5th Wheel Dockleveller

Overview

The Dock-Rite 5th Wheel Dockleveller addresses one of the most challenging loading scenarios in logistics — driving a forklift into the front trailer of an interlink (B-train) combination. The unit is designed to be reversed under the deck, creating a void for the 5th wheel coupling, allowing the forklift to drive over it unobstructed.

✓ Specifically engineered for interlink / B-train operations
✓ Electro-hydraulically powered — simple 2-button operation
✓ Lifting cylinders at edges create 5th wheel void beneath deck
✓ Pit-mounted or freestanding
✓ Fixed lip floats inside truck in hydraulic float mode
✓ Eliminates the challenge of front-trailer forklift access
✓ Increases throughput and reduces manual handling
✓ Custom configurations available on request

Typical Applications

  • Interlink / B-train loading operations
  • Multi-trailer distribution centres
  • Bulk grocery and FMCG logistics hubs
  • Any site regularly loading the front trailer of an interlink


Airbag Operated Swing Lip Dockleveller

Overview

The Dock-Rite Airbag Dockleveller has become the dockleveller of choice in warehousing across Southern Africa. Unlike hydraulic systems, it uses an integral blower motor as a low-pressure, high-volume air source — eliminating hydraulic oil, spillage risk, and associated maintenance overhead. Standard at 10 ton with models to 15 ton and beyond, it is particularly popular in food industry environments where hydraulic contamination is unacceptable.

Why Choose Airbag Over Hydraulic?

✓ No hydraulic oil — zero risk of food or floor contamination
✓ Longer service intervals than hydraulic systems
✓ Single-phase power — no 3-phase supply needed
✓ All replacement parts locally available and economical
✓ Patented Crash Resistant Lip Mechanism available as optional extra
✓ Proprietary Easy Clean Lip Hinge System resists rust and debris seizure
✓ 9 deck support ribs for exceptional load distribution
✓ 16mm heavy duty lip for long-term durability

Typical Applications

  • Food manufacturing and cold chain logistics
  • General warehousing and distribution centres
  • Pharmaceutical and chemical facilities
  • Retail distribution hubs
  • Container and intermodal terminals
  • Sites requiring single-phase electrical supply
  • High-frequency loading dock operations
  • FMCG and consumer goods facilities

Standard Sizes

Custom sizes manufactured on request. Contact our team for non-standard pit dimensions or high-capacity requirements.



Crash Resistant Lip Mechanism

Overview

The Dock-Rite Crash Resistant Lip Mechanism is a patented innovation that solves one of the most common and costly dockleveller maintenance problems: lip damage caused by vehicle impact. The spring-loaded activation system compresses under high impact load, absorbing the force completely with no structural damage.

✓ Patented by Dockleveller Supplies CC — a genuine local innovation
✓ Spring-loaded mechanism absorbs vehicle impact completely
✓ Lip can be impacted repeatedly with no resulting damage
✓ Eliminates the most common cause of dockleveller downtime
✓ Dramatically reduces lifetime maintenance and repair costs
✓ Available factory-fitted or retrofitted to existing units
✓ Compatible with Airbag, Hydraulic, and Safety Barrier models
✓ Demonstrated in testing: repeated forklift impacts with zero damage

Where It Matters Most

  • High-frequency docks with multiple forklift operators
  • Sites where operator skill levels vary
  • Operations with zero tolerance for downtime
  • Facilities that have experienced repeated lip damage
  • Any dock where vehicles regularly contact the extended lip
  • Distributors with 24-hour operations
  • Tight dock-to-vehicle height tolerance applications
  • Facilities focused on reducing lifecycle maintenance costs

Recommendation: This mechanism is strongly recommended for any high-frequency dock operation. The additional cost is typically recovered within months in avoided repair costs.



Dockleveller in Freestanding Base Frame / Dock Pod

Overview

For situations where a pit-mounted dockleveller is not possible or desirable, Dockleveller Supplies can custom design and manufacture freestanding base frames. The dockleveller is mounted within the frame, which sits on the warehouse floor — no pit excavation required.

