How to Install Expanding Stem Casters [Video]

Installing expanding stem casters can seem like a difficult job, but it is actually very simple and greatly increases the functionality of your equipment!

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Transcript

Hi. I’m Chris Tavano for Tundra Restaurant Supply, and in today’s episode, I’m going to show you how to properly install your expanding stem casters to your shelving unit. Here’s a variety of the components that you’re likely to see in this process. We obviously have our shelf post with the stem leg that we need to replace. We have our expanding stem caster, a 19 mm wrench, some channel locks, and a rubber mallet or a hammer. First, what you’re going to do is pop off this little plastic cap, and you can see the bottom of this leg looks very much like a nut head. Be sure you get a nice grip of your channel locks on the hex nut, and once you have a nice firm grip, just take the mallet and just hammer a couple of times until it pops out the bottom.

Once you got your expanding stem caster, you notice when you put it in the bottom of your shelf post, it’s pretty loose and it’s not snug and definitely insecure and could just easily fall right out. Here’s what you really need to do. You notice that there’s a nut right above this black rubbers sleeve. I’m going to screw this down so that way we tighten this rubber sleeve to where it flexes outward, and that’s going to be able to get a grip inside that shelf post. Now, you can put it in the bottom of your shelf post. It should be a little tight to get in there in the first place. It’s much more firm now. Once you get your expanding stem caster in the post and it’s pretty firm because you’ve tightened the rubber sleeve, go ahead and get your 19 mm wrench, put it on that nut, and we can go ahead and finish tightening a little bit further.

It may feel like it’s just spinning but know that once you tighten the rubber sleeve to begin with to put it in there, that’s going to get your grip for it to keep tighten for it to keep tightening as you spin this around. Now, we have it tight, and you can see that caster’s not coming out of that shelf post, much more safe shelving unit. Also, keep in mind that if you don’t have a wrench handy, that as long as you have that rubber sleeve gripping nice and tight in that post, all you need to do is also grab the bottom of this housing and twist it from there and that can also tighten your caster on your post.

I’m Chris Tavano for Tundra Restaurant Supply, and that’s how you properly install your expanding stem casters to a shelving unit. Don’t forget to comment below and subscribe to our YouTube channel and be sure to call our sales floor if you have any further questions.