ALCS® Hard Top Soft Side Curtain System for Truck Bodies

Load Covering Solutions engineers and manufactures its own ALCS Side Curtain Systems for truck body flatbed and knows when to recommend it over its own LCS selection of rolling, retractable tarp systems. When you dock load like a van, side unload like a flatbed and overhead excess is not required, then an ALCS Side Curtain System on your flatbed trailer is the perfect solution for your transportation needs.

Most common industries electing to use Side Curtain Systems:

• Building & Construction Materials; Lumber / Dry Wall / Windows / Doors / Molding & Trim
• Compressed Gases
• Sensitive Field Equipment, Mobile Command Centers
• Mobile Water & Sewer Treatment Plants.

Side Curtain Advantages to Consider:

• Less mechanical working parts then a rolling tarp system, leading to much lower maintenance cost & down time.
• Longer life expectancy with less replacement parts required to keep system in service.
• The curtains will outlast a rolling tarp by 1-1/2 times.
• Never worry about exposing the entire load during inclement weather.
• Gain quick and easy access from front or rear of one side at a time or through the rear doors.

FRONT BULKHEADS & TENSIONING

FRONT BULKHEAD
ALCS offers a square flat front bulkhead sitting flush to the front deck. Notched corner cut out modifications are required to allow the ALCS bulkhead to sit flush to the floor and not exceed the 102" legal width. ALCS bulkheads are constructed with a Heavy-Duty Steel Frame, finished in a Hot Dipped Galvanized corrasion protective coating with a 1" FRP Insert Panel available standard in white or black gelcoat. All bulkheads are preferably bolted on for easy replacement if damaged, however based on body designs, some bulkheads may need to be welded on.

Corner Cut Out Modifications:
For decks that are built with a full width side rail or exterior pockets and rub rail front corner modifications are required to accommodate the ALCS square corner bulkhead. The rear however does not require corner cut outs if the deck comes with exterior pockets & rub rail. A simple removal of a pocket is all that is required to accommodate the ALCS 6"x2" Channel.

FRONT TENSIONING MECHANISM:
LCS uses only top UK manufactured components. We know the importance of a front tensioner that is quick and easy to operate while delivering the aggressive ratcheting required to apply maximum horizontal side curtain tensioning. Bolt on for easy replacement with grease nipple to ensure your mechanism is always functioning correctly.

REAR FRAMES & TENSIONING

REAR FRAMES:
Constructed with a Heavy-Duty 6"x2" H.D. Structural Steel Channel Frame and finished in a Hot Dipped Galvanized coating to prevent corrosion. LCS offers swing rear doors, rear flap or solid bulkhead options to enclose the rear end of an ALCS Side Curtain System. All our frames are bolted on through the top, side and rear sill and can be removed and replaced if damaged quickly, however in certain situations a fully welded design maybe required. If the deck width is not equipped with exterior pockets & rub rail then corner cut out modifications are required similar the the front.

REAR ROLL UP DOOR & FRAME:
Load Covering Solutions offers a roll up door frame supplied by Whiting Doors a supplier product you can trust! All doors come white but can be customized to meet your corporate promotional campaign.

LCS has a unique patent pending design that allows for our standard swing door frame design to be converted to a roll up door with the simple add on of a door trim kit.

REAR TENSIONING RELEASE MECHANISM - Optional:
All curtain side systems rear curtain pole is anchored at the rear channel frame and access to the interior trailer from the side is only available once the front tensioner and curtains buckles are released. With the Add On rear ratchet tensioner similar to the front, the operator can quickly gain access to the side starting from the rear, without disturbing the front locks or all side buckles. Great Option and Huge Time Saver!

SIDE CURTAIN ROOF

ALUMINUM SIDE CURTAIN ROOF:
ALCS roof is an all-aluminum construction starting with an .040 aluminum exterior roof skin, aluminum 1" arched I-Beam roof bows spaced on 24" centers & ALCS captive combined side rail and roller track. As well, additional roof bows are installed as required and spaced at 16" centers in the 1st 8ft of the front and the last 4ft of the rear to provide additional support where air turbulence is more concentrated.

TRANSLUCENT SIDE CURTAIN ROOF:
ALCS offers a white translucent roof construction in lieu of the traditional aluminum roof with our STD aluminum 1" arched I-Beam roof bows spaced on 24" centers & ALCS captive combined side rail and roller track. As well, additional roof bows are installed as required and spaced at 16" centers in the 1st 8ft of the front and the last 4ft of the rear to provide additional support where air turbulence is more concentrated.

Q: What is the Advantage?

A: Illuminates the truck bodies interior, eliminating interior lights & reduces interior curtain damage while loading from the rear doors. Its more robust reducing roof skin damage from overhead trees, doors or flying debris. For the minimal extra cost, consider it on your next ALCS Side Curtain Truck Body System.

BREAKAWAY ROOF SUPPORT POSTS:
ALCS uses specifically removable roof support posts that breakaway easily to allow side loading and unloading access to the truck body load. Its is typically recommended on bodies 30ft & under to have 2 posts, 1 per each side, Typical posts weigh 22lbs and slip into an upper pocket inside the roof rail and a lower pocket set inside the stake pockets with a 1" hole or 2" slot. It is recommended to only remove one roof post at a time allowing typically 27ft - 32ft clear span opening to load. Failure to follow proper instructionsresult into roof failure.

