The Unsung Hero of Old Warehouses
November 8, 2025
Source: Reddit
Prior to hydraulic lifts and electric pallet jacks, warehouse workers had to rely on “muscle, steel and leverage” to move large quantities of material. The “lever dolly” was one of the best tools they had for that task.
The lever dolly required no electricity and no complicated components. It could lift thousands of pounds. This was enough to allow a worker to place a roller or dolly under the load.
What is a Lever Dolly?
A lever dolly, also referred to as a “Johnson Bar” or “pry bar dolly,” is a type of long-handled lifting tool. It consists of a long wooden or fiberglass handle attached to a steel base plate. The base plate has two fixed casters that can be placed on a floor surface, allowing the dolly to be moved around. The base plate is usually flat and slightly wide. Therefore, it can be slid under the edge of a pallet, crate, or machine.
The purpose of the tool is to allow a single person to raise one side of a pallet, crate, or machine. This allows for the placement of moving equipment such as rollers or dollies under the load.
Built for Heavy Duty Use
Lever dollies are made from hard woods and steel. The footplates are often reinforced and riveted together to make them stronger. The wheels are built to withstand the weight of the load without flexing or breaking.
A lever dolly is commonly used to:
- Lift the corner of a loaded pallet.
- Tilt heavy equipment to prepare for placement.
- Raise machinery to position for roller or dolly placement.
The lever dolly uses simple physics to do its job – there are no hydraulics or motors involved.
Used in Older Warehouses and Shops
Levers dolls were standard equipment found in factories, rail yards, and shipping docks. A lever dolly was small, lightweight, and easy to store away until it was needed again.
Workers would slide the footplate of the dolly under a 1,000-pound crate, pull back on the handle of the dolly, and create enough lift to slide a dolly under the crate. This greatly reduced the time and labor it took to move awkwardly shaped heavy items.
Still Used Today
While most modern warehouses use forklifts and powered lifts, many shops continue to maintain a lever dolly in their inventory. In situations where the available space is limited or power tools are unavailable, a lever dolly continues to prove itself to be an effective solution.
Since the basic design of the lever dolly has remained virtually unchanged since the early days of manufacturing, it still does what it was originally intended to do. It creates a lifting force using only solid wood, a metal base, and two casters.
More Than Just a Tool – An Historic Artifact
The lever dolly represents a bygone era of manufacturing when equipment was built to last and was designed to solve real problems. If you still have one, treat it with respect. A lever dolly is more than just a tool. It is a piece of historical working equipment.