There are many options when choosing used cantilever rack. When deciding on arms, which are the actual storage levels or shelves, it is important to determine how much weight you will be putting on each, and what kind of material is being stored. There are two main styles of arms: straight and inclined. If materials can roll, like pipes, rolled carpet, and logs, then the inclined arm is preferred because it is set at a pitch to prevent products from falling. Otherwise, for materials with a flat bottom or that cannot roll, straight arm is preferred. A cantilever arm’s capacity is based off its length and the metal gauge that was used. The longer the arm, the less weight it can hold because it is that much farther from the upright.

Cantilever Uprights are vertically constructed support columns which form the backbone of a cantilever rack. The uprights are fitted onto cantilever bases and are flanked by cantilever arms, forming a complete bay of cantilever rack. Uprights are sold in different heights with varying shelving weight capacities, so taking careful weight and size measurements of what you are going to store is crucial. To determine the upright height, you need to add several individual shelf measurements to arrive at the sum. Please note that you must be sure to leave enough room at the top of your rack to allow the connector piece above the arm to fully engage the upright.

Once you know how many arms are to be included on each upright, and the weight capacity of each of those arms, you can multiply these two numbers together to get the weight capacity needed for the uprights. Example: Double sided cantilever arms: 12 (2 rows of 3, double sided) Weight Capacity of 1 arm: 1,500 lbs. Weight capacity required for upright: 12 x 1,500lbs = 18,000lbs.

Brace sets provide additional structure to the uprights, and the number of these needed depends on the number of arms, the height, the capacity of the arms and the uprights, and the length of the storage items. Braces are not intended to be load bearing, and only stabilize the rack horizontally.

There are clearly many factors to consider when purchasing used cantilever rack. These options and considerations can be overwhelming, but ASI will work with you to design the racking system that is right for you. Our sales staff will get to know you and your specific material handling needs before recommending a certain configuration.