Friday, November 7, 2008

Heavy Duty Truck Loading Ramps

Shipping yards and construction sites that do not have permanent docks need another method of loading up truck trailers. Truck loading ramps are excellent tools for this. You can use them to safely and quickly load up any truck no matter where you are, because they function exactly like concrete loading ramps on permanent docks—they can both forklifts and workers on foot with pallet jacks.

Different sizes of truck loading ramps exist for a wide range of applications. They are made from either steel or aluminum, but some frame loading dock ramps have steel grating on the surface for extra strength. Both steel and aluminum offer different advantages. Determining whether or not you need steel or aluminum depends on many factors such as necessary weight capacity and the amount of portability you will require. If you have any questions about which material is best for you application, and Easy Rack specialist can help you.

Steel Truck Loading Ramps
Steel ramps will service a range between 45” to 62” and can b operated by a 2 speed hand crank. Weight capacitance ranges between 15,000lbs to 30,000lbs. The most commonly used steel truck loading ramp and ramps lengths are 30’ and 36’ lengths, both of which include a number of built in safety features that include positive steel traction grating, 4” high safety curbs, safety locking chains, rubber bumpers, on overlap lip of 15”, and optional welded hand rails.

Aluminum Truck Loading Ramps
Aluminum truck loading ramps can be ordered in 30ft straight incline or 36ft. incline with 6ft. level off. Weight capacities range from 16,000 lbs to 30,000 lbs. They are simple and safe units to use thanks to a number of beneficial features. A single worker can adjust the height with a hydraulic hand pump. The ramp is stabilized by rubber shock absorbers. Fork truck can move the ramp around the shipping yard by hooking up to an optional tow bar that you can have ordered with the unit. Every aluminum ramp comes with safety anchor chains, and custom steel grating can be fitted to the ramp if necessary.

Mobility
Many different tire types, including pneumatic tires, can be fitted to truck loading ramp. OSHA and ANSI call for all loading ramps to be attached to the truck with bolt locking chains prior to use. They can also be fitted with toe bars to allow forklifts to move them. In other instances, different accessories may need to be added to the ramp to allow a variety of vehicles to move it around the yard. These include loading dock levelers, towbar hitches, loops, and forklift pickup slots that we can install upon request.

Easy Rack carries a wide variety of used pallet racks, commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting,and modular prefab buildings installed nationwide. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you.

Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with warehouses located throughout the United States that enable us to service all 50 states including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., New Orleans, La., Cleveland, Ohio, Kansas City, Mo., Mesa, Arizona, Virginia Beach, Va., Omaha, Nebraska, Oakland, California, Miami, Florida, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Arlington, Texas, Beaumont, Tx.

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Sunday, September 7, 2008

Portable Docks

Exactly what are portable docks?
Portable docks are actually steel platforms that are designed for use with yard ramps. They are mostly used in rural or remote construction areas and in agricultural areas where produce is packaged in the field and shipped directly to market.

When were portable docks first used?
Portable docks were first used in the home building industry in upstate New York. Building crews needed a way to quickly unload rail cars and get materials and supplies to the construction site. To trim transportation expenses and save time, they began to lease real estate next to rail yards and section it off to create offloading zones for trucks. Portable docks, dock plates and yard ramps where then brought in to allow fork truck access to rail cars.

What are portable docks used for today?
Portable docks have since found their way into all sorts of on site applications in the construction industry. They also play a very important role in agriculture. Grocers no longer wish to ship produce to packaging facilities because of high fuel costs. It is much more economical to box or palletize produce in the field and load it onto rail cars and refrigerator trucks via portable docks.

Portable docks have also become very popular with companies who are leasing a warehouse or a factory that they are beginning to outgrow. These companies often must either pour concrete to add new dock space, use loading ramps or install portable docks. While the cost of either option may in many cases be equivalent to the other (depending upon the amount of dock space needed and the number of platforms necessary to create it), organizations that invest in portable docks can get a return on their investment by reselling them, or they can keep them and move them to new facilities as they expand.

