Overview
Every loading dock carries risk. Trailers can drift away from the dock during loading and unloading. When that happens, workers get hurt and operations grind to a halt. The NOVA Truck Lock™ vehicle restraint keeps dock operations safe and secure. Trucks and trailers are held firmly in place by a high-visibility barrier-style ram bar that can withstand a pullout force of over 30,000 pounds — preventing accidental separation from the loading dock.
What sets the Cast-In Style apart is how it's installed. The housing is embedded directly into the concrete drive approach — not attached to the building wall. This provides years of trouble-free service without damage to the building. The zinc-plated housing is completely self-contained and built to handle the harshest loading dock environments. All control and activation components are mounted inside the building. They are protected from weather and vehicle impact. This keeps the system dependable with very little upkeep year after year.
Features and Benefits
The 350 Series is built tough from the ground up. The vertical ram bar is made from high-strength ASTM A-514 Grade B steel plate with a minimum yield strength of 100,000 PSI. The housing is constructed from heavy rectangular steel tubing, capped with a welded steel ram sheath rated at 55,000 PSI minimum yield strength. Steel gussets reinforce the housing tube and ram sheath for added strength.The housing is embedded 21 inches into the approach with 4,000 PSI minimum concrete — making it a permanent part of your dock structure. It stores at just 10 inches high, uses a non-impact design, and has very few moving parts — making it one of the lowest-maintenance restraints available.
The communication system is just as reliable as the hardware. Outside, flashing red or green LED lights tell the truck driver when it's safe to back in or pull away. Inside, matching LED lights and signs let the dock attendant know when loading or unloading can begin. An audible alarm also sounds if the ram bar can't fully extend to engage the trailer's rear impact guard.If power goes out, the restraint stays locked and can still be released normally. Preventive maintenance is only needed once a year — far less than most competing products. And it comes with the longest warranty in the industry: a lifetime structural warranty. All competitors offer only a 5-year structural warranty.
Applications
The 350 Series Cast-In Style works best for facilities that need a permanent, built-in restraint solution. The barrier-style ram bar secures liftgate trucks, intermodal container chassis, standard trailers, and RIGs with obstructions or cover plates — making it a strong fit for operations with diverse carrier fleets. With an engagement range of 9 to 31 inches and the ability to install at more nontraditional dock types with a small footprint, it works where other restraints can't.
- High-volume distribution and fulfillment centers where trailer separation risk is high and maintenance downtime is costly
- New construction projects where a concrete hole form can be set before the dock approach is poured — the 10-inch diameter form comes in 12-inch sections
- Mixed-fleet operations receiving liftgate trucks, container chassis, and standard trailers at the same docks
- Nontraditional dock locations where wall-mounted restraints aren't an option
- Asphalt or non-concrete approaches using the optional Rebar Installation Kit
- Docks needing an interlock — an optional add-on cuts power to an overhead door or leveler until the ram bar is fully raised, then restores power once the restraint is confirmed engaged
Selection Assistance
Choosing the right loading dock vehicle restraint comes down to three things: your approach, your trailer mix, and how your docks are run.