Choosing Castors for 660L and 1100L Bins

Why Castor Choice Matters on Big Bins

A four-wheel bin carries far more than a household wheelie bin. For example, Wealden District Council lists a maximum load of 264 kg for a 660 litre bin and 440 kg for an 1100 litre bin.

All of that weight rides on four bin castors. They roll the bin out of a store, across a yard and up to the lorry, often several times a week. So a weak castor shows up quickly as a stuck wheel, a broken fork or a bin that runs away on a slope.

Size also plays a part. Croydon Council gives an 1100 litre bin as 1.40 m high, 1.26 m wide and 1.00 m deep. A container that large needs castors that steer well and stop firmly.

Pick the Wheel Size: 200 mm or 160 mm

Use 200 mm bin castors for 660L, 770L and 1100L containers and for heavy carts. So the larger wheel on these bin castors rolls over kerbs, drains and gaps more easily.

As the caster article explains, bigger wheels bridge rough surfaces better, but they need a taller fork and sweep more space when they swivel. That trade-off is why small containers use a smaller wheel.

For containers of about 30 to 120 litres, used in offices and public areas, 160 mm castors suit better. They keep the bin low and compact, and the loads are much lighter.

Choose the Hub: Plastic or Steel

The hub, or wheel centre, carries the load from the tread to the bearing. Our range offers three materials, each with a clear job.

First, polypropylene hubs are light and cannot rust. They are our most popular choice, because they suit the wet, dirty base of a bin that a crew washes and moves every week.

Second, pressed steel hubs give higher load capacity and more impact resistance. Choose them for commercial bins that travel long distances or that heavy collection vehicles tip.

Third, our heavy duty castor uses a polyamide centre on precision ball bearings, inside a reinforced pressed steel fork. It suits the heaviest containers and handling equipment.

For a deeper comparison of treads and hubs, see our guide to castor wheel materials.

Set the Mix: Swivel and Braked Bin Castors

A typical four-wheel bin runs on two swivel castors and two braked castors. The swivels let the bin turn, and the brakes hold it still at the kerb or in a store.

Our braked castors use a total-lock brake. According to the caster article, a total lock stops both the wheel and the swivel, while a basic brake only stops the wheel. So a full 1100 litre bin stays put on a sloping bin store.

Commercial bins in many cities follow this layout. For example, Nottingham City Council describes its 770 and 1100 litre bins as lockable containers on four castors with brake control.

Pedal position on bin castors matters too. Our steel-hub braked castor comes with a leading or a trailing brake, so the pedal sits where operators can reach it. Our castor brake guide compares every option.

Check the Construction, Not Just the Wheel

Two bin castors can look alike in a photo yet last very different lengths of time. So check the parts around the wheel as well.

• Housing: pressed steel with bright zinc plating, or yellow zinc on request, resists rust and knocks.
• A ball-bearing swivel head lets the fork turn smoothly under load.
• Dust cover: it keeps grit and washing water out of the swivel bearing.
• Roller bearings in the wheel cut rolling friction and carry heavy radial loads.
• Top plate and lock nut: the plate bolts to the bin base, and the axle nut stays tight.

Roller bearings deserve a note. As the rolling-element bearing article explains, roller bearings generally carry heavier radial loads than ball bearings and roll with very little friction. As a result, bin castors with roller bearings make a loaded bin easier to start and to steer.

Fit Bin Castors Securely

Bin castors bolt to the bin base through the top plate. That joint takes every bump, so the fasteners matter as much as the castor.

Use galvanised or stainless bolts, nuts and washers. M6 to M12 sizes are common, and anti-loosening nuts help where bins see constant vibration on rough ground.

Next, check the base. A cracked or worn base lets the plate move, and no castor will fix that. Our baseplates for four-wheel bins reinforce this area on new builds and repairs.

How Bin Castors Wear Out

Bin castors rarely fail all at once. Instead, they wear in small steps, and each step makes the bin a little harder to move.

First, the tread can pick up flat spots when a loaded bin stands with its brakes on for long periods. Then grit works into the swivel head, so the fork turns stiffly and the bin pulls to one side.