Can a single platform be used as a portable dock?
Yes, a portable dock can function as a standalone steel platform. However, is much more common to connect several units together and create the equivalent of a concrete dock. The exception to this is rail yards with limited space. In many such environments, fork trucks have to run parallel to rail cars and do not have enough room to turn from the yard ramp into the car. In these instances, a single portable dock at the end of the yard ramp can allow a forklift to make a safe 90 degree turn.

Can portable docks be customized?
Absolutely. Steel platform docks are custom built to the exact height needed by the client. They can be made with either fixed legs or adjustable legs on one or both sides. These units are usually connected together to create a large, outdoor, solid platform. For example, if a client wants a 16X32 dock, 4 or 5 edge of docks mounted, and a yard ramp, we will ship 8 portable docks with a splice plate that overlays the units and creates a single, solid surface.

What all does Easy Rack sell other than loading dock equipment?
Easy Rack has a wide variety of new & used pallet racks, material handling equipment, commercial lighting, used pallet racks, and modular buildings installed nationwide. If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you.

Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with regional distribution centers located in all 50 States including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Boise ID, Atlanta GA, Albuquerque NM, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, Albuquerque NM, Huntsville AL, Fayetteville AR, Norfolk VA & Madison WI.

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Thursday, August 28, 2008

Yard Ramps

What is a yard ramp?
It is a type of loading dock ramp that allows a forklift to enter a shipping containers or truck trailer in from a facility that lacks an elevated loading dock or it allows a forklift to move from an elevated dock onto the ground. Pneumatic wheels on the ramp allows it to be moved into place by fork trucks, and hydraulic pumps built into the unit enable workers to position it at the precise height of a truck trailer bed, rail car, or loading dock.

What features to Easy Rack yard ramps have?
All commercial ramps (both dock to ground and ground to truck) are manufactured with an all steel welded construction. Weight capacities vary from 16,000 to 60,000 pounds and a wide range of length and width sizes available. Serrated grating gives the ramp excellent traction and prevents water, snow, oil, grease and miscellaneous debris from building up. The lower end approach plate provides maximum support and smooth transition onto the ramp grating surface. Heavy-duty formed steel side girders provide main load-bearing capability, and deep side members prevent forklift runoff.

What are yard ramps used for?
Yard ramps are essential for any warehouse or factory that was built without an elevated dock ramp. They allow work crews to bridge the gap between the building and the trailer and safely move supplies off the truck by forklifts. This is much more convenient, quicker, and more cost effective than unloading and loading containers by hand. In other cases, however, the reverse may be true. A building with a large outdoor stockyard may require a forklift to move from the loading dock onto the ground to either retrieve or organize supplies outdoors. This is often seen in shipyards and rail yards, and it requires a dock to ground ramp to allow vehicles to safely move from the dock to the yard.

How do I know what size yard ramp to choose?
The size of the ramp you purchase will depend upon a number of factors relative to the weight of the heaviest forklift and the heaviest load being moved along the ramp. Easy Rack recommends you select a unit that is three times the rated capacity of the lift truck it supports. Rail yards require a 36’ unit that includes a level off. Standard dock to ground units typically measure 30’ straight. When deciding on the width of the yard ramp to use, it should always be 15” wider than the widest equipment moved along its surface.

Can yard ramps be customized?
Yes. In fact, we recommend that any organization working multiple shifts and who are moving a wide variety of material types and equipment contact a specialist to discuss additional components that can be used to increase the stability, safety, and functionality of these units. These customization options include, but are not limited to, safety chains, ramp clamps, and tow bars.

Easy Rack carries a wide variety of shelves, dock loading equipment, commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting, used pallet racks, commercial Christmas lighting and modular buildings installed nationwide.If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you. Read our testimonials section, product reviews or visit our material handling blog to learn more about Easy Rack.

