A hearse is a vehicle with very distinct purposes. As such, it is outfitted with specific hardware, parts, and equipment. These items include everything from casket bier pins to skid bars to casket rollers (also called hearse rollers).
Casket rollers are perhaps some of the least thought of and least talked about parts of a hearse. However, they play an incredibly important function. If casket rollers weren't in place, many aspects of the typical funeral would look much different.
What Role Do Casket Rollers Play?
At the simplest level, casket rollers enable funeral directors, funeral home staff, the deceased's loved ones, and volunteers to handle the process of moving a casket in and out of a hearse. Remember that the average weight of an empty casket can be up to 200 pounds — meaning the weight of a casket carrying a deceased person would be even heavier.
In other words, a casket is not light. Casket rollers make it much easier to fluidly place the casket into the hearse and then pull it back out again, even if the casket ends up weighing several hundred pounds. Again, this might seem like a small thing during a funeral. Yet it's vitally important. Without strong, dependable casket rollers, two major problems could come up.
First, the people who are placing the casket into the hearse might have trouble getting it inside. It's unimaginable (and unacceptable) to think of people physically leaning against a casket during a funeral to somehow push it into the hearse. It's equally bad to think about a casket getting stuck in an awkward position inside the hearse.
The second problem that could come up if casket rollers aren't used? Difficulty taking the casket out of the hearse. Getting leverage under a heavy object is challenging, particularly when it's inside something else. Casket rollers for hearses enable the casket to glide out and onto another surface or into the hands of waiting pallbearers.
Do Hearse Rollers Ever Break Down?
Busy funeral homes use their hearses daily. This means that they're putting a lot of stress on their casket rollers. Over time, the casket rollers will start to break down or become damaged like any other piece of equipment. Ideally, it's best to look for replacement parts before a roller completely gives out. That's why knowing where to find reliable casket rollers can be essential.
To be sure, there are many places that sell casket rollers. With a few clicks of a mouse or swipes of a finger, you can find casket rollers online. That said, you will want to make sure that the casket rollers you buy are high quality. You don't want to invest in casket rollers or roller assemblies that won't work as described—and that might cause headaches during a funeral.
Knowing Which Casket Roller Seller to Trust
To
ensure you get the best casket rollers on the market for your
needs is by purchasing all your parts from a hearse dealership. Ordering
supplies from a long-time seller of hearse parts and equipment gives you tremendous
peace of mind. Why?
- If you bought your hearse at
the dealership, their team members can direct you to the right casket
rollers for your vehicle.
- If you want to try a
different casket roller than the one you have now, you can get advice on
whether or not to make the switch.
- If you are uncomfortable installing the parts yourself, the dealership can handle the installation for a reasonable fee.
Bottom line: Casket rollers are essential to conducting a funeral with a professional, compassionate tone — and one where everything goes smoothly. Consequently, selecting and buying them from a trusted hearse dealership makes much more sense than ordering them from an unknown seller on the web.
What Types of Casket Rollers Are on the Market?
Like any vehicle part, casket rollers are not all alike. Yes, their purposes are all the same. Nevertheless, casket rollers can have differing configurations from one another.
For example, some are rubber rollers with bearings. The bearings help move along the rolling action in a consistent way. Casket roller assemblies are typically made from thick black plastic or are plated with heavy-duty chrome.
What Casket Rollers Will Work on a Used Hearse?
What happens if a funeral home buys a fleet of used hearses? The buyer may not be sure which casket rollers would be appropriate. Once again, talking with a dealership can help hearse owners learn which types of hearse rollers should be used for replacements in their used hearses.
In the end, casket rollers play a significant role in helping a funeral home serve mourners with professionalism and empathy. To learn more about which casket rollers might be right for your funeral home, click here for more help.