Whether perusing the catalog or using our handy slide selector, asking the following questions will help filter products into manageable number of choices:
How wide is your drawer?
Whether the slides are intended to hold a drawer, door, component, or chassis, the width of the pullout unit has a large effect on performance. If the slide does not have the strength and load capacity that corresponds to the width, it can cause racking or side-to-side movement. Excessive racking causes instability and can result in drawer failure.
Note the maximum recommended drawer widths for the slide products you are considering. When widths are 24" or greater, adding stability by using a slide with a larger cross section and a higher load rating is often the best solution.
How heavy are the contents?
Will the drawer hold dishtowels or bricks? Equipment or paper medical gowns? As with drawer width, exceeding the established load rating may cause the drawer to fail. Be sure to include the weight of the drawer into the total anticipated weight the slides will carry.
Accuride specifies a maximum load based on specific conditions, such as 18-inch slides mounted on a 16-inch-wide drawer. Refer to the product technical sheet to determine how load capacity is affected if your application calls for a drawer that is deeper or wider than the tested load conditions. Always test the slide in the intended application if differs from the typical usage for the product.
Where and how will the drawer be used?
The slide selected for a residential kitchen drawer will be different than a slide chosen for an identically sized drawer in a toolbox. In commercial, institutional, or industrial environments, drawers encounter greater use—and abuse. Think about your intended application and the environment. You may wish to select a more robust slide to offset conditions that are more rigorous.
What is the expected usage and lifetime of the product?
Use will be infrequent and require a low cycle count or will the application require greater durability with usage reaching 50,000 to 75,000 cycles—or more? Review the testing data on the product technical sheet to determine if it is appropriate for your application.
If you are having trouble with slide selection, contact Technical Support for assistance.
If you can't find an off-the-shelf solution that meets your specifications, don’t rule out custom options. For larger projects, we offer customized options such as additional slide lengths, varied hole patterns, materials, finishes, and mounting brackets to help meet the specific needs of your project.