Exit and Disposal Activities (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended											3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			39 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			27 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 Termination Benefits	Dec. 31, 2010 Termination Benefits	Dec. 31, 2009 Termination Benefits	Dec. 31, 2011 Fixed assets impairment	Dec. 31, 2009 Fixed assets impairment	Dec. 31, 2011 Other associated costs	Dec. 31, 2010 Other associated costs	Dec. 31, 2009 Other associated costs	Mar. 31, 2009 Carlisle Transportation Products plant	Dec. 31, 2008 Carlisle Transportation Products center	Dec. 31, 2011 Carlisle Transportation Products	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Transportation Products	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Transportation Products	Dec. 31, 2011 Carlisle Transportation Products	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Transportation Products Relocate equipment and employees	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Transportation Products Termination Benefits	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Transportation Products Termination Benefits	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Transportation Products Fixed assets impairment	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Transportation Products Other associated costs	Sep. 30, 2011 Carlisle Brake & Friction	Dec. 31, 2011 Carlisle Brake & Friction	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Brake & Friction	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Brake & Friction	Dec. 31, 2011 Carlisle Brake & Friction	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Brake & Friction Relocate equipment and employees	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Brake & Friction Termination Benefits	Dec. 31, 2011 Carlisle Brake & Friction Employee termination costs and other relocation costs	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Brake & Friction Fixed assets impairment and inventory writedown	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Interconnect Technologies	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Interconnect Technologies project	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Interconnect Technologies Fixed assets impairment	Dec. 31, 2010 Carlisle Interconnect Technologies Employee termination costs and other relocation costs	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Interconnect Technologies Employee severance, termination costs and other costs	Dec. 31, 2009 Carlisle Interconnect Technologies Inventory writedowns	Dec. 31, 2009 Corporate restructuring
Exit and disposal activities
Number of distribution centers consolidated													19
Number of existing facilities into which distribution centers were consolidated													9
Number of wheel manufacturing plants consolidated												3
Number of facilities into which wheel manufacturing plants were consolidated												1
Total exit and disposal costs	$ 5.5	$ 14.2	$ 28.8	$ 0.6	$ 3.7	$ 5.5	$ 0.4	$ 17.7	$ 4.5	$ 10.5	$ 4.6			$ 4.0	$ 10.7	$ 22.1								$ 1.5	$ 2.4	$ 2.3						$ 1.1	$ 3.7					$ 0.7
Consolidation costs																		8.0	2.7	4.7	12.3	5.1						2.1	0.3	0.6	2.3			2.1	1.1	0.6	1.0
Restructuring and related cost expected to be incurred																							1.3
Restructuring and related cost incurred through date																	20.9							0.9			5.3
Unpaid severance, pension and lease termination costs																								0.9			0.9
Restructuring reserve included in accrued expenses														$ 0.3			$ 0.3
Number of consolidation projects undertook																																	2