[P51bombay]

For those using a lift, what brand, style of lift do you have? What do you like/not like about it and why? I see the tuck under seems the most common, but what about a railgate or slider - anyone using one of those?

[TeamCaffee]

We have an Interlift slider http://www.interlift.net/htm/pdf/ILUK.pdf We have had the lift gate three years and there is nothing about it we would change. The lift gate had three types of controls, feet controls which will leave your hands free to steady the freight, side controls and also remote controls. The lift gate is self leveling and we have really put this to the test and the gate did a fantastic job. The gate has several safety features such as small lights that blink on and off when gate is turned to the on position and flaps to keep the freight from sliding off the front of the gate. The gate is aluminum so is easy to handle by one person. The gate has large 6’ X 8’ platforms so it is easy to handle large pallets. The gate has a 3500lb lift capacity. We have had one problem with a dock lock not working with this set up but we worked through the problem with the customer ended up being happy and us being rid of the freight.

[layoutshooter]

I have a Holland, standard issue on Alumi-Bunk, not very good. Small deck, no lip to raise to keep frieght from sliding off. I would look at the Inter-Lift like Caffee's have or the Leyman, or anything but what I have. I keep it working and have learned how to use it but if I ever buy another truck it will not have a Holland. Layoutshooter

[ATeam]

We have a Leyman LHLP-4500 Hide-A-Way™ with optional cart stops (flaps). Capacity is 4,500 lbs. Cart stops are a must-have on any liftgate, we believe.

The Leyman is a good gate. We have used the Interlift gate on fleet owner trucks. It is a better gate, but we did not have room for it on our truck with the short box, landing gear, and tandem axles. On liftgates, the bigger the platform, the better.

Rail gates can provide more capacity, but probably more than you need for an expedite application. They also add weight to the truck that you do not need.

[mjolnir131]

what kind of weight does a lift gate add to a truck and how much weight does it take off the front axel,roughly ?

[ATeam]

The product literature puts our Leyman LHLP 4500 lift gate at 1,000 - 1,150 lbs. The amount of weight the weight of the lift gate will take off the front end of the truck will depend on where the rear axle is placed between the front axle and the gate. Think of a teeter-totter fulcrum, and how weight on one end of the teeter totter will affect the other end differently, depending on where the fulcrum is placed.

I'm scratching my head now, trying to remember on our truck how much weight comes off the front axle when say 1,000 lbs. of freight placed in the rear of the box. I want to say 500 lbs. but don't recall for sure. It may be 250 lbs.

Next time we have a heavy-enough load on, I'll swing by a scale and let you know. These numbers used to matter when we first got the truck but finding no overweight front end issues on our Volvo, I stopped thinking about it and forgot how the numbers worked out.

[nobb4u]

We have the same lift gate as the A Team. Have had no problems with it and it works great. The Interlift gate is good but costs a lot more. If you can afford the Interlift gate you should get. If price is a concern go with the Leyman LHLP 4500

[P51bombay]

For some interesting reading about how the weight affects axle weights take a look at page 46 of the T300 Body builder manual.

http://www.kenworth.com/brochures/T3...der_Manual.pdf

I stumbled upon this the other day looking for other dimensions. It not only gies some useful information about adding a lift but it also applies to weights and balance in general. In their example they add a 1000lbs lift to a 200"WB, the Cg of the lift falling at 246". While the lift is 1000lbs it adds 1230lbs to the rear axle (more than the lift itself) but at the same time removes that same 230lbs from the steer axle. This would of course vary with different WB's and the amount added/subtracted from each axle would be greater with a longer overhang due to increased leverage. Good stuff to know.

There are some points I like and dislike about different types of lifts. Sliders: I like that they add no length, stay out of the way until needed but I don't like that there is pretty much no place to add extra lights out back, you are left with virtually no bumper -leaving a potential for dock damage and it seems like bad things, ok, well worse things, would happen to a car if it rear ended the truck vs having an ICC/DOT bumper and the seem to hang lower than I care for. On that final subject, I saw this Dutch slider on a floral truck (See attached photos - funny they seem to have some of the most interesting straight trucks) that is apparently distributed everywhere but the US and Canada. The brand name is Dhollandia, and the only reason I can see for them importing one is it does seem to sit a fair bit higher. The photos are bad (cell phone) bud the website has better shots. Another interesting thing on that site is they have a rail type life that can go HIGHER than the floor of the truck.



Tuck-unders I like that they are always there, yet out of the way until needed, a few extra lights can be added to some, they deploy fast and the extension makes a nice step for getting in the box, especially when at a dock. However I see quite a few of these that are bent up pretty good and they is the downside of the extra length. Of course those bent ones make well be from driver abuse/poor maintenance but many seem to have poor support for those vertical side extensions/steps though that could probably be overcome if it wasn't just slapped on like so many shops seem to do.

Railgate seems very durable, almost no need for dock bumpers with the better ones, capacity is great, large platform and some are available with an aluminum platform. Bumper can be retained and no issues with lighting. Downside is having raise/lower it every time, (which is several times daily for me) or use one you can drive around with it lowered.

Anyone got rough costs for different types/brands?

[P51bombay]

Found a little better shot of one of their trucks with a trailer, not the fuel tank on the trailer.

[ATeam]

P51bombay, it looks like you answered your own question by doing some first-rate research. Well done! And thank you for sharing your source. This is good stuff!

[P51bombay]

Originally Posted by ATeam

P51bombay, it looks like you answered your own question by doing some first-rate research. Well done! And thank you for sharing your source. This is good stuff!

Thanks, I always like to keep my eyes and ears open, see what people are using, what works and what doesn't - but it doesn't make deciding any easier. I may pay that floral outfit a visit next time I'm in the area and see if I can get a better look at that Dutch slider and maybe find out why they went to the extra effort for it over a domestic model. I'll keep looking until time runs out, but most likely OAL will decide for me, right now I'm thinking the ideal thing would be a T660, 38" FT sleeper, one-off roof fairing, 27' box and a slider lift - coming in right at 480". Of course I could do an Argosy, (glider) full 28' box, lift and still have 12" to spare which would be great if only it didn't say FL on it.

Looks like TeamCaffee are the only ones with a slider - do you have any thoughts on the potential for dock damage or lack of a bumper?

[Jefferson3000]

Anyone on here have a rail gate installed? One that when in the folded position upright, can be lowered below deck so the fork lift can cross?

[rode2rouen]

P51, nice work finding the KW Body Builders Manual!! The Weight Distribution appendix is good stuff!

My truck has an all steel, 3300lb., Interlift ILFS unit, and it is one tough piece of hardware. All pivot points except the deck hinges (I spray them with Dupont Teflon lube about once a month) are equipped with grease fittings and replaceable bushings. One nice feature is the Heck-For-Stout 3 piece ICC bumper. Click on the link below.

http://www.interlift.net/htm/pdf/ILFS.pdf



Rex