A swing-lip dock leveller is a hydraulic ramp set into a pit at the dock edge, with a hinged steel lip along its front. When a trailer is docked the platform rises, the lip swings out, and the platform lowers until the lip rests on the trailer bed, forming a bridge for forklifts and pallet trucks. The lip is typically about 400 to 500 mm long.
How does this suit sites in Cambridgeshire?
Ageing levellers in older docks around Cambridgeshire can often be replaced like for like in the existing pit, avoiding new concrete work if the pit is sound. Mixed bays at a site in Cambridgeshire, where some trailers have tail lifts and others do not, may suit a combination of swing-lip and telescopic levellers.
Every leveller recommendation we make for a dock in Cambridgeshire follows a measured survey of the pit, dock height and the trailers you actually receive.
It starts with a free site survey in Cambridgeshire, where we measure the openings, check the dock and talk through how the bay is used. You then receive a fixed written quote. Once you accept, we manage the job: specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, planned around your deliveries, and out-of-hours working can be arranged. At handover we test everything with you and leave the documentation.
How much does a swing-lip dock leveller cost?
A swing-lip dock leveller typically costs £5,200 to £8,800 per leveller, excluding VAT, supply and fit, assuming it goes into an existing, sound pit. New pits, pit repairs, concrete and groundworks are priced separately after survey.
Within that range, the price is driven by:
- Platform length: longer platforms give a gentler gradient but cost more.
- Width and capacity: wider decks and higher load ratings use heavier steel and cylinders.
- Lip length: a longer lip reaches further onto the trailer bed.
- Insulation and sealing: insulated platforms and pit seals for chilled buildings.
- Controls and interlocks: links to the door, restraint or traffic lights.
- Removal and access: taking out the old unit, lifting equipment for delivery and out-of-hours work.
If the pit edge steel is damaged or the pit is out of square, we tell you at survey and price the repair as a separate item, so the leveller price stays clear. The written quote is then the fixed price for the work described.
Which trailers and loads suit a swing-lip leveller?
A swing-lip leveller suits everyday loading of standard trailers, where pallets sit a little way back from the rear of the trailer and the lip has room to land on the bed. It is a common choice for general distribution.
- Good fit: curtain-siders and box trailers loaded by forklift or pallet truck, with the lip landing behind the first row of pallets.
- Less suited: trailers loaded right up to the rear doors, because the lip needs clear bed space to rest on.
- Tail-lift vehicles: a folded tail lift can stop the lip reaching the bed.
- End loading: loading the last row of pallets at the very rear is awkward with a fixed-length lip.
Where these situations are common, a telescopic-lip dock leveller places its lip exactly where it is needed. Many sites fit both types across their bays, matching each bay to the vehicles it receives.
Towns we cover in Cambridgeshire
Below is a list of towns in Cambridgeshire for swing-lip dock levellers. Each page explains our approach for sites in that town.
Budget range for supply and fit. The written quote after a free survey is the fixed price. All guide prices.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
Sites in Cambridgeshire fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies at survey and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions
Is the site survey in Cambridgeshire free?
Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Cambridgeshire, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
Do levellers need a three-phase supply?
Most hydraulic dock levellers use a three-phase supply, although some smaller units run on single phase. When replacing like for like, the existing supply can often be reused if it is in good order. We check the supply at survey and include any electrical work in the quote.
What capacity of leveller do we need?
The leveller needs to be rated for the heaviest combined load of forklift and goods that will cross it, allowing for the truck moving over it. General-purpose levellers are typically rated around 60 kN, with heavier ratings for heavy goods or large forklifts. We confirm the rating after looking at your equipment.
Other services in Cambridgeshire
Full guide to swing-lip dock levellers · All loading bay services in Cambridgeshire