The dock leveler site inspection sheet primarily serves as a means to relay the required information to provide the suitable replacement dock leveler. The most obvious information to confirm is the overall pit size; the pit width, pit length and pit depth. The pit depth should be measured on both sides at the front of the pit and measured both sides at the rear of the pit. Extra care should be taken to ensure the rear pit depth is accurate. Over the years it is common for debris to accumul... Read More

A dock leveler in the closed/stored position is level with buildings inside finished floor. When an incoming truck backs into position at the loading dock the bed of the truck is usually level. The dock leveler is cycled, the deck raises and the lip assembly extends, the platform then lowers and the extended lip assembly rests on the bed of the truck. The truck is now ready to be loaded or unloaded. In some circumstances the truck bed is not level with the finished floor level, this could be... Read More

Auto return is an option that is only available on hydraulic dock levelers. https://www.pentalift.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Hydraulic-Dock-Leveler-Brochure.pdf When a truck is backed into position at the loading dock the trailer doors are opened. The dock attendant cycles the hydraulic dock leveler. The deck raises, the hydraulic operated hinged lip extends, the deck is then lowered and the hinged lip rests on the truck bed. The loading or off-loading begins, when completed typical... Read More

When the dock leveler is not in use it is stored in the closed, cross traffic position level with the building floor. When the dock leveler is activated the platform is hinged at the rear, the front section of the platform raises and when the platform reaches full height the hinged lip assembly extends. The the raising of the deck assembly during operating cycle creates an opening between the underside of a hydraulic or pneumatic dock leveler platform and the building floor. Without guarding,... Read More

Dock levelers are a vertically adjustable ramp recessed flush into the floor at the buildings loading dock area. Dock levelers are designed to provide a smooth transition from the floor of the building to the truck bed. Lift trucks, pallet trucks etc. travel across dock levelers somewhere every hour of the day, every day of the year loading and unloading freight from trucks. The majority of trucks that are backed into position are level with the loading dock area. When the truck is in posi... Read More

As standard Pentalift mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic dock levelers are supplied with a 16” long hinged lip assembly.  In the majority of applications the 16” long hinged lip assembly in conjunction with 4 ½” thick laminated dock bumpers provides adequate lip length on the truck bed for safe loading and unloading. An 18” long hinged lip assembly is a very common and recommended option. The extra 2” lip length compensates for a truck that may not be backed in perfectly square t... Read More

When a dock leveler is activated the deck assembly raises and the hinged lip extends. The deck assembly with the extended lip then lowers until the lip assembly makes contact with the truck bed. The dock leveler is now in the working position and the truck can be loaded or unloaded. When the lift truck drives across the dock leveler platform onto the truck bed the weight of the lift truck pushes the truck suspension down, when the lift truck drives back off the truck bed the trucks suspension... Read More

As standard Vertical Storing Dock Levelers are installed into Pentalift supplied “cast in place” steel channel(s). These channels are cast in place early in the building construction schedule. One significant benefit of the cast in place channel is that it eliminates a significant amount on site welding during installation. When an order is received it is typically processed as a 2 part order. The first order is for the cast in place steel channels and the on-site arrival date is coord... Read More

All manufacturers of mechanical dock levelers incorporate a hold down assembly to keep the dock leveler locked tight to the truck bed during loading or unloading. The industries most common hold down assembly is a ratchet and pawl design. This style of hold down is now standard equipment on all Pentalift mechanical dock levelers. Mechanical dock levelers are upward biased. With a truck in position the dock leveler release chain is pulled, the deck assembly rises and the lip assembly extends a... Read More

In many parts of the country winter is just around the corner and now is the time to prepare your loading dock area. The 2 primary factors to consider are improving energy efficiencies at the dock doors and inspect the dock equipment for reliable performance and operator safety. The dock levelers may have been originally supplied with a weather seal that is designed to close the gap between the sides of the dock leveler deck and the pit wall. Check to see if the weather seal is in place and stil... Read More