Narrow Loading Dock - Trailer Door Options

bungee cords to the frame hold the doors tight
really sounds like a driver problem
not paying attn

 

067 by tinytim posted Jul 5, 2015 at 7:03 PM

068 by tinytim posted Jul 5, 2015 at 7:03 PM

Just discovered media option. Don't know how this will work but you should see a couple of pics from what a tight loading dock looks like. About 3 inches a side. Good thing the doors on that trailer secured nice and tight to the sides. The docks are designed for flatbeds, they should sit even with the floor and they just drive the fork lifts right on to the trailer.

 

Ok now thats bad

 

wonder if some kind of springy bar could be attached on either side of the dock opening that would push the doors toward the trailer sides?

 

To the op remove side cushions on loading dock or put bigger bumper stops .. The reason doors come unlatched is when the squish against side cushion the chain holding them get loose and sometimes u hooks .. A little trick I use is electrical tape over the loop on the chain to make hole smaller... It's a pain in the .... to latch but never unhooks

 

I use a couple of rubber tarp straps and pull them in as tight as I can in these situations.

 

I've done that... fortunately I was there to UN-load so I didn't have to leave to fix the door and return later. The doors are designed to come off rather than hold fast and wrinkle up the whole trailer. A couple of lessons I learned from that incident:

1. - If the customer insists that you slide your tandems all the way back, wait 'til you're lined up perfectly for a straight back-in before you slide the tandems back. It matters because quite a bit of maneuverability is lost with the tandems all the way back.

2. - Carry some electrical tape, duct tape, whatever works to secure those doors tightly to the trailer before backing in. One hook was just a liiiiiitle bit loose on the side of the tailer and that's all it took: BANG! There was my trailer door lying on the ground next to the trailer, mocking me.

3. - When there's little or no margin for error, ask for help! If there's no one around, wait 'til there is. And them help them.

-Robin

 

I deal with a lot of trailers every day and run into this problem constantly. Trailers with no door chains or with no hook to latch it on. And having some really tight doors or going in beside a driver who is crooked leaves no room for error. Had to get creative quick and find a fast simple solution. Zip ties I've found work the best and quickest. Rubber bungy cords work also just not as quick.

 

Think I have been there ? I could not open my cab door , was against the dock! Fork lift driver had to come to the window.

 

Just might as well designate a spotter to help drivers in & out.

It's not the rubbing against the floor that's the problem, it's hooking the door frame at the end.

Widen the doorway first. Then as funds become available, widen the dock later.