Buying Guides

Older McGuire mechanical dock levelers counterbalance the lip with a rod-and-spring linkage instead of gas struts. When that rod bends, rusts, or the pins wear loose, the lip stops moving the way it should — here's how to tell and how to replace it.

Torn or missing bellows on a power-operated dock leveler let in wind, rain, and pests through the pit sides. Here's how to spot the wear and what OEM replacement actually costs.

The safety leg is what keeps a raised dock leveler from free-falling on a technician. If it's bent, rusted solid, or won't engage, it needs to be fixed before anyone works under that deck.

The small red and green lights on your control panel aren't the exterior dock light — they're the leveler's status indicator, and when they burn out replacement is usually a cheap, five-minute fix.

OHD (Overhead Door) mechanical levelers rely on a slide bar and snubber system that's different from most other brands. Here's how to diagnose float, holddown, and slide bar problems — and the exact parts to fix them.

The cable that helps hold and guide your dock leveler's lip or deck takes constant flexing and load — and unlike a spring or cylinder, it usually gives you visible warning signs before it fails. Here's what to look for and what replacement runs.