Are all Dock Levelers structurally alike?
Absolutely not. Even Dock Levelers with the same capacity rating vary greatly in design. The structural integrity of a Dock Leveler, like that of a bridge, is determined not by the top surface, but by the type of reinforcement underneath. The deck supports in general use today range from light gauge formed shapes to structural I beams. A rational comparison is crucial. Remember that a modern Dock Leveler has to be able to withstand the dynamic force of a fully loaded lift truck, constantly hitting it at up to 6 m.p.h. (10 k.p.h.), without the deck dishing. PIONEER uses structural “C” channel as deck support on all of our pit levelers, except the C Series. The C or Contractor series incorporates the same type of deck beam configuration as our competitors.
