FAQ’s

What makes the HercuLoc Security Bed Cover so secure?  When the cover closes, locking slots in the front legs engage striker bolts at the front corners of the pickup bed.  This is possible because the front legs are one inch shorter than the rear legs, and the lower pivot points of the front legs slide fore and aft.  It is very simple when you see it; as the cover closes, the longer rear legs drive the front legs forward to engage the striker bolts, locking the front of the cover down.  The industrial electric ball screw actuator is self-locking and cannot be jimmied.  The actuator and hefty rear leg assembly hold the rear of the cover closed.  The rear edge of the cover overlaps the tailgate to hold it closed.  This locking system is protected with US Patents 6,227,592 and 6,666,490.

How would anyone break into a HercuLoc Security Bed Cover?  One would need a Sawzall or similar tool.  Even then, there would be the question of where to start cutting.  The remote control “brain” is located inside the actuator housing in the pickup bed, so it is not accessible when the cover is closed.  The remote control is a digital unit with rolling code technology to foil scanning by thieves.

Why the robust construction?  In designing the HercuLoc Security Bed Cover, we consulted with fleet managers to determine what they need on their work trucks.  These professionals need a security cover that can take the rough-and-tumble of the job site.  Most fleet managers said “Don’t worry about the weight, just make it last.”  This resulted in a 300-pound product that is designed to out-last the pickup.  The lift mechanism is built from 10-gauge (about 1/8” thick) steel and is painted with black hammer powder coat.  The moving parts rotate on oil-impregnated bronze bushings, selected and sized to out-last the pickup.  The covers are 18-gauge galvaneal (cold-dipped galvanized) steel with UV-resistant powder coat paint (available in White Hammer and Black Hammer).

What about my personal pickup?  Although the HercuLoc is designed for the rough-and-tumble world of work trucks, most of our dealers will sell to consumers (some of our dealers do fleet business only).  Please make note of the fact that we do not match-paint the covers because the white or black hammer powder coat looks very good on GM, Ford and Dodge work trucks.  The covers can be match-painted, if you want to have that done.  The HercuLoc has great potential for camping and tailgate parties.

What powers the HercuLoc E-Series Security Bed Covers?  An industrial electric actuator, located inside a heavy steel enclosure in the right rear corner of the bed, moves the cover and holds it in any position.  This actuator is not hydraulic, so there is no fluid to leak.  These heavy duty ball screw actuators are designed for industrial use.  The ball screw (the traversing nut runs on ball bearings) is more power-efficient than the cheaper acme screw types and lasts much longer.  This actuator is rated to lift a 1,000-pound dynamic load and is working at well under its design capacity when lifting the cover.  The life of the actuator is estimated at over 40,000 opening and closing cycles, hence it should easily out-live your pickup.  The actuator is self-locking and holds the cover in any position.

How much electrical power does the HercuLoc E-Series Security Bed Cover require?   While raising the cover, we have measured 15 to 20 amps of current.  The amperage draw is in the single digits as the cover closes.  The power is supplied by an 8-gauge power cable (the wire capacity tables say that a smaller wire would suffice).  This cable goes straight to the truck’s battery (a re-settable circuit breaker is mounted near the battery).  You can operate the cover several cycles without seriously draining the truck’s battery, however be aware that the cover should not be operated up and down continuously because that will over-heat the actuator.

What if there is an electrical failure when the cover is closed?  There is a way to open the cover with a high security key.  This key is made in several thousand combinations.  The key, its serial number and instructions on how to open the cover are provided with your warranty form.

I’m worried about my hired help losing or destroying the remote transmitters.  What are my options?  You can ask the upfitter to mount a hard-wired switch in the cab, so the cover can be opened from the cab without the remote transmitter.  We recommend this for law enforcement and fire department applications, because when the truck arrives at a scene, the HercuLoc Security Bed Cover absolutely must open.  However, we do not recommend this with our customers who carry $80,000 worth of survey instruments in the pickup bed, because the hard-wired switch does make it possible to hot-wire the cover from underneath the truck.

What is the operating range of the remote transmitter?  Usually about 50 feet away, depending on other radio signals that may be in the area.  This means that you can get the HercuLoc Security Bed Cover to open as you walk toward the truck.  If you are in a busy parking lot with a lot of other keyless entry and alarm systems operating, the range may be a little less.  The remote “brain” uses rolling code technology, which means that it is looking for a certain digital code to operate.  If there is radio interference coming from a very close source, the remote may not operate until it can clearly read the digital code it is looking for.  When this occurs it is only a momentary problem.  For law enforcement and fire department applications, we recommend that a hard-wired switch be installed inside the cab, so the cover will operate regardless of any radio interference.

What is the upkeep?  The battery in the remote transmitter will need occasional replacement (typically once per 6-12 months).  We provide one spare remote battery with each unit.  Replacement batteries are available from your HercuLoc dealer and virtually any consumer electronics store.  There is nothing on a HercuLoc Security Bed Cover that requires lubrication.

What is bed flexing and why does it destroy other truck caps?  All pickup beds flex, especially when driving off-road or over curbs.  For a graphic illustration, take a shoebox (without the lid) and twist it.  Pickup beds will flex as much as two inches out of plane.  Now, put the lid on the shoebox and twist the box.  You can readily see what bed flexing does to a camper shell that is clamped to the bed rails.  This is why the back doors fall off of camper shells, and in many cases the top front corners of the camper shell will break.  Many shells are sold with disclaimers about their suitability for off-road use.  Bed flexing is one reason that retractable rolling covers have proven to be so trouble prone. 

How does bed flexing affect HercuLoc Security Bed Covers?  The HercuLoc Security Bed Covers tolerate bed flexing because the front of the cover can move laterally on the striker bolts as the bed flexes.  The cover does not have so much torsional stiffness that it will not flex with the bed as you off-road with the cover closed.  Some of our customers do their most extreme off-road driving with the HercuLoc raised, separating the cover from the flexing bed.  The one issue of bed flexing that does affect the HercuLoc Security Bed Cover is that it may not close properly when the bed is flexed.  Bed flexing can cause a temporary misalignment of the striker bolts with the front legs, preventing the HercuLoc from latching properly in the front.  Move the truck to flatter terrain, and the HercuLoc will close properly.

Can I really drive with the cover raised?  Yes, and at any speed up to 75 mph.  When raised, the rear of the cover is higher than the front.  This creates a spoiler effect to ensure that the cover will not generate aerodynamic lift.  As noted by the warning label affixed to the right rear leg, never carry passengers in the bed.  Also, be mindful of your overhead and rear clearances when the cover is raised.  The truck will not fit into most garages with the cover raised.

How high does the cover rise?  Fully raised, the weather strip on the front panel of the cover will be 49 inches above the bed floor.  Fully raised, the large pipe section of the rear leg assembly will be 52 inches above the bed floor.  You can park a Harley under it.  These dimensions are for Ford Super Duty, GM Silverado/Sierra and Dodge Ram pickups.  The F-150 bed is two inches deeper, so your front and rear clearances will be 51” and 54” respectively.

Is the dome light standard?  Yes.  Our customers who start working at O-Dark Thirty really appreciate the dome light.  The light is controlled by a mercury switch inside the right rear leg and turns it on and off when the cover is about halfway open.  A switch on the light itself also turns it on and off.

What about Toyota Tundras?  Toyota is introducing the all new Tundra in February 2007.  The bed dimensions will be very close to those of the F-150.  We will be able to build a HercuLoc for this truck.  Call us for projected availability.