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Building the Keith Walking Floor System [Photos]

UpfittingPhotos 9July 15, 2021

The Keith Walking Floor system is an unloading system. The hydraulically driven drive unit is installed in a trailer and attached to a series of floor slats that “walk” material out the rear of the trailer. Trailers unload horizontally without needing to raise the trailer and eliminating the need for a tipping platform.

Walking Floor systems unload nearly any bulk material, including waste, agricultural commodities, mulch, gravel, etc.

How the Walking Floor unloader is made is fascinating and provides insight into the quality and workmanship that goes into this system. Work Truck toured their facility to share just how these unique products are made.

The finished product
installed in a trailer.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

Extruded aluminum floor slats come in a variety
of profiles, depending on the type of material
the customer is unloading.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

Each drive and specific hydraulic components
are assembled and tested prior to shipping.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

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The machining facility at Keith creates the hydraulic
valve bodies that control the Walking Floor system.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

The company has its own plastics department that
features both extrusion and injection molding equipment
to manufacturer both the seal between the system’s
floor slats and the plastic bearings the floor
slats glide over.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

Materials are ready to be hauled and easily unloaded. 

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

The structural strength of the drive unit is important
for unloading up to 50 tons of material in a trailer.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

Drive units and floor slats are shipped from Madras
to locations around the world for installation into
trailers.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co. 

Following machine production, each valve is
assembled with hydraulic seals and fittings before
being installed into the drive unit.

Photo: Jason Blackman, Keith Manufacturing Co.