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Guide · Hauling · Concrete barrows, wheelbarrow tires and utility trailers

Steel or poly wheelbarrow, and what does 4.80-8 mean on the tire? Wheelbarrow and concrete barrow sizes, 4.80/4.00-8 and 18x8.50-8 tires, flat-free vs pneumatic, replacing a wheel or tray, the 60/40 trailer rule, and utility trailer sizes

A steel tray wheelbarrow takes gravel, broken concrete, hot asphalt, shingle debris and a load of mortar without cracking, and it rusts and dents; a poly tray is lighter, does not rust, does not stick to concrete and cracks when it is dropped with a rock in it or left out in the cold: steel for roofing and masonry crews, poly for mulch and gardens. A concrete barrow is a deep steel tray with a roll plate on the nose so it can be tipped against a form and dumped. The tire numbers are the size: 4.80/4.00-8 means a tire about 4.8 inches wide (with 4.00 the older width marking) on an 8 inch rim, the standard wheelbarrow tire; 18x8.50-8 is an 18 inch overall diameter, 8.5 inch wide tire on an 8 inch rim, the cart and mower tire. Flat-free tires are solid foam and never go down; pneumatic tires ride softer and go flat on a nail, which on a roofing job is a matter of time. A small utility trailer (ours is 38 x 72 inches, 2,000 lb) hauls the tear-off, the ladders and the compressor behind a pickup, loaded with about 60 percent of the weight ahead of the axle so the tongue carries 10 to 15 percent.

Bayshore Safety. Industrial safety, roofing tools and jobsite supplies since 2017. · Current as of November 2026 · the C&R and Big Boy product data on this site (steel concrete barrow with roll plate in flat-free and pneumatic versions, 4.80 x 4 tire; Big Boy utility trailer 38 x 72 in, 2,000 lb capacity, made in USA, in flat-free and pneumatic versions; flat-free and pneumatic tires in 4.80 x 4 and 18 x 8.5 for a 1 in axle; AC jack set with four jacks, telescoping bars and two extension bars); the tire size convention printed on small tires (4.80/4.00-8: section width 4.80 in, rim 8 in; 18x8.50-8: overall diameter 18 in, width 8.5 in, rim 8 in); 49 CFR 393 cargo securement and the trailer manufacturers’ GVWR and tongue-weight guidance (10 to 15 percent of load on the tongue)
Barrows, trailers, tires and jacks we stockAll roofing tools
C&R WH-FF Steel Concrete Barrow, 2 versions, 4.8 in x 4 in, Roll PlateC&R WH-FF Steel Concrete Barrow, 2 versions, 4.8 in x 4 in, Roll PlateThe product data lists the C&R steel concrete barrow with a roll plate and a 4.8 x 4 tire in flat-free and pneumatic versions
$441.60See the product

What a roofing crew hauls. Shingle bundles and debris to the trailer, mortar and gravel in a barrow, ladders and the compressor on the trailer, and a flat tire at the worst time. The questions below cover the barrow (steel or poly, which is easiest, how much concrete it holds, parts, how to tell the tire size and replace a wheel), the trailer (the 60/40 rule, where trailers are made, sizes) and the AC jack set that goes with rooftop-unit work. We sell the barrow, the trailer, the tires and the jacks; we do not sell wheelbarrows from other manufacturers and do not rate them.

Barrows, tires and trailers, question by question

Sizes and capacities are from the product data on this site; the tire markings are the industry convention printed on the sidewall.

