Lift Gates 101: Know Your Options

A lift gate can easily make-or-break a truck’s functionality. It serves the purpose of safely and efficiently loading and unloading cargo, which means it has to be reliable, slip resistant, fast to unfold and put away.

On top of all that, your lift gate must be configured in a way that makes sense for your specific business. Here’s an overview of the three most common lift gate types along with some key considerations you’ll want to keep in mind when making your decision on which one to use.

Types of Lift Gates
Tuck-Under, Cantilever, and Rail-Lift are the three most common types of lift gates. Each one has its own specific use, so it’s worth reviewing the pros and cons of each.

A tuck-under lift gate is meant to stay out of your way until you need to engage it. As the name implies, a tuck-under lift gate tucks right under and away from the cargo entrance, allowing for you to back up vehicles to loading docks without a lift gate getting in the way. You’ll have full access to the cargo doors as if there was no lift gate at all.

Standard models will be level between the bed and the ground and eventually tilt slightly to form a ramp, allowing for the easy rolling and removal of pallets and other cargo. Tuck-Under Lift Gates are very popular, especially for dock height trucks that may not always need a lift gate for loading and unloading.

A tuck-under lift gate is meant to stay out of your way until you need to engage it. As the name implies, a tuck-under lift gate tucks right under and away from the cargo entrance, allowing for you to back up vehicles to loading docks without a lift gate getting in the way. You’ll have full access to the cargo doors as if there was no lift gate at all.

Standard models will be level between the bed and the ground and eventually tilt slightly to form a ramp, allowing for the easy rolling and removal of pallets and other cargo. Tuck-Under Lift Gates are very popular, especially for dock height trucks that may not always need a lift gate for loading and unloading.

Cantilever Lift Gates

A cantilever lift gate allows you to keep your cargo level during the loading and unloading process regardless of the terrain. A cantilever lift gate has a very large platform, which allows you to load from the back or sides. To keep things even, the operator can easily adjust the tilt of the platform as necessary.

These lift gates are less labor intensive because there is no manual folding or unfolding of the platform. They usually come with remote controls to power up and down like a draw bridge for convenience. These lifts come pallet compatible and cart friendly thanks to special design options like cart stops, so there’s no need to fuss.

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