Every wheel on this skate swivels through a full circle, so it travels forwards, sideways or diagonally without being lifted and repositioned. The top plate is a bearing-mounted turntable, letting the load rotate on the spot independently of the skate below. Together those two features are what make tight manoeuvring possible with several tonnes aboard: a machine can be walked sideways through a doorway and then turned to face its final position without ever being set down.
Key Features
- Every wheel rotates 360°: Travel in any direction without repositioning the skate. This is what distinguishes the VRS range from a fixed-direction skate.
- Bearing-mounted turntable top: The load turns independently of the skate, allowing final alignment without repeated repositioning.
- Polyurethane wheels: Selected to reduce the risk of floor damage in workshops, clean areas and finished installations.
- Used in sets: Capacity multiplies with the number of skates under a load, subject to correct weight distribution.
- Compatible steering handle: VRSHAN (V4503) fits both the 2 and 4 tonne skates. Not supplied as standard.
- Three capacities in the range: 2 tonne (VRS2), 4 tonne (VRS4) and 10 tonne (VRS10).
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
Capacity (t) |
A (mm) |
B (mm) |
C (mm) |
d (mm) |
E (mm) |
F (mm) |
G (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
| VRS2 |
2 |
416 |
526 |
105.5 |
120.7 |
27 |
88 |
— |
39 |
| VRS4 |
4 |
250 |
676.2 |
105.5 |
122.2 |
— |
91 |
547.34 |
39 |
All dimensions in millimetres. Dimension C of 105.5 mm is the deck height, which sets your minimum jacking clearance. Both sizes weigh 39 kg. The 10 tonne VRS10 is listed separately.
360° Swivel Wheels | Bearing Turntable Top | Floor-Safe Wheels | PUWER
Every wheel rotates through 360 degrees with a bearing-mounted turntable top. Polyurethane wheels selected to minimise floor damage. Machinery moving skates are work equipment under PUWER 1998 and should be inspected before each use and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Suitable Applications
The rotating skates suit machinery moving in confined spaces where a conventional skate would need repeated repositioning: plant rooms, machine shops with tight aisles, moving equipment through doorways and around corners, and positioning onto foundations to close tolerances. Used in sets of three or four under a load, with the number determined by weight, footprint and distribution rather than simple arithmetic. Where you move machinery regularly and want a complete matched rig, the VMMS set includes a steering skate and handle and may be more practical.
More About This Product
Material handling equipment solves the problem that most manual handling injuries come from: moving something heavy a short distance. Cranes handle the long lifts; the damage is done shifting a machine six metres across a workshop because it seemed too short a distance to be worth rigging.
The equipment is straightforward. The considerations that catch people out are the floor, the route and the momentum of something heavy once it is rolling.
The Route Is the Risk
A load on wheels behaves entirely differently from a load being lifted, and the risks move with it.
Point loading comes first. Wheel loads under a laden truck or skate concentrate onto small hard wheels, and the pressure at each contact patch is far higher than the load's own footprint would suggest. Slabs that carry the static load comfortably can crack, and floor coverings can be marked or cut.
Level changes are where control is lost. A multi-tonne load rolling at walking pace and stopping abruptly against a threshold, an expansion joint or a change in floor covering keeps trying to move. Anyone with a hand on it at that moment finds out how much energy is in it. The answer is to slow down before the change, not at it.
Gradients compound the same problem. Even a slight slope in a workshop floor will accelerate a heavy load on good wheels, and a load that gets away has no brakes.
Nobody walks alongside. The instinct is to have people at the sides steadying the load, and that is exactly where they should not be if it shifts or a wheel collapses. Push or pull from a position of control, keep feet clear of the wheels, and treat the route as part of the plan rather than as the bit between the lifting points.
How to Use the Rotating Skate
- Calculate load per skate honestly: Weight rarely distributes evenly. Assume the worst-placed skate carries more than its share.
- Check the floor and route: Point loading is far higher than the machine's own footprint. Look for expansion joints, channels, weak slabs and thresholds.
- Jack and position carefully: Raise with rated jacks, place skates under solid structural points, lower under control. The 105.5 mm deck height sets your minimum jacking clearance.
- Load centrally on the turntable: The load must bear centrally and not overhang the plate.
- Fit the handle: VRSHAN (V4503) for pulling and steering. Ordered separately.
- Move slowly, especially at level changes: A multi-tonne load stopped against a threshold will keep going.
Warning: Never exceed the rated capacity of any individual skate, allowing for uneven weight distribution. Never move a load across a floor that has not been assessed for point loading. Keep feet clear of the wheels at all times, and never allow anyone to walk alongside a moving load.
Safety Information
- Never exceed the rated capacity, and allow for uneven distribution across a set.
- Assess the floor for point loading along the full route.
- Load must bear centrally on the turntable and not overhang.
- Use rated jacks to raise and lower the load.
- Keep feet and hands clear of wheels and turntable.
- Move slowly and control the load at all times.
- Do not use on uneven, damaged or sloping surfaces without assessment.
- Inspect wheels and turntable bearing before each use.
Inspection and Maintenance
Check the polyurethane wheels for flat spots, cuts, embedded debris and any separation from the wheel core, since a wheel carrying embedded swarf will score the floor it was meant to protect. Confirm each wheel swivels freely through a full turn and rolls smoothly, and that the turntable rotates under hand pressure without binding. Keep the deck and turntable clean and grease the turntable bearing periodically per the manual. A skate that has become stiff to steer usually has a bearing problem rather than needing more effort.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many skates do I need?
Usually three or four, but it depends on weight distribution and the machine's footprint rather than arithmetic. A 6 tonne machine does not simply need three 2 tonne skates: the load must be supported at structural points on the base, and the worst-loaded skate will carry more than an even share.
Q: Is the handle included?
No. The VRSHAN (V4503) handle fits both the 2 and 4 tonne skates and is ordered separately. Note the 10 tonne VRS10 takes a different handle, VRSHAN10.
Q: What is the difference between these and the VMMS set?
The set is a matched rig: one steering skate with a handle plus two trailing skates on a connecting bar. These are individual skates where every wheel swivels, giving more flexibility in tight spaces but leaving you to work out the configuration and buy the handle separately.
Q: Why do the 2 and 4 tonne weigh the same?
Both weigh 39 kg but have different footprints: the 2 tonne is 416 x 526 mm, the 4 tonne 250 x 676 mm. The 4 tonne is narrower and longer, which suits different machine bases. Worth checking the dimensions against your machine rather than assuming the higher capacity is simply a bigger version.
