The 5" x 1" wheel options
Rubber on Steel
125-250 lb
Soft, quiet roll. Cushions the load. Standard for display and light service carts.
Polyurethane
200-350 lb
Non-marking, harder roll, more capacity than rubber. Indoor finished floors.
Hard Rubber / Phenolic
300-400 lb
Low rolling resistance, higher capacity. Where the floor is hard and dry.
With Brake
varies
Side or total-lock brake — common on 5" x 1" for display and presentation carts that park often.
Why narrow tread here
A 1-inch tread on a 5-inch wheel is a deliberate trade: you get the roll-over ability of a 5-inch diameter (thresholds, cords, floor transitions) without the weight, cost, or capacity of a 2-inch tread. It's the right call when the equipment is light and the diameter — not the load rating — is the reason you went to 5 inches.
FAQs
Why not just use a 4" caster?The extra inch of diameter rolls over thresholds, expansion gaps, and floor cords that catch a 4-inch wheel. If your route has those, 5" earns its place.
What's the capacity ceiling?About 400 lb per caster on the hardest tread. For more, step up to a 2-inch tread (5" x 2").
Stem or plate?Both common at this size. Stem for furniture-style retrofits, plate for new equipment builds.
Match the 5 x 1 build
Tell us the equipment, floor, and load per caster.
Call 844-439-4335
