Why Do You Need To Replace Dock Leveler

A dock leveler is one of the most important equipments that is mainly used for warehouse safety issue purposes. It is true that the dock leveler is long-lived equipment but it does not mean that dock leveler does not need maintenance from time to time. Similar to a bridge a dock leveler generally gets driven a lot and it wears out eventually.  Generally dock leveler is mainly controlled manually with the help of a pull chain. However, it can also be controlled by hydraulically methods with the help of an electric pump in which a piston is derived for lifting the metal plate called a lip.

Replace Dock Leveler Time to Time

Replace Your Dock Leveler

There are various reasons why it is highly required to replace dock leveler from to time for various purposes such as –

  • The top of the deck may get wired
  • The lip of the dock leveler may get bent or warped
  •  The dock leveler may not function properly
  • The dock leveler may not be able to lift as it is driven over
  • The dock leveler may not be able to meet the required load

Thus it can be rightly said that only loading dock levelers & equipment will not solve your purpose but it certainly requires complete maintenance. So, if you detect any issue in your dock leveler then go for its replacement as soon as possible looking at the safety issue with the dock leveler. However, it is always better to upgrade the dock leveler from a manual leveler to hydraulic or any new levelers that are mainly operated with the help of an electric control panel.

Which type of dock leveler should you use?

While replacing the dock leveler you must consider the type of the dock levelers that you will use. Generally, there are three types of dock levelers found in the market and they are air-powered dock levelers, mechanical dock levelers, and hydraulic dock levelers. So, before you replace your dock leveler you must understand which type of dock leveler will suit you the best. Hence before we move further it is important to know the type of the dock levelers that are generally used. Basically there are three common types of dock levelers that are usually found in marker and they are:

  • Air-powered dock leveler: This is a kind of dock leveler which are mainly operated with the help of an air-powered system. The best thing about air-powered dock leveler is that it is easy to install and you do not require too much expense in its installation. Apart from that, an air-powered dock leveler is easy to clean. An air-powered dock leveler is mainly designed to prevent probable stamp-out problems.
  • Mechanical dock leveler: The next common type of dock leveler is mechanical dock leveler. Like air-powered dock leveler, mechanical dock leveler is also very easy to operate. Apart from that, mechanical dock leveler is very durable and reliable. Moreover, a mechanical dock leveler will incur zero energy costs. The biggest advantage of mechanical dock leveler is that you can replace it into a hydraulic dock leveler at any time you want. Mechanical dock leveler generally has a life expectancy of 5 to 7 years.
  • Hydraulic dock leveler: Hydraulic dock leveler is the most powerful dock leveler available in the market. It generally has a very high capacity for loading and unloading the product. Since it is operated through an electric control panel it is a much easier process than that of the mechanical ones. Hydraulic dock leveler may be a little costlier than that of the air dock leveler and hydraulic dock leveler but it generally has a life expectancy of minimum 10 years. Hydraulic dock leveler requires minimal maintenance.

Thus after knowing the type of dock leveler and their usefulness you can now easily decide what type of dock leveler will work for you. Based on your necessities you can purchase the best dock leveler and replace it with the old ones. Replacing dock leveler from time to time will certainly help you to make a safer work environment. Moreover, maintaining a dock leveler and replacing it when required will help to get an energy-efficient warehouse.