✓ No pit required — suitable for any floor level application
✓ Custom-engineered for your specific dock height and vehicle type
✓ Available for airbag, hydraulic, and telescopic lip levellers
✓ Optional side walkways for safe pedestrian access
✓ Fully relocatable — unit moves with the business
✓ Ideal for rented premises where pit work is not permitted
✓ Available painted or hot dip galvanized
✓ Solves operational challenges where civil work is not practical

Typical Applications

  • Rented warehouses where pit construction is not permitted
  • Retrofit where pit is structurally not possible
  • Temperature-controlled buildings (cold rooms, freezers)
  • Sites where rodent-proofing under the dock is important
  • Sites that may need to relocate the dock in future
  • High-value buildings where cutting the floor is undesirable
  • Rapid installation with minimal disruption
  • Container depots and yards with variable vehicle heights


Edge of Dock (Mini Dock)

Overview

The Dock-Rite Edge of Dock is the simplest and most cost-effective dockleveller solution available. It requires no electricity, no pit excavation, and no civil construction — the unit mounts onto the outside face of the loading dock.

✓ No electricity required — fully manual operation
✓ No pit or civil work required — lowest installation cost
✓ Mounts outside the building — no warehouse floor space lost
✓ Very low service and maintenance requirements
✓ Leaf bumpers protect unit from reversing vehicle impact
✓ 9,000 kg capacity for standard pallet operations
✓ Ideal for retrofit where pit construction is not viable
✓ Fast installation — minimal disruption to operations

Typical Applications

  • Rented premises where pit construction is not permitted
  • Retrofit where existing dock has no pit
  • Low-frequency loading docks
  • Consistent, closely matched vehicle heights
  • Temporary or relocatable dock installations
  • Small distribution and storage facilities
  • Budget-constrained installations
  • Replacement for damaged edge-of-dock units


Extending / Telescopic Lip Dockleveller

Overview

The Dock-Rite Extending / Telescopic Lip Dockleveller is purpose-built for operations where vehicle heights are inconsistent or where containers are frequently positioned forward of the trailer rear. The telescopic lip extends variably, giving the operator far greater control over the bridge between dock and vehicle.

A semi-automatic variant is also available — the deck floats automatically with truck movement, and if the truck pulls away unexpectedly, the dockleveller auto-retracts its lip and parks itself.

✓ Variable lip extension — eliminates pallet and product damage
✓ Semi-automatic: deck floats with truck, auto-retracts on departure
✓ Ideal for mixed-height vehicle fleets
✓ Suitable for containers positioned forward of trailer rear
✓ 3-phase power preferred (single phase available)
✓ Locally supplied hydraulics — parts readily available
✓ 9 deck ribs, 16mm lip, below-horizontal safety legs
✓ Lip damage virtually unheard of in normal operation

Typical Applications

  • Mixed-height vehicle fleets
  • Container and intermodal operations
  • Logistics hubs handling diverse trailer types
  • High-value goods requiring zero pallet damage
  • Sites with forward-loaded containers
  • Operations requiring highest forklift safety standards
  • High-throughput distribution centres
  • Cold chain with container refrigeration units

⚠ Note: This model requires a 600mm pit depth — deeper than the 500mm for swing lip models. Confirm pit dimensions with your civil contractor before ordering.



Galvanized Docklevellers

Overview

Hot dip galvanizing, while a premium option, has a clear place in the industry. For coastal locations where salt air causes accelerated corrosion, or for cold room and refrigerated loading bay installations where condensation is constant, galvanizing can add 10 to 20 years to the service life of a dockleveller.

Most Dock-Rite models can be manufactured in galvanized form, but this requires a specialist construction method to prevent distortion in the zinc tank.