Our home office is located in Houston, Texas with regional distribution centers located in all 50 States including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Boise ID, Atlanta GA, Albuquerque NM, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, Albuquerque NM, Huntsville AL, Fayetteville AR, Norfolk VA , Madison WI.

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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Truck Loading Ramps

When consumer goods are being transported to customers, truck drivers often will find themselves in need of a truck loading ramp. While many commercial trucks and trailers have some type of lifting system, it still makes the whole loading or unloading process a much more tedious affair. By comparison, a truck loading ramps from Easy Rack, can be stored inside your truck or kept on site to allow the trailer to be fully loaded or unloaded without a dock.

There are a variety of different designs of truck loading ramps available. When using a forklift truck or pallet jack you will need a loading ramp that offers a gentle incline to make it safe and manageable to move heavy items onto and off the truck. Aluminum loading ramps with midway supports are very effective for use with this type of equipment. This lightweight metal has enormous strength, and under most circumstances is much more rigid than steel. Aluminum loading ramps are also light enough to be manipulated into place by a single person. This means that the driver of the truck or his assistant will be able to manage the loading and unloading process if absolutely necessary.

When you are choosing the right truck loading ramps for your business, safety should always be your min concern. While some companies offer cheap truck loading ramps, these are generally of a much lower quality, and are made from poorer materials without the levels of safety consideration given by a more established manufacturer. Often, low quality loading ramps are not equipped with side rails or decent support structures underneath them, and this will increase the risk of a collapse in use, as well as making it more likely that a user will run off the side of the ramp when in use.

Easy Rack carries a wide variety of loading dock levelers, hitch lifts, loading dock ramps, & dock boards, commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting, parking lot lighting kits, tennis court lighting packages, athletic field sports lighting, used pallet racks, Christmas lights, and modular prefab buildings.

If you are having trouble finding what you are looking for contact us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you. Click here to read customer reviews of our service and products in our testimonials section, or visit our material handling blog for more lighting information. We will work hard to earn your business!

Our warehouse facility is located in Houston, Texas with regional distribution channels located in all 50 States including New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Boise ID, Atlanta GA, Albuquerque NM, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, Albuquerque NM, Huntsville AL, Fayetteville AR, Norfolk VA , Madison WI.

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Monday, February 4, 2008

Aluminum Loading Ramps, Dock Levelers & Material Handling Dock Equipment from Easy Rack Online.

Aluminum loading ramps from Easy Rack offer you the perfect ramping solution that allows businesses to move equipment and products on and off trucks safely and conveniently. Easy Rack aluminum loading dock ramps are lightweight and easy to use and come in a wide variety of different shapes and sizes to meet every need loading dock situation.

When purchasing aluminum loading ramps for your home or business one must take into account the kind of goods that will be loaded and unloaded from a trailer to a level dock. Smaller aluminum car ramps may be more suitable for residential needs, where larger more heavy duty commercial truck ramps with side rails are available for commercial and industrial applications.

With lighter and shorter loading ramps, you will generally find that the main purpose is to provide a convenient link between the dock and the trailer, however even in these situations, it is still vitally important to consider a number of factors. The loading dock is potentially one of the most hazardous areas within any industrial environment, and as such care should be taken wherever possible. The use of aluminum loading ramps with raised sides is essential, as these will prevent goods and carts from rolling off the side of the ramp, and reduce the incidence of injury to staff.

Easy Rack carries a wide variety of commercial shelving, material handling equipment, commercial lighting, used pallet racks, and modular buildings installed nationwide.

If you can not find what you are looking for call us toll free at 1-888-776-3720 and we will find it for you. Our home office is based in Houston, Texas with regional distribution centers located in 50 States including New York NY, Los Angles CA, Miami, FL. Chicago, IL. Denver CO., Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Boise ID, Atlanta GA, Albuquerque NM, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, Albuquerque NM, Huntsville AL, Fayetteville AR, Norfolk VA , Madison WI.

Read our testimonials section, product reviews or visit our material handling blog to learn more about Easy Rack.

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