Ordering a liftgate part online should take five minutes. It usually takes three days, because the first attempt is wrong. Almost every wrong part we see traced back to the same thing: the order was placed before the buyer had the four pieces of information that actually determine which part fits.
At Ace Welding & Trailer Co. we have supplied liftgate parts in San Antonio for more than 80 years, and we would far rather spend five minutes on the phone with you than have you sitting on a part you cannot use. Here is what to have in front of you before you order anything.
The Four Things You Need
- Brand. Maxon, Waltco, Tommy Gate, Anthony, Leyman, Interlift. Usually cast or stamped somewhere on the gate even when the plate is gone.
- Model. Off the data plate. This is the one that decides which parts fit.
- Serial number. Narrows it further — manufacturers change parts mid‑production run without changing the model name.
- Which assembly the part came from. Platform, columns or arms, hydraulics, controls. This is what tells you which diagram to open.
If you have those four, ordering is quick and the part fits. If you are missing the middle two, start with the data plate guide for your brand: Maxon, Waltco or Tommy Gate.
Get the Part Number From the Drawing
Once you know the model, use the Part Finder rather than searching by description. Pick brand, series, model and assembly, then click the numbered callout on the exploded view. The number you get is the number to order — no interpretation required.
There is a longer walkthrough in our guide to finding parts by diagram, including what to do when the callout numbering is not obvious.
Check Whether It Is Stocked or Ordered In
This is the step people skip, and it is the one with money attached. Every part on our site is one of two things:
- In stock. On our shelf in San Antonio. Ships the same or next business day, and can be returned within 15 days less a restocking fee.
- Ordered in for you. Not on our shelf — we buy it from the manufacturer specifically for your order. Lead time depends on the manufacturer, and because we cannot send it back, it cannot be returned.
Neither is better or worse; they are just different commitments. But if a part is being ordered in, it is worth one phone call to be certain of the number first. If you order a quantity larger than what is on our shelf, the site will tell you at checkout exactly how many of them are coming in rather than going out today.
Decide How You Want It
At checkout you will see live rates from UPS, USPS and FedEx based on the actual weight and destination — not an estimate, the real number. Small parts under ten pounds ship flat rate. Overnight is offered on every order, which is the one to pick when a truck is down.
You can also collect from the shop at 9425 FM 1346. Pickup costs nothing, and we will call or email when it is ready — just be aware that choosing pickup means the order will not be shipped. Customers drive to us from across South Texas to collect, and that is fine; we would rather you chose it deliberately than by accident. Full details are on the shipping page.
Real-World Examples from Our San Antonio Shop
A landscaping company ordered a cylinder for a Maxon gate based on a number from an old invoice. The gate had been rebuilt since, and the cylinder had changed. Reading the data plate first would have caught it in under a minute — instead it cost them the better part of a week.
A fleet buyer placed an order for six rollers on a Friday afternoon, checked the checkout notice, saw that four of the six were being ordered in, and called us. We had four more on the shelf under a superseded number. All six went out that afternoon.
And a moving company got into the habit of texting us a photo of the data plate before every order. Their wrong‑part rate went to zero and stayed there. It is not complicated — it is just doing the identification before the ordering rather than after.
When to Call Instead of Ordering
Call the parts desk on (210) 667‑1171 when the data plate is missing or unreadable, when your model is not in the Part Finder, when a part number returns nothing, or any time you are about to order something special that cannot come back. Monday to Friday, 8AM–5PM Central, at 9425 FM 1346 in San Antonio.
Conclusion
Brand, model, serial, assembly. Get those four right and ordering a liftgate part online is a five‑minute job that ends with the correct part in your hand. Skip them and you are betting three days of downtime on a description.
Start with the Part Finder — or call us and we will walk it with you.