Find the Right Liftgate for Your Delivery Box Truck

Any business that routinely delivers product to its customers knows the value of a reliable box truck. A delivery box truck protects products while they are en route to their final destination. As an added bonus, the enclosed cargo space allows for more product to be housed in the delivery truck than would fit in a traditional pickup truck.

While a box truck comes equipped to make product deliveries when purchased direct from the manufacturers, you can make some modifications to help your box truck become even more efficient. One of these modifications is the addition of a liftgate.

You should give careful consideration to the following factors when trying to locate a liftgate that will best meet your delivery needs in the future.

Lift Capacity

Liftgates come in a variety of sizes and strengths. This means that you must take into consideration the products that you routinely load into your box truck before you purchase a liftgate to add to the vehicle.

Consider both the weight and the dimensions of your regular loads. This information can be used to help you source a liftgate that is strong enough to successfully raise and lower each load. The dimensions of your loads can dictate the platform size that will best meet your needs over time.

The material the platform is made from should also be considered. If you deliver liquid products that have the potential to spill, a perforated platform will allow spills to pass through. Aluminum and stainless steel are great options for a liftgate platform, as these materials are less likely to experience severe corrosion when exposed to the elements.

Load and Unload Locations

Once you have determined the type of platform that will be strong enough and large enough to accommodate your products, you need to take your regular load and unload locations into consideration.

Delivery drivers often face the challenge of having to load or unload a box truck at both a raised dock and at ground level. If you need the versatility required to allow for both dock and ground level types of load and unload configurations, you will need a liftgate that doesn't interfere with the rear of your box truck.

Look for a liftgate that tucks under the bed of the vehicle when it is not in use. You can easily pull the liftgate out when loading or unloading product at ground level, then tuck the liftgate back under the truck bed to accommodate raised docks.

Vehicle Specifications

Delivery box trucks can vary in their size and design. Make sure you factor in your truck's unique specifications when investing in a liftgate so that you can achieve a safe and secure fit.

Identify the body width of your box truck to rule out liftgates that are too narrow or too wide for the vehicle. Measure the height of the bed so that you will know how far the liftgate will need to travel in order to raise and lower product for convenient loading and unloading.

If you will need a liftgate that can be stored underneath your truck bed when it is not in use, you will also need to measure the clearance between your truck's undercarriage and the ground. The liftgate will need ample room to lower, fold, and then tuck under the box truck bed without encountering any obstructions.

The addition of a liftgate to your delivery box truck can increase efficiency and reduce the amount of physical strain required to complete each delivery run. ContactDiamond Truck Body Manufacturing to help you find a liftgate that will pair perfectly with your box truck.