WARNING: By removing more posts then recommended or an entire side the roof can drop as much as 9" and roof support posts will no longer engage easily. Operators will need to call upon a forklift operator to lift the roof up inorder to reinsert the breakaway post and that can only lead to roof damage.

Optional Center T Posts are available upon request and replace the side breakaway posts. They add extra cost due to their structural design required to carry the weight of the outer roof line from the center point. Recommended to be spaced on 4ft, 6ft or maximum 8ft centers these post will be anchored through the floor with a pocket and tied to the truck beds underside cross members. Typically operators will option up T-Post as a center divider to lean upright, doors, windows and lighter loads against. T Posts are NOT load bearing and should not be considered as such. Always secure your loads to the flatbed and in accordance to DOT regulations

LCS has options available if Rolling Break Post are absolutely required, but beware, by making it easier to remove more posts then necessary your roof damage and system maintenance cost will increase.

SIDE CURTAIN CONSTRUCTION

SIDE CURTAIN CONSTRUCTION:
ALCS Side Curtains are design & engineered from world leading PVC tension fabric at a weight of 26.5 oz. per sq. yd. Tried & tested these fabrics have proven over decades to hold up in every world weather condition known. Its 2x2 Panama woven interior scrim with a 60/40 PVC coating & high gloss exterior urethane appearance provides structural tension while traveling open highways at high speeds. ALCS combination hot air & dielectric fully welded construction ensures structural strength, integrity and durability.

WARNING: Although in some world countries curtain sides are perceived as being load bearing in North America LCS mandates all loads need to be secured in accordance with Federal DOT regulations regardless of the robust structural integrity that a curtain side provides.

All ALCS STD., Curtains come with a single lower horizontal 2" PVC welded reinforcement strap, intersected with a series of vertical tension straps on 24" centers to provide the structural support & van-like smooth wall appearance.

Optional 2nd & 3rd PVC horizontal straps as seen on the right can be added to create a sectional "RIP STOP" for when side damage occurs from objects like tree branches on narrow roads, in hopes to minimize the length of tear to a curtain.

BEWARE! These extra straps do take away from the exterior smooth wall appearance by being more visibly noticed and may not be recommended if promoting full corporate digital print advertising. However, by not adding these straps in no way sacrifices any structural integrity of the curtains.

CURTAIN HARDWARE

BUCKLES & STRAPS:

Q: What is the Importance of a Buckle & Strap?

A: It applies the maximum vertical tension to a curtain side wall after the curtain is tensioned horizontally from end to end.

ALCS curtains use only the highest quality tried & tested UK hardware that has proven to stand up to the longevity of the curtain and beyond. With many choices in hardware, the ALCS curtain keeps it simple and functional. Our stainless steel over enter buckles are a snap in self-locking design with the least working parts eliminating spring loaded pinch points and DO NOT stand up to harsh NA weather conditions. Each strap has a polyester 2" wide lower strap with rave hook that latches under the trailer side rail allowing the buckle to apply maximum tension to the curtain.

CURTAIN ROLLERS:
ALCS Side Curtain uses a sealed ball bearing tapered roller combined with our captive aluminum extruded tapered roof rail & track for an EZ-Glide performance. Don't be fooled in thinking that all curtains roll easily because they don't. Most systems use a flat roller with or without bearings and a flat track rolling surface. These designs tend to make the sliding of a curtain cumbersome over time leaving the operator fighting with the curtains. With an ALCS side curtain, stand at one end and as fast as you can grab the exterior buckles pull the curtain towards you. Don't be surprised if it only takes you less then 1 minute to gain side access to your load on a 30ft truck body ALCS Side Curtain System.

BEWARE: Some curtain system designs have a two-part track that enables the curtain rolling track sections to be replaced once the extrusion wears out with constant rolling of flat rollers. With an ALCS Side Curtain, you will never have that problem.

OVER THE ROAD ADVERTISING

At LCS we believe in investing in the power of marketing and no better way to gain a Return On Your Capital Investment (ROI) with allocating advertising and marketing budgets over the road. Look to a load covering system to promote your corporate messaging and watch the capital investment SOON be quickly justified. NOTE: Everyone remembers a great looking billboard especially if it's driving beside you!

Note: Average Graphics Life Expectancy depending on the application is 7 years. Based on your original Capital Investment for an LCS Tarp System & amortized over 84 months, its costing you only $309.00 / month to promote your corporate messaging.

ALCS - HARD TOP / SOFT SIDE CURTAIN SYSTEMS FOR FLATDECK TRUCK BODIES

Thank you for taking the time to visit our ALCS product pages and to familarize yourself with a Load Covering Side Curtain System. I trust based on your load requirements you can make an informed decision by better understanding the differences between it and our many models of rolling tarp systems. Feel free to contact our technical sales experts to learn more about LCS and please continue to browse our indepth website.

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