Is it better to get a steel or poly wheelbarrow, and what is the easiest wheelbarrow to use?Steel for anything heavy, hot, sharp or abrasive: concrete, gravel, demolition, hot-mop asphalt, shingles; it carries more, takes a shovel edge and a dropped rock, and needs a coat of oil or paint to keep rust off. Poly for mulch, soil, leaves and light yard loads; it is lighter, cleaner and cracks under abuse or in cold. Easiest to use: a two-wheel barrow does not tip sideways and is the choice for someone who struggles with balance or a heavy load on rough ground; a single-wheel barrow turns in its own length and is what every crew uses on a site. A concrete barrow (our steel barrow with a roll plate) is the contractor’s barrow: deep tray, steel frame, and the roll plate on the nose that lets it be tipped over a form edge without denting.
What does 4.80 4.00 8 mean on a tire, and how do you tell wheelbarrow tire size?It is the size: 4.80 is the nominal section width in inches on the modern marking, 4.00 is the same tire’s width under the older marking (both are printed because the sizes were merged), and 8 is the rim diameter in inches. The tire is about 15.5 inches tall. Read it off the sidewall; if the sidewall is gone, measure the rim diameter (8 inches is standard) and the hub: wheelbarrow wheels run on a 5/8 or 3/4 inch axle with the hub length (3 or 6 inches) and bearing type (ball or bushing) the other things to match. Our tires are listed for a 1 inch axle in 4.80 x 4 and 18 x 8.5; the 18x8.50-8 is the wide cart and mower tire. Replacing one: pull the axle bolt or the cotter pins, slide the wheel out, match size, hub width and axle bore, slide the new one in.
Flat-free or pneumatic tire?Flat-free (solid polyurethane foam) never goes flat, never needs air, lasts for years, rides hard and costs more; pneumatic (air) rides softer over rough ground and under a heavy load, is cheaper, and goes flat on the first roofing nail, which on a tear-off is the same day. Roofing, demolition and rental crews run flat-free; a landscaper on soft ground may prefer air. Our barrow and trailer come in both versions and the tires are sold in both.
Can you replace a wheel or a tray on a wheelbarrow, and where are the parts?Yes to both. Wheels: as above, by size, hub and axle. Trays: sold by the tray manufacturer by capacity (6 cubic feet is the standard contractor tray) and bolt pattern; a replacement tray from another manufacturer rarely lines up, so the tray is usually bought from the manufacturer of the barrow. Handles, legs and braces are sold the same way. We stock the tires for our barrow and trailer; the tray and frame parts for other manufacturers’ barrows come from those manufacturers.
How much concrete is a wheelbarrow, and how much does a scoop shovel load?A standard 6 cubic foot contractor tray holds about 6 cubic feet struck level, which is about 2/9 of a cubic yard, so 4.5 loads make a yard; a full load of concrete weighs about 800 lb, which is why nobody fills it to the top, and a practical load is 3 to 4 cubic feet (400 to 550 lb). A loaded barrow of concrete is moved on a flat-free tire over plywood runways, not across soft ground. The shovel guide linked below covers scoops.
What is the 60/40 rule for trailers, and how do you load a utility trailer?About 60 percent of the load weight ahead of the axle and 40 percent behind it, which puts 10 to 15 percent of the total weight on the tongue; a trailer loaded tail-heavy sways at speed and lifts the rear of the tow vehicle, and one loaded too nose-heavy overloads the hitch. Heavy items low and over the axle, the load tied down (the strap guide linked below has the DOT rules), nothing above the rails unless it is strapped, and the trailer’s rated capacity (ours is 2,000 lb for the 38 x 72 inch Big Boy) never exceeded; a trailer load of tear-off is heavier than it looks (a square of shingles is 230 to 400 lb).
Where are utility trailers made, and what sizes do they come in?Small utility trailers are built by many manufacturers in the US and imported from Asia; the product data lists the Big Boy trailer we sell as made in the USA, 38 by 72 inches, 2,000 lb capacity, in flat-free and pneumatic tire versions. Common sizes: 4x6 and 4x8 single-axle trailers for a pickup, 5x8 and 5x10 for landscape and roofing crews, 6x12 and up to tandem axles for equipment. A trailer’s GVWR, axle rating and tire rating are on its VIN plate; the smaller trailers ride on 4.80-8, 4.80-12 and 5.30-12 tires.
What is an AC jack set for?Our AC jack set is four jacks with telescoping bars and two extension bars for lifting a rooftop air-conditioning unit or a curb-mounted piece of equipment off its curb so the roofing, flashing and curb under it can be replaced without a crane; the jacks straddle the unit, the bars span it, and it is raised a few inches and blocked. It is a roofing and HVAC tool for reroofing commercial decks with units on them. It ships by freight.
Does a tractor brand make wheelbarrows, and what wheel sizes are standard?Several equipment brands put their names on wheelbarrows built by tray manufacturers; we carry only the C&R concrete barrow and do not report on other brands. Standard wheelbarrow wheel: 4.80/4.00-8 on a 5/8 inch axle; cart wheels 13 x 5.00-6 and 18 x 8.50-8; hand-truck wheels 10 inch 4.10/3.50-4.

