Dock bumpers can help you protect your building, your dock equipment and trailers. Every product that moves in and out of your warehouse or production facility goes through the dock, so it is essential to preserve it and keep all doors available and in good working order.

Types of Dock Bumpers

Generally, dock bumpers are positioned so that a truck or trailer "bumps" against them rather than against your building. This safeguards your building, your dock equipment and the trailer or truck that uses your loading dock.

There are many categories of bumpers, and picking the correct dock bumper can be an important decision, depending upon the volume of your loading dock. Using dock bumpers that are too light can lead to premature failure, while using dock bumpers that are thicker than necessary will be pointless and might actually create problems when docking trailers.

The style of dock bumpers you select will be dependent upon the approach, average trailer or vehicle height, daily volume and many additional variables. For facilities where trucks or trailers are likely to sway during loading operations, bumpers can be attached horizontally or vertically.

Molded Bumpers (Light Duty): Dock bumpers built from molded rubber can provide protection for low-traffic loading docks. What’s more, molded bumpers can be used within a warehouse to defend walls, doorways and other building elements from lift trucks and other warehouse and dock equipment.

Molded rubber is the least durable option of various dock bumper styles, and is more prone to chipping or gouging. They may be a viable option for your business if your loading dock doesn’t get a lot of truck traffic.

Laminated Bumpers (Medium Duty): Laminated bumpers have more substantial pads than molded bumpers and offer better shock absorption. They are constructed from strips of old truck tires that have been cut to size and mounted between steel plates.

These bumpers have a medium capacity for wear resistance and are adaptable in terms of thickness, length, and height. They are commonly applied on docks equipped with pit levelers or edge-of-dock equipment, as they offer long-lasting defense for high traffic loading docks.

Steel Faced Bumpers (Heavy Duty): Steel faced bumpers are equipped with a movable section of steel that overlays a common laminate bumper, stopping excessive wear and tear on the layered pads. The steel allows trailers to press against the bumpers without deteriorating the rubber. Steel faced bumpers offer exceptional durability, and typically last up to four times longer than unprotected laminate bumpers.

When Should Dock Bumpers Be Replaced?

While dock bumpers are intended to tolerate impact, they do begin to wear after steady use and need to be replaced from time to time. There are a few key indicators that tell you that your dock bumpers should be refreshed.

If the pads have worn away by 50% or more, it's time for replacement. Worn pads do not offer enough impact absorption capacity to protect your warehouse. Overly worn pads will eventually erode down to the steel brackets that hold them in place, and this can cause unnecessary damage to both brackets and trailers.

In addition to regular wear and tear, you should inspect bumpers for other damage like splitting laminate layers, cracking, bent or corroding metal and other clear deficiencies. You may want to schedule bumper inspections, just as you would systematically inspect your levelers and other loading dock equipment.

Truck Dock Bumpers Near Me

If you need to have your dock bumpers inspected or replaced, contact a loading dock equipment expert at Raymond West today.

Raymond West's Fremont facility serves all of the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Leandro, Hayward, Union City, Fremont, San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Richmond, Vallejo, Concord, Pleasanton, Livermore and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | San Francisco Bay Area Material Handling Equipment Supplier

41400 Boyce Rd
Fremont, CA 94538
(800) 675-2500