Key takeaways
- A power barrow is an engine-driven carrier that does a wheelbarrow’s job without the pushing. The BL-T500-HD is a tracked, petrol-engined one.
- It is rated for 500 kg (1,102 lb) per trip in a 0.2 m³ hopper. A typical wheelbarrow holds about 100 L (0.1 m³).
- At 880 mm (34.6 in) wide, it fits gates and side passages from about 0.9 m wide, where none of our wheeled dumpers (1.5 m and wider) can pass.
- The hopper tips hydraulically through 100°, past upright. Our wheeled dumpers tip to 45°.
- One machine is enough to order. It is usually ready to ship in about 10 working days, and 10 fit in a 20GP container on steel racks.
What is a power barrow?
A power barrow is a small engine-driven carrier built to replace the wheelbarrow; ours, the BL-T500-HD, carries 500 kg (1,102 lb) a trip and is 880 mm (34.6 in) wide. The engine moves the load, and the operator steers and tips it. A tracked power barrow runs on rubber tracks, so it can cross soft ground, lawns and ramps where a loaded wheelbarrow gets stuck.
The machine goes by many names. In the UK it is a power barrow, motorised wheelbarrow or track barrow. In North America it is more often a motorized wheelbarrow, powered wheelbarrow or gas-powered wheelbarrow. Tracked wheelbarrow and petrol wheelbarrow mean the same thing, and the larger versions are sold as mini track dumpers. They all describe one idea: a narrow machine with a tipping hopper that carries more than one person can push.
Our power barrow is the BL-T500-HD 500 kg tracked mini dumper. The name tells you what it is: BL for BOB-LIFT, T for tracked, 500 for its rated load in kilograms, and HD for dumping, meaning a tipping hopper. It is built at our factory in Xuzhou, China.
Wheelbarrow, power barrow or mini dumper?
A wheelbarrow holds about 100 L, a power barrow such as the BL-T500-HD holds 0.2 m³ and is rated for 500 kg, and the smallest wheeled mini dumper, the FC10, holds 0.8 m³ and is rated for 1,000 kg. The right tool depends on how much you move, how far, and how narrow the way is.
| Wheelbarrow | BL-T500-HD power barrow | FC10 wheeled mini dumper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume per load | About 100 L (0.1 m³), typical | 0.2 m³ | 0.8 m³ |
| Rated load | None; limited by the person pushing | 500 kg | 1,000 kg |
| Width | Varies by model | 880 mm | 1,500 mm |
| Power | The operator | 4.8 kW petrol engine | 12.1 kW diesel engine |
| Running gear | Usually one wheel | Rubber tracks | Four tyres |
| Max travel speed | Walking pace | 3 km/h | 22 km/h |
| Best ground | Firm paths, short runs | Lawns, soft soil, mud, narrow paths | Firm ground, yards and site roads |
Sources: wheelbarrow volume from the Wikipedia article on wheelbarrows, which gives a typical capacity of about 100 L; machine figures from the BOB-LIFT technical sheets.
A wheelbarrow is still the right tool for a few loads a day. Every load, though, is pushed by a person. The UK Health and Safety Executive lists moving loads in wheelbarrows among the pushing tasks its risk assessment of pushing and pulling (RAPP) tool is designed to assess. Once the job runs to tonnes of soil, gravel or rubble, a power barrow takes that work off the crew.
At the other end, a wheeled dumper carries more and travels faster, but it needs a route at least 1.5 m (59 in) wide and firm ground. As the BL-T500-HD product page puts it, the power barrow is for jobs where a wheelbarrow is too slow and a site dumper is too wide. Our tracked vs wheeled mini dumper comparison sets out where the line falls.
What the BL-T500-HD carries
The BL-T500-HD is rated for 500 kg (1,102 lb) per trip in a 0.2 m³ (7.1 cu ft) hopper, on a machine that weighs 410 kg (904 lb). It carries more than its own weight.
| Specification | BL-T500-HD |
|---|---|
| Rated load | 500 kg (1,102 lb) |
| Hopper capacity | 0.2 m³ |
| Hopper size | 1,070 × 730 × 730 mm (42.1 × 28.7 × 28.7 in) |
| Tipping | Hydraulic, through 100° |
| Engine | 4.8 kW, 1-cylinder, 4-stroke petrol; Rato or Briggs & Stratton |
| Starting | Electric start |
| Fuel tank | 3.1 L |
| Emission standard | EPA & EURO 5 |
| Hydraulic pressure | 18 MPa |
| Max travel speed | 3 km/h (1.9 mph) |
| Gradeability | 20° |
| Dimensions | 1,570 × 880 × 1,300 mm; 2,050 mm long with footplate |
| Ground clearance | 100 mm |
| Running gear | Rubber tracks |
| Controls | Joystick operation |
| Body material | Manganese steel |
The hopper is wider at the top than at the base. Joysticks control both the drive and the tipping. The operator works from a standing platform at the rear, which is why the machine is 1,570 mm long without the footplate and 2,050 mm with it.
