The substructure of a dock leveler dictates the duty cycle and how long the dock leveler will last, including but not limited to the angle of the dock leveler for the entrance and exit of the forklift into the truck trailer. The substructure is identified as the center of the beams in addition to the beam structure, such as I-beam, C-Channel or formed steel. In short, it's not the length of the warranty that dictates the value of the dock leveler, but the duty cycle that is identified by the dock leveler brand.

How to identify your required duty cycle: Do you have 1, 2, or 3 shifts per day? Are you driving over the dock leveler, every 15 minutes, once an hour or once a day? Beacon can help you rate the dock leveler to fit your specific application so you are not involved in a blind specification and purchase.

Take a look at: http://www.beacontechnology.com/docklevelers/ and then call with the specifics of your situation and they will help you find the dock leveler that fits your application.