A dock leveler comprises a maintenance strut rotatable between a maintenance position and a stowed position, the maintenance strut being configured to secure the dock leveler in an accessible position when in the maintenance position. The maintenance strut has a latch hole and a pivot hole formed therein. The dock leveler further comprises a latch configured to selectively maintain the maintenance strut in the maintenance position or the stowed position. The latch comprises a pin selectively extendable through the latch hole, the pin having a first end and a second end, and a retainer having a first end fixedly attached to the first end of the pin and a second end selectively attachable to the second end of the pin.

A dock leveler comprises a lift lever operably graspable by a user to lift, lower, and extend the dock leveler. The dock leveler further comprises a lift lever retainer having an opening shaped and sized to slidably receive the lift lever. The lift lever comprises a top portion including a handle graspable by a user, a middle portion adjacent the top portion, and a bottom portion adjacent the middle portion, the bottom portion engageable with the lift lever retainer when lifting, lowering, or extending the dock leveler. The lift lever further comprises a stopper disposed on the middle portion or on the top portion. A combined width of the lift lever and the stopper is greater than a width of the opening of the lift lever retainer.

A dock leveler comprises a deck plate and a lip assembly hingedly connected to the deck plate. The lip assembly comprises a lip plate and a lip subplate. The lip plate includes a traction side and a bottom side and has a lip plate crown. The lip subplate includes a top side and a bottom side and has a lip subplate crown. The lip subplate is coupled to a bottom side of the lip plate in a manner that provides structural rigidity to the lip plate. The lip subplate crown is aligned and nested with the lip plate crown.

A method for increasing friction on a traction surface of a deck plate or a lip plate of a dock leveler comprises pre-treating the traction surface of the deck plate or the lip plate of the dock leveler, the traction surface having a first lower coefficient of friction. The method further comprises applying a coating to the traction surface of the deck plate or the lip plate of the dock leveler. The coating is a thermosetting super durable polyester powder coating comprising friction-increasing particles, the friction-increasing particles being applied as a part of the powder coating to the dock leveler. The method further comprises curing the coating on the traction surface of the deck plate or the lip plate of the dock leveler to increase friction on the traction surface of the deck plate or the lip plate to a second higher coefficient of friction.

A dock leveler comprises a face plate and a pivot anchor. The face plate is disposed to abut against a wall of a dock. The pivot anchor projects laterally away from the face plate, The pivot anchor has a pivot hole configured to receive a pivot pin of the dock leveler. The pivot anchor comprises a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion is configured to abut against the face plate and having at least one protrusion configured to couple with at least one hole in the face plate of the dock leveler. The bottom portion is disposed below the face plate and has a support surface configured to contact a wall of a dock.