✓ Extends service life by 10–20 years
✓ Eliminates rust and corrosion in coastal environments
✓ Essential for cold room and refrigerated bay installations
✓ Available on most Dock-Rite airbag, hydraulic, and telescopic models
✓ Specialist construction prevents zinc-tank distortion
✓ Long-term cost saving vs regular repainting and corrosion repair
✓ Suitable for outdoor and exposed dock installations
✓ Compatible with all standard optional extras

When to Specify Galvanizing

  • Coastal and harbour facilities
  • Cold rooms and refrigerated loading bays
  • Outdoor installations exposed to weather
  • High-moisture industrial environments
  • Fish processing and seafood facilities
  • Mining sites near the coast
  • Sites with on-site chemical or fertilizer storage
  • Long-term assets with 20+ year expected life

Contact our team to discuss whether galvanizing is appropriate for your application. Not all dock configurations are suitable and we will advise accordingly.



Manual / Electro-Hydraulic Swing Lip Dockleveller

Overview

The Dock-Rite Manual / Electro-Hydraulic Dockleveller is available in two variants: a fully manual model requiring no electricity, and an electro-hydraulic model for high-frequency operations. All hydraulic components are locally supplied with parts readily available across South Africa.

Manual vs Electro-Hydraulic

✓ Manual variant — no electricity required, ideal for outdoor or exposed docks
✓ Electro-hydraulic — powered lifting for high-frequency operations
✓ All hydraulics locally sourced — fast parts availability
✓ Robust lip mechanism with override protection
✓ Proprietary Easy Clean Lip Hinge System as standard
✓ 9 deck support ribs and 16mm heavy duty lip
✓ Below-horizontal safety legs as standard
✓ Crash Resistant Lip Mechanism available as optional extra

Typical Applications

  • Sites with limited or no electrical supply
  • Outdoor and exposed dock positions
  • General warehousing and distribution
  • Low-to-medium frequency loading docks
  • Fuel depots and petro-chemical facilities
  • Retrofit and replacement installations
  • Any application requiring locally serviced hydraulics
  • Sites prioritising simple mechanical operation


Pit Frames

Dock-Rite Pit Frames are precision-engineered steel housings designed to support and secure Dock-Rite Airbag Docklevellers in both local and export installations. Each frame ensures structural accuracy, simplified installation, and long-term reliability — whether mounted in a recessed pit or integrated into a prefabricated dock system.

The Airbag Dockleveller is the dockleveller of choice across Southern Africa for its clean operation, reliability, and low maintenance requirements. Using a low-pressure, high-volume air source from its built-in blower motor, the system eliminates hydraulic oil, making it ideal for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical facilities where contamination control is critical.

Dock-Rite manufactures a full range of standard, export, and under-slung (cavity) pit frames to meet diverse site and design requirements. Frames can be supplied in raw steel or galvanised finish and are compatible with airbag, hydraulic, and telescopic docklevellers.



Safety Barrier / Forklift Catch Dockleveller

Overview

The Dock-Rite Safety Barrier Dockleveller directly addresses one of the most serious causes of forklift fatalities: dock edge falls. In the stored/parked position, the 16mm steel lip extends above the deck as a full-height barrier. When deployed for loading, the lip automatically returns flush with the deck.

✓ 16mm steel plate safety barrier — extremely strong and effective
✓ Automatically becomes a barrier when dockleveller is parked
✓ Automatically flush with deck when deployed for loading
✓ No separate barrier installation or operator management required
✓ Patented Crash Resistant Lip Mechanism available
✓ Proprietary Easy Clean Lip Hinge System as standard
✓ 200mm barrier height above deck in parked position
✓ Complements dock safety management and site risk assessments

Typical Applications

  • Warehouses with documented dock-edge incidents
  • Sites where dock safety is a compliance requirement
  • High-traffic docks with multiple operators
  • Sites operating night shifts with reduced supervision
  • Any facility requiring passive dock edge protection
  • Cold stores with reduced visibility
  • DCs with new or rotating forklift operators
  • Sites with a formal health and safety programme