Barrows and trailers in plain words

  • Steel tray for concrete, gravel, demolition and shingles; poly for mulch and soil.
  • Concrete barrow: deep steel tray with a roll plate on the nose for dumping over forms.
  • 4.80/4.00-8 is a 4.8 inch wide tire on an 8 inch rim, the standard wheelbarrow size; 18x8.50-8 is the cart tire.
  • Flat-free for roofing and demolition; pneumatic rides softer and goes flat on the first nail.
  • A 6 cubic foot tray full of concrete is about 800 lb; load 3 to 4 cubic feet.
  • 60/40: sixty percent of the load ahead of the trailer axle, 10 to 15 percent on the tongue; never over the rated capacity.
  • Tie the load down to the DOT rule; a trailer of tear-off is heavier than it looks.
  • AC jack set lifts a rooftop unit off its curb for reroofing.

Questions people ask

Is it better to get a steel or poly wheelbarrow?

Steel for concrete, gravel, demolition and shingles; poly for mulch, soil and light yard loads.

What is the 60/40 rule for trailers?

Sixty percent of the load ahead of the axle, forty behind, putting 10 to 15 percent of the weight on the tongue so the trailer does not sway.

Where are utility trailers made?

By many US builders and importers; the Big Boy trailer we sell is listed as made in the USA.

Where can I find spare parts for my wheelbarrow?

Tires and wheels by size, hub and axle from suppliers like us; trays, handles and legs from the manufacturer of the barrow.

What is the easiest wheelbarrow to use?

A two-wheel barrow for balance on rough ground; a single wheel for turning on a site.

What does 4.80 4.00 8 mean on a tire?

A 4.8 inch wide tire (4.00 is the older width marking) on an 8 inch rim; the standard wheelbarrow tire.

How to tell wheelbarrow tire size?

Read the sidewall; or measure the rim (8 inches standard), the axle bore (5/8, 3/4 or 1 inch) and the hub length.

Can you replace a wheel on a wheelbarrow?

Yes; pull the axle bolt or cotter pins, match size, hub and axle bore, and slide the new wheel in.

Where can I find a replacement tray for my wheelbarrow?

From the barrow’s manufacturer, by capacity and bolt pattern; other manufacturers’ trays rarely line up.

How much is a wheelbarrow of concrete?

About 6 cubic feet struck level (4.5 loads to a yard), around 800 lb full; a practical load is 3 to 4 cubic feet.

What is an AC jack set?

Four jacks with telescoping and extension bars that lift a rooftop unit off its curb for reroofing.

Flat-free or pneumatic tire for a roofing crew?

Flat-free; the first roofing nail flattens a pneumatic tire.

Related guides

Ratchet straps and bungee cordsUse, release, working load and when to replaceShovels, spades and scoopsThe three types and what each is forRoof tear-off toolsShingle shovels, spud bars and how long it takesContractor bags, drum liners, stretch wrap and tapesSizes, mil and what each is forBack supports and lifting beltsWhat NIOSH says

The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.

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