Understanding Truck Bed Height and Its Importance in Appropriate Liftgate Specification
A liftgate also known as liftback is arguably the best suited option for stacking and hauling weighty consignment from the ground section onto the back of a fleet truck. Essentially, a liftgate is an access platform that raises and lowers from the rear side of the fleet truck through an automatic hydraulic system. Note that each lugging application demands for the appropriate liftgate specification. In fact, this is where the problem often crops up in respect to choosing the ideal liftgate for each application. Of course, no fleet manager aspires to grapple with challenges and expenses traced back to an incorrect liftgate specification. This article addresses a common judgment error that fleet truck managers and supervisors should avoid if the appropriate picking of a liftgate for a specific application is to be realised.
Incompatibility with the truck bed height
This type of problematic situation happens when you select a liftgate and attempt to dangle it beneath a truck only to discover the truck lacks sufficient load bed height clearance to allow for the installation and effective functionality of the liftback. Here are two typical examples of the consequences that may come with a liftgate that is incompatible with the truck bed height.
- To begin with, the liftgate platform may fall short of lowering down to the floor surface, dangling four inches above the ground surface, making it impossible to roll a pallet jack onto the platform, which in effect makes the platform useless.
- Secondly, the dangled liftgate may surprisingly function without a hitch when the fleet truck is empty or unloaded; however, it may rest particularly low underneath the platform when the truck is fully loaded, thus impeding the gate mechanism from perfectly lowering down and opening out.
Understanding laden and unladen concepts
In respect to truck bed height and liftback installation, fleet truck owners and managers must try acquaint themselves with these two critical terms:
- Laden
- Unladen
Laden represents the bed height when the fleet truck is fully loaded or occupied, resulting in the chassis' rear suspension dropping down, indicating the nadir the fleet truck should go down. On the other hand, unladen refers to when the fleet truck is completely empty, indicating the zenith the framework should rest.
Choosing the appropriate liftgate
When choosing a liftgate, you should consider the nadir or lowest point, which specifies the least clearance prerequisites. Additionally, take into account the crest, or highest point, which stipulates the highest liftgate distance. Consult with your truck's framework producer during the liftgate selection process. In most cases, manufacturers have both laden and unladen height dimensions applicable to given trucks, which can act as a reference in terms of choosing the appropriate liftgate.
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