After that, the wheel bearing starts to rumble, and the brake pedal loses its grip. Finally, a weakened fork or a loose top plate can let a castor fold under load.

Because of this, inspect bin castors on a schedule rather than waiting for a breakdown. A quick spin of each wheel and a push on each brake pedal takes seconds per bin.

Bin Castors for Different Sites

No single set of bin castors suits every site. So match the castor to the ground, the load and the cleaning routine.

• Smooth bin stores and car parks: polypropylene-hub bin castors keep weight down and never rust.
• For long pulls across rough yards, steel-hub bin castors take the knocks and carry more load.
• Hospitals, food plants and other washdown sites need a dust cover on the swivel head, since washing water carries grit into the bearing.
• On sloping streets and loading bays, a total-lock brake on two of the four bin castors keeps a full container still.

Also, think about how often crews move each bin. A container that travels every day earns better castors than one that moves once a week.

Replacing Bin Castors on Existing Bins

Many contractors replace bin castors on bins already in service. That makes sense, because the bin body usually outlasts its wheels by years.

Start by measuring the top plate and its hole pattern. Then check the wheel size and the overall height, since a taller castor changes how the bin meets the lifting device on the lorry.

Next, replace castors in matched pairs at least. For example, swap both braked castors together, so the bin does not lean or pull to one side.

Finally, fit new nuts and washers. Old fasteners often carry rust or stretched threads, and they cost very little to replace while the bin lies on its side.

Ordering Bin Castors in Volume

Bin makers and councils usually buy bin castors by the thousand. At that scale, consistency matters more than any single feature.

So agree a drawing for each castor type and keep it on file. We then build every batch to that drawing, including the plate, the wheel, the brake and the finish.

In addition, ask for samples before the first full order. Fit them to a real bin, load it, and roll it over your roughest ground. Once the sample passes, the specification stays fixed for later orders.

Finish and Colour Options

Most housings leave our factory with bright zinc plating, which gives a clean silver look and good rust protection for outdoor use.

Some buyers prefer yellow zinc instead. It has a gold tone, and many fleets use it so their containers stand out at a shared depot.

Either way, the plating protects the pressed steel under it. However, deep scratches from kerbs and forks can expose bare steel over time, so check housings for rust spots during routine services.

For coastal sites, ask about stainless fasteners as well. That way, the bolts holding the plate do not rust long before the castor itself wears out.

Know the Standards

The EN 840 series covers mobile waste containers. EN 840-2 sets the dimensions and design of four-wheel containers up to 1 300 litres with flat lids, and EN 840-3 covers the dome-lid version.

Larger flat-lid containers up to 1 700 litres fall under EN 840-4. In addition, EN 840-5 sets the performance requirements and test methods, and EN 840-6 covers safety and health.

Bin castors also have their own standard. ISO 22883 sets requirements for castors and wheels on manually pushed or power-towed industrial equipment up to 1.1 m/s, or 4 km/h. Our castors and wheels are made to EN 840.

The lift side matters as well. EN 1501-5 covers the lifting devices on refuse collection vehicles that empty EN 840 containers, so your bin, its castors and the lorry all need to work together.

Think About the Crew

Crews push and pull these bins by hand, often on uneven ground. So rolling resistance is not just a comfort issue but a safety issue too.

HSE offers a free RAPP tool for assessing pushing and pulling. Its guidance on pushing and pulling helps employers spot high-risk tasks and check that controls work.

Good bin castors help here, too. Larger wheels, smooth bearings and working brakes all reduce the force a crew needs to start, steer and stop a loaded bin.

In practice, check worn bin castors at every service. A flat-spotted tread or a stiff swivel makes a loaded bin much harder to move across a yard.

Five Questions Before You Order

• Bin size: is it a 660L, 770L, 1100L or a small container?
• Which hub suits the load: polypropylene, pressed steel or polyamide?
• How many brakes, and do you need a leading or a trailing pedal?
• Top plate: what hole pattern and bolt size does the bin base use?
• Finish: do you want bright zinc or yellow zinc on the housing?

With those answers, we can match bin castors to your design quickly. You can also browse the full castor range and the fastener range first.