Medium Duty | Prepare for lift off By Josh Smith, Assistant Editor What to consider when spec’ing liftgates Efficient fleet operation leads to increased revenue. In order to make loading and unloading • Where will the lift be mounted? • How will the lift be used? • How frequently will it be used? Additionally, Kyle Decker, regional sales manager at Anthony Liftgates, says vehicles with lower GVWRs typically require a smaller liftgate because of the weight of the liftgate itself and the cargo being loaded in the vehicle. Anthony Liftgates (www.anthonyliftgates.com) is a producer of hydraulic truck liftgates. Figuring out where to begin can be difficult. A best practice is to start by understanding what types of liftgates are available to fleets and how each kind functions. STYLES There are a number of common liftgate designs available. The four basic types are: • Folding lifts – often referred to as tuckunder or stowaway lifts. • Direct rail lifts – also known as column lifts. • Cantilever lifts – sometimes called conventional liftgates. • Sliders – also called under-sliders. Folding gates are useful for small and medium duty chassis because it’s convenient to have the gate mounted underneath the body or bed of the chassis, says Mike Doerfler, regional sales manager with Palfinger Liftgates (www.palfinger.com) – a manufacturer of truck equipment, including lifts, cranes, hoists and platforms. This keeps rear doors accessible. “A folding liftgate accommodates a wide array of platform depths, widths and lift capacities despite its compact size when stowed,” he says. Designed for greater lift capacities and larger platforms, direct rail lifts and cantilever lifts are mounted at the rear of the truck body or trailer. Under-slider liftgates have a similar lifting capacity, but can provide more features, such as tilt functions, rear-door access and additional platform surface area. “Cantilever liftgates offer the broadest lift capacities, bed height configurations and user features, and provide optimal tilting function,” says Doerfler. “Slider gates are more broadly accepted in European markets than domestically, but demand is growing.” What’s more, side door gates – sometimes referred to as side-loader liftgates – are growing in popularity. Doerfler says the food and beverage industry is particularly fond of side-loaders, which are constructed similarly to under-slider gates but must be engineered more carefully due to the restricted mounting area on the side of a truck body. Side-loaders also can pose a tipping hazard if not engineered properly. CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS When selecting a liftgate, it is crucial to understand the device’s limitations. All types of liftgates can be mounted on the rear of a vehicle, explains Anton Griessner, vice president of marketing and business development at Maxon Lift (www.maxonlift.com) – a producer of liftgates and related equipment. However, several key factors should be considered – most importantly, capacity. “The capacity needs to be specified for the heaviest load situation ever encountered – even if this only happens five times per year,” he advises. He says another common mistake when calculating capacity requirements is only considering the load. Often, the weight of packaging materials – like pallets, loading devices like pallet jacks and the weight of the operator – get overlooked. “These factors quickly add another 1,000 lbs to the required lifting capacity,” Griessner says, noting an electric pallet jack can weigh up to 800 lbs by itself. What’s more, adds Palfinger’s Doerfler, it’s important to understand where on the platform surface area the primary weight of the load will be placed. “The load and lift capacity on the tip of a folding liftgate will not support as much weight as the Fully understanding a fleet’s need is the first step to selecting the right liftgate. Where the lift will be mounted, how the lift will be used and how frequently it will be used should all factor into a purchasing decision. Photo courtesy of Anthony Liftgates cargo more efficient, fleets may choose to utilize a liftgate on its vehicles but there are several fundamental factors to consider before making a liftgate purchase, including: Continued Page 22 VehicleServicePros.com ❚ APRIL 2016 ❚ FLEET MAINTENANCE 21
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