The 100° tipping angle matters more than it sounds. All eight of our wheeled dumpers front-tip to 45°. At 100° the hopper turns past upright, so the load has a steeper slope to slide down than it would at 45°. That can help sticky material such as wet soil or concrete slide out.
Jobs it suits
The BL-T500-HD suits jobs where 500 kg loads have to pass a gap narrower than 1.5 m, from the front of a property to the back. It suits homeowners, landscapers and small builders moving soil, gravel, mulch, rubble and firewood.
- Garden and backyard projects. New lawns, raised beds, patios and paths all start with a pile of material on the drive. At 880 mm wide, the power barrow follows garden paths, side passages and gateways. See the gardens and homesteads applications page.
- Clearing out. Spoil from digging footings or a pond, old paving and garden waste go back out to a skip on the road the same way.
- Soft or wet ground. Rubber tracks carry the load over lawns, soft soil and mud, where a loaded wheelbarrow sinks.
- Small concrete pours. Carry mixed concrete in the tipping hopper to a fence post, a shed base or a footing. To mix on site as well, the BL-T200-HJ tracked mini mixer dumper has the same 880 mm width and engine, with a 200 L drum and a self-loading bucket in place of the hopper (see our guide to self-loading dumpers).
- Moving material on larger sites. Short runs between a stockpile and the work face, especially where wheeled dumpers can’t get in. The material transport applications page covers these jobs.
It is not the right tool for long hauls. At 3 km/h (1.9 mph), a 200 m run takes 4 minutes each way at top speed. If the route is wide and firm and the distance is long, a wheeled dumper such as the FC10 1 ton mini dumper carries twice the load at up to 22 km/h. Our site dumper sizes guide covers the bigger models.
Running and maintenance basics
The BL-T500-HD runs on petrol from a 3.1 L (0.82 US gal) tank and starts with a key, using electric start. The engine is a 4.8 kW single-cylinder four-stroke from Rato or Briggs & Stratton; you choose the brand when you order.
The essentials come from HSE guidance:
- Daily checks: HSE advises a programme of daily visual checks, regular inspections and servicing in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. Drivers should report defects, and a machine with a safety-critical fault should be taken out of service (HSE, site dumpers).
- Loading: HSE advises spreading loads evenly and not filling above the top edge of the skip. The same applies to the hopper of a power barrow.
- Engine servicing: as general practice, follow the service schedule of the engine brand you choose, Rato or Briggs & Stratton.
Every BL-T500-HD is run and checked at our factory before it is packed for export. We inspect the fuel tank and all pipework, run the engine and every movement, drive the machine to test the travel system, look for oil leaks and check the cooling. For spare parts, we keep a list of original wear parts. Order them at any time by quoting your model and serial number.
Buying from the factory
You can order a single BL-T500-HD direct from our factory. Payment is by T/T bank transfer, and the machine is usually ready to ship in about 10 working days from order. Across our whole range, machines are ready in 8 to 30 working days, depending on quantity and configuration.
| Buying point | BL-T500-HD |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | 1 unit |
| Payment | T/T bank transfer |
| Ready to ship | Usually about 10 working days |
| Trade terms | FOB, CIF, EXW, DDP, FCA or DAP |
| 20GP container | 10 machines on steel racks (7 without racks) |
| 40HQ container | 24 machines on steel racks (12 without racks) |
| Warranty | 12 months, whole machine |
The racks carry a second tier of machines, which is how a 20GP takes 10 and a 40HQ takes 24. The BL-T200-HJ mixer ships at the same counts. We confirm the loading plan against your actual order before you buy.
The 12-month warranty covers the whole machine. If something goes wrong, send us the model, the serial number and a photo or short video. Our team guides the diagnosis and the fix over WhatsApp, video or email, and ships the replacement parts. The full terms are on our buying and support page.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a power barrow carry?
The BL-T500-HD is rated for 500 kg (1,102 lb) per trip, in a 0.2 m³ hopper. With light materials such as mulch, the hopper fills before you reach 500 kg.
Can a tracked power barrow climb slopes?
The BL-T500-HD is rated for slopes up to 20°. Treat that as a limit, travel straight up and down rather than across, and keep the load even.
Is a track barrow better than a wheeled power barrow?
Tracks are better on lawns, soft soil and mud, because they spread the weight. On firm, level paths, wheels are usually enough. Our tracked vs wheeled mini dumper guide compares the two in detail.
Does the BL-T500-HD come with a diesel engine?
No. It is petrol only, with a 4.8 kW engine from Rato or Briggs & Stratton. Our wheeled dumpers, from 1 to 5 tonnes, run on diesel.
Can it carry concrete?
Yes, in the tipping hopper, and the 100° tip can help it empty. If you want to mix as well as carry, look at the BL-T200-HJ with its 200 L drum.
Is a power barrow right for your job?
If you move more than a few wheelbarrow loads a day, through a gap under 1.5 m, over soft ground, a 500 kg tracked power barrow will save your crew a lot of pushing. Tell us the narrowest opening, the material and a few photos of the route through our contact page, and we will confirm whether the BL-T500-HD fits. You can also compare it with the other nine models on the mini dumpers range page.