9 Things To Remember When Specing Liftgates For Heavy Duty Trucks

When you are spec’ing liftgates for heavy duty trucks, you need to make sure that you have considered everything that makes the tailgate useful for you. The nine tips listed below will help you choose the appropriate tailgate, and you need to remember that one aspect of a tailgate will not make it perfect for your work. If you feel that the tailgate does almost everything you need, you may be surprised when one small part of the design lets you down.

Check off each item on this list before making your final decision.

1. How Far Down Does It Hang?

When you find lift gate trailers for sale, you need to make sure you have enough ground clearance to let the gate hang down. Some trucks sit so low to the ground that you cannot tuck the lift under the back end of the vehicle.

2. How Much Can It Carry?

You need to plan for the weight of the workers, the pallet, the deliveries, and dollies you use. If you only plan for the weight of the items you deliver, the lift gate trailers for sale you have chosen may fail.

3. How Big Is The Platform?

You need to make sure that the platform is wide and long enough to hold the people and items you plan to deliver. If the platform is not deep enough, you cannot fit everyone and everything onto the liftgate. The liftgate becomes practically useless, and you need to make sure that you use a configuration that allows you to carry a long liftgate.

4. Mismatching The Gate With The Rear Door

If the liftgate and the rear door do not work together on the back of the truck, you cannot lock the liftgate. Some liftgates are very deep, and they will not fit onto the back of the truck when the cargo door is closed. Even if you have closed the cargo door, you need to make sure that you can close it.

5. Not Using Enough Power

If you do not have enough power to move your liftgate, you cannot lift your deliveries along with the pallets and your employees. Plus, you need to consider how fast the liftgate moves. Yes, your liftgate may move everything it needs to move. However, it is incredibly annoying if the gate moves so slow that you feel like you are wasting everyone’s time.

6. Not Planning For What Is On The Ground

If you have not planned for the ground surface, you could have quite a lot of problems when the liftgate is lowered. If you are delivering on grass or in dirt and mud, you could damage the mechanisms on the bottom of the liftgate. If you are delivering on a street with a steep incline, your liftgate needs to have a lever that allows it to adjust to the angle of the street. If you cannot adjust the tailgate, you may not be able to get anything on or off the truck.

7. What About Trailer Specifications?

When you are using a truck that has a trailer hitch, you need to consider if you can still use the hitch when the liftgate is installed. If you cannot haul a trailer while the liftgate is installed, you have taken away part of what makes the truck useful. If you are installing a liftgate, you may need to consider how you will get around the trailer hitch. In some cases, you must remove the trailer hitch completely.

8. Do You Need A Retention System?

You need to decide if you need a rail or retention system that will help protect your staff. The people who are loading or unloading the truck can lean on the rail, but that rail needs to lock into place when it is raised. The rail should collapse and fit into the liftgate assembly, and you need to know that it can be opened and closed quickly.

9. Does The Truck’s Design Get In The Way?

If the truck has a rear fuel tank or a chassis that does not allow for a liftgate, you may need to reconsider your choices. You might need to install a certain type of liftgate because you only have so much room to install a deep liftgate. If you want to install a large motor, you may not have enough space for that motor. Check the truck’s design before you purchase a tailgate system.

Conclusion

The liftgate system that you install on your truck should be chosen based on what your truck allows. You can check the design of the truck, account for all the people and items that will be on the liftgate, and ensure you have enough power to move the liftgate. Each step in the process helps you manage deliveries or pickups easily.