Heavy duty drawer runners are capable of doing a lot. The right heavy-duty slide will do even more.
A heavy-duty slide can be very useful. The right slide can help you save time, money, and headaches on your project.
Many underestimate the size of a project. A slide that isn’t up to the job can cause problems in the long term. Overloaded drawers can reduce the life expectancy of the slides underpinning them. Even worse, stress can cause damage to the drawer and cabinet.
We have some tips to help you make the right choice for your project.
- Load
First, estimate the maximum capacity of your project.
Any slide that can support up to 170 pounds is considered heavy-duty. More. The cost of a load-bearing capacity is generally higher than the cost. Consider the load your project will need and how it will be carried.
- Length
Think about how far you would like your drawer to go. The lengths of heavy-duty slides can vary from 12 to 40 inches.
- Width
What width do you want for your application? Every drawer slide can only support a certain maximum weight. Heavy-duty drawer slide can support widths of up to 42 inches or 3 1/2 feet. Experts have verified that the maximum width can be reached by rigorous cycle testing.
It’s important to remember that major brands such as test according to industry standards. Generic brands may not have this testing, which could lead to poor long-term reliability. Check to see if the slide brand you are considering comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
- Indoor Or Outdoor?
An indoor slide should be sufficient for most applications. Outdoor applications will require special considerations.
There are two main problems with outdoor applications: moisture and debris. The humidity can cause corrosive effects on slide members. Additionally, debris can clog greased bearings and slow down movement.
- Are You A Vehicular Or A Stationary Driver?
Vehicular applications present new challenges. A slide that is used for vehicular purposes will have its load rating reduced by up to 40%.
This reduces the negative effects of vibration. A 9301E’s maximum load rating will drop from 600 to 360 lbs. To 360 lbs. When used in a vehicular context.
Consider solutions that lock the compartments while they are in transit. These could be slides that have a heavy-duty lock-in or “hold-in”, detent.
You may be able to retrofit heavy-duty slides from an existing project.
- Orientation
Do you prefer to have the project side-mounted or flat mounted? Flat-mounting a slide will reduce its load rating by approximately 2/3. A special bottom mount bracket kit is the best choice if you have to bottom-mount your slide. This kit provides greater reinforcement for your slide and helps to preserve its load capacity.