Loading Dock Accessories
Loading dock accessories, in this collection, are the two hand tools that make pallets behave at the dock: the pallet puller that drags a loaded pallet into a forklift's reach, and the pallet buster that takes a broken one apart. Both are Vestil, both are steel, and both sit under $90, which makes this the cheapest and most hands-on corner of the dock catalog. Neither needs a rigging plan or a power source, but both replace the manual exertion that puts warehouse workers' backs out: dragging a stacked pallet by its stringer, or prying deck boards loose with a wrecking bar. This page covers what each tool does, how the scissor, cam, and chain versions differ, and which one your dock actually reaches for.
Compare Dock Accessories
| Model | Price | Capacity | Handle Diameter | Net Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vestil Pallet Pullers | $73 | 5,000-6,000 lb | — | — | View → |
| Vestil Pallet Busters | $38 | — | 1-1/4 in. | 9-16 lb | View → |
Dock Accessories Buying Guide
Two tools, two jobs. The two products here answer opposite problems. A pallet puller grips a loaded pallet and drags it horizontally: into a forklift's reach, out of a trailer nose, or clear of a rack the forks cannot enter. A pallet buster does the reverse job on an empty or broken pallet, prying the deck boards off the stringers so the wood can be reclaimed or thrown out. Both belong to the wider loading dock equipment hub, and both trade a worker's back for a steel handle.
Pallet pullers: scissor, cam, or chain. Every version clamps the leading deck board of the pallet so you can pull it with a forklift, a tow motor, a winch, or two hands. The difference is the grip. Single scissor models open widest, with jaws of 5 to 7 inches, and Vestil rates them to about 6,000 lb. Double scissor models run a narrower 2 to 4 inch jaw, stay hooked under load, and carry to roughly 5,000 lb. The cam action version bites at a fixed 3 inch opening for quick repeated pulls. When the pallet sits too far in to reach by hand, the chain models add a 20 or 40 foot chain with a grab hook so a lift truck can drag it out from a distance. All of them use self-cleaning heads and price between about $43 and $87.
Pallet busters: take it apart without splitting the wood. A pallet buster is a 41 and a half inch steel bar that slips under a deck board and lifts it off the stringer in one motion, which is far kinder to your back than stooping over a wrecking bar. The standard SKB-7, at $37.49, uses a dual prying action with a built-in nail puller. The Delux SKB-DLX, at $48.49, adds an articulating head that raises planks without splitting them, which matters when the boards are going back out as reclaimed lumber. The same tool earns its place at the dock a second way: it will raise a seated dockboard or dockplate enough to get a fork truck under it for removal.
What this page does and does not cover. This is a deliberately small collection, two hand tools that live near the dock rather than the heavy equipment that defines it. For the leveler, seal, bumper, or ramp that outfits the dock itself, work from the loading dock equipment hub. For moving a loose pallet under power instead of dragging it, a pallet jack is the right tool, and lighter boxed freight belongs on a hand truck. The pullers and busters here are what you keep on the wall for the jobs those machines cannot start.
Frequently Asked Questions
It grips the front deck board of a loaded pallet so you can drag it across the floor into position, most often to get a stranded pallet within a forklift's reach or to pull one out of the nose of a trailer. You supply the pulling force with a lift truck, a tow motor, a winch, or by hand.
Single scissor pullers open to a wider jaw, 5 to 7 inches, which suits thicker or damaged deck boards, and Vestil rates them near 6,000 lb. Double scissor pullers use a narrower 2 to 4 inch jaw that clamps tighter and stays hooked under a steady pull, carrying to about 5,000 lb. The cam action model is a fixed 3 inch grip for fast repeated pulls.
Rated pulling capacity runs into the thousands of pounds and varies by model, roughly 5,000 lb for the double scissor and about 6,000 lb for the single scissor. The rating is a pull, not a lift, so match it to the loaded weight of the pallet you are dragging and keep the pull steady rather than jerking the chain.
The standard SKB-7 pries deck boards off with a dual action and a nail puller for a quick teardown. The Delux SKB-DLX has an articulating head that lifts planks without splitting them, so choose it when the boards are being saved as reclaimed lumber rather than scrapped.
Yes. Besides dismantling pallets, the bar will raise a seated dockboard or dockplate enough to slide a fork truck under it for removal, which is one reason it sits in the dock accessories collection.