to know about rigid casters are:

You cannot steer these types of skates, but they bear more weight than swivel casters.
They can generally carry 2.5 tons to 100 tons of cargo per skate.
They are also terrific for transporting pallets with a mounted-push stick.

Swivel Casters

If you need to navigate your cargo through tight turns and small spaces, you will want to go with a swivel caster. Things to know about swivel casters include:

These skates spin 360 degrees, and you can steer them to change direction.
They generally hold 1.5 tons to 12.5 tons of weight per skate.
It can take more manpower to maneuver cargo on swivel casters. This is because a solid push is needed to get all the wheels pointed in the same direction for the skates to roll.
Using all swivel skates limits the distance you can travel with your cart or truck. Swivels are not designed to consistently roll in a straight line, so only use these types of skates for shorter distances.

Using Both

Depending on the move job, you may want to use both rigid and swivel casters on the same cart. Certain combinations of the two can offer you stability and mobility for strong and efficient transport.

Combining both types of casters will allow you to move across greater distances without trying to keep the swivel wheels straight, as well as allow you to steer around corners and move sideways. For example, think of the design of a shopping cart. It combines both swivel and caster skates.

Listed below are some examples of wheel combinations.

4-Wheel Non-Tilt

This cart has four swivels in each corner.
This combination allows you to change direction without having to turn completely around.
A cart with this combination is not for moving in straight lines as it can be hard to maneuver in those instances. You can, however, put swivel locks on the rear skates. By locking the casters, you can move the cargo in a straight line.

4-Wheel Caster Steer

This is one of the more commonly utilized wheel configurations.
It has two swivel casters in the front and two rigid in the back.
It turns easily and moves smoothly in a straight line.
A little more effort is needed with turns. For instance, to make a 90-degree turn, you have to pivot the cart on its rigid back casters.

4-Wheel Diamond Pattern

This configuration is all rigid skates arranged in the shape of a diamond. It’s best for tilt-type carts.
This is typically the most cost-effective way to set up your skates.
The center wheels allow for pivoting and 360-degree turns.
The 4-wheel diamond is not good for heavy cargo (only three skates are rolling across the floor at once) and you cannot move it sideways.

Wagon Design

This arrangement has two axle mounted wheels at the front and two rigid skates in the back.
This is one of the best designs for heavy jobs.
It’s difficult to manually move carts with this combination, which is why most of them are power drawn.

6-Wheel Tilt

Similar to the 4-wheel diamond, the 6-wheel tilt can move heavier cargo and it’s great for lengthy carts.
With four swivel wheels and two rigid, this configuration supports long turns.
Depending on the cargo weight, you can do a tilt-type cart or a non-tilt.

Consult Experts and Be Safe

When deciding the type of caster and skate configuration for your industrial move, consult experts and ask questions. Additionally, consider the type of floor you’ll be moving across and if that should affect your skate selection.

Be sure to protect the floor you’re moving across. And protect yourself: Know how to safely maneuver all tools and be prepared for workplace emergencies.

Which Moving Skates Are Right for Your Needs?

How do you move a 100-ton airplane engine while maintaining maneuverability? Or move huge slabs of concrete to the transport truck? The answer? Moving skates.

Moving skates are the heroes of the heavy machinery world. Without them, distribution and construction would be almost impossible. Skates can move more than 100 tons, and there are numerous factors that go into choosing the right ones for your needs.

Below is a quick guide to making the best choice.

Swivel, Fixed & Compact Skates

When transporting materials, remember what you are transporting and how much it weighs. This is the most important factor in choosing your skates. You wouldn’t tow a car by tying a rope around your waist. As you consider your options, remember:

Never underestimate your haul’s weight.
The two most common skate types are swivel and rigid.
A swivel head affords 360 degrees of motion, good for moving loads on uneven terrain. A rigid head stays in place.
If you are looking to haul smaller loads, a compact skate handles between 1.5 to 12.5 tons and can even whip around tight corners.

What are the Rollers Made of?

With moving skates, as with all machinery, you want to make sure you are buying a quality product. Poorly made skates can show signs of wear and tear after just one load. Sturdy skates cost more up-front but pay dividends later. Consider:

The three best materials used to make moving skate rollers are steel, polyurethane, and nylon.
Nylon is a shock absorber and polyurethane coating is durable, ensuring longevity. Use these for fragile flooring.
Steel is for rough terrain or all-purpose hauling.

Be sure you are using the right material for your terrain, or you can damage both your surfaces and the equipment.

Three-Point vs. Four-Point System

Now that you have picked out your skates, it’s time to think about how best to use them. When transporting a load, you’d think placing skates at four even points would be the safest way to move it, right? You’re wrong. The four-point system is less safe than the alternative three-points system.

Why? Moving skate wheels aren’t connected to each other like they are in a car. They are affixed to the object you are hauling. That means if you have a skate under each corner of a 2-ton concrete cube, and you are on a level surface, all corners of the cube are fully supported and carrying the same amount of weight.

But if you were to move the cube over any uneven surface, the center of gravity would shift onto that wheel. This can cause shifting, tilting, and even a complete loss of the haul. In the three-points system, one skate carries the front of the load while the other two carry the back, ensuring the center of gravity within those three points will remain stable.

Time to Buy Your Moving Skates

Now that you have chosen the type of skate you want, the wheels you want, and which system will work best for you, it’s time to get hauling.

Check out Hevi-Haul for all heavy transport needs and get a custom order of moving skates.

Everything You Need To Know About Industrial Skate Rental