Basically a dock leveler is an adjustable ramp that is designed to provide a transition plate from the building floor to the truck bed to be used during loading or unloading trucks. When a lift truck drives from the building floor across the dock leveler onto the bed of the delivery truck the trucks suspension lowers under the weight of the lift truck forcing the dock leveler platform and the extended lip assembly downward. When the lift truck drives back off the truck across the dock leveler in... Read More
In its simplest form a dock leveler is an adjustable ramp that provides lift truck access from the warehouse floor to the truck bed. Dock leveler deck cant allows the dock leveler deck and lip assembly to flex up to 4” laterally or from side-to- side. Typically incoming truck beds are pretty much level from side-to-side with the warehouse floor. However if there is an uneven build-up of snow, ice or debris outside the building the incoming truck bed can be parked on an angle with one corner of... Read More
Conventional hydraulic dock levelers are powered up and the hydraulic lip extends, when the push button is released it is gravity down until the extended lip rests on the truck bed ready for use. During loading/unloading it is common for the truck bed to move up and down this is referred to as “float”. Vertical storing dock levelers are powered up and powered down. On the downward travel approximately 24” above the finished floor level a limit switch activates and releases the controlled d... Read More
The first step when considering converting to hydraulic operation is to investigate if the dock leveler is structurally sound. In its simplest form a dock leveler is a temporary structural bridge between the building floor and the truck to be loaded. A qualified loading dock service technician should first perform a complete front to back structural inspection of the dock levelers primary components. During the inspection the technician should check the deck, beam and headboard weldments, the li... Read More
The most significant benefit of converting a mechanical dock leveler to hydraulic is the safety and ease of single push button operation at the loading dock area. Converting to hydraulic eliminates the need to repetitively bend and pull the release chain and then walk the dock leveler downward into position on the truck. When successfully converted to hydraulic operation it’s now as easy as pushing a button. Any brand of mechanical dock leveler will require an ongoing maintenance program that ... Read More
Dock levelers and dock lifts are 2 of the most common products used at a loading dock area and are generally installed into a pre-formed concrete pit. Prior to the equipment arriving at the construction site the pits are first formed. The pit curb angle is required at that time to form the pit to the manufacturer’s specified length, width and depth. The pit curb angle is manufactured from steel angle iron and has tangs or J bolts welded to the inside of the angle for the concrete to “knit”... Read More
The short answer is yes and here’s the reason why. Typically dock levelers are installed in a 3 sided pit at the loading dock area. To allow for operating clearances there is usually a 1” gap between the dock leveler platform and the side walls of the pit. When the dock leveler is in the closed stored closed position and the overhead door is closed these 1” side gaps allow cold exterior air to blow up from the dock leveler pit into the building.  Traditional efforts to conserve energy at ... Read More
When the dock leveler is in the closed/stored position the hinged lip assembly is vertical tucked in behind the front of the dock leveler frame. When the dock leveler is operated the deck raises and the hinged lip rotates outward to the extended position. In the extended position the lip assembly is not parallel with the deck plate it is positioned just slightly lower than parallel to the deck plate, this is referred to as “lip crown”. Dock levelers service varying heights of incoming vehicl... Read More
Under normal operating conditions the truck is backed into position at the loading dock and the trailer door is opened. The attendant operates the dock leveler, the dock leveler deck raises and the hydraulic lip extends. The dock leveler is then lowered into position with the extended hydraulic lip resting on the bed of the truck. After the loading is completed the attendant returns the dock leveler to the closed stored position, that’s what is supposed to happen. However should the truck depa... Read More
Start with equipping all dock levelers at the loading dock area with weather seal to minimize costly and unwanted energy exchange. The basic dock leveler weather seal is designed to seal the side of the dock leveler deck to the pit side walls minimizing any exterior air from entering the building. Weather seals are available in a neoprene/rubber strip design or for improved sealing or they are also available is a brush style design. Either of these weather seals works well saving energy when t... Read More