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hedgehopper's avatar
hedgehopper
Explorer
May 22, 2014

How do you like your Stable-Lift?

Recently we talked with some TCers who had a Stable-Lift and raved about it.

This topic has been visited before. But I had difficulty separating what was based on experience from what was not. I would like to hear from owners. Please disqualify yourself if you have never owned a Stable-Lift.

Do you have a Stable-Lift? What do you like? Not like? What does it clamp to on the truck? Does it cause any problems with ground clearance?

15 Replies

  • I have yet to use my Stable Lift for camping as I am still restoring my C11 Avion camper. When I went to purchase the camper it had three OEM type manual jacks. My truck is a GMC one ton dually 4 x 4 diesel so the truck bed is quite high off the ground. The camper jacks fully extended would NOT lift the camper high enough to get it into the truck. My truck has stock suspension and tires so stock height. With the jacks fully extended and with 40 lbs. of air removed from the four rear tires we were able to get it into the truck. It wobbled so much I was scared we were going to lose the rig just loading it. Right then and there I made up my mind that there had to be a better way. I was VERY LUCKY and found a used Stable Lift meant for a dually for the crazy price of $400.00 !!! It is the best purchase made to date. Installed it myself it works great. Lifts plenty high to get into my truck bed and solid as a rock. Yes it looks like you ran over a swingset but that doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me is my camper potentially falling over onto me, my wife or family members ! this Avion will probably be the last truck camper I own but if I were to get another one it WILL have a SL on it.
  • I have two questions about the Stable-Lift:

    1: How do you change a rear flat, other than dismounting the camper and driving out from under?

    2: How difficult is it to level a Stable-Lift equipped TC?
  • Buffettphan wrote:
    I have them on my 2005 GMC HD. They are a great addition to the over all set up. I also added HelWig springs and the combo work very well for me.


    OP is asking about Stable-Lift....not stable loads...
  • I have them on my 2005 GMC HD. They are a great addition to the over all set up. I also added HelWig springs and the combo work very well for me.
  • I have had a Stable-Lift since about 2005. I installed it myself. I have never had a problem of any kind with it. I have hit two boulders with it at least three or four times, in my own driveway. It skinned the paint, but that was all.

    Your ground clearance may be reduced by 1-1/2-inches. I have never once had issues with ground clearance, but I do not travel off road. I have and do travel on secondary roads, including forestry.

    I really can't think of anything about it I do not like. I replaced hydraulic jacks with my lift, so the cost was a bit more, but for me well worth it. It is great if you load or unload your TC in strong winds. Absolutely great when off the truck, especially if you use the three braces it comes with. It is as solid as if it were on a solid foundation. It is very solid on soft terrain, like sand. You can put pads under the hoop, but I have never found it necessary. Uneven ground is no problem.

    There are four saddles that bolt under the truck, typically to the frame. When the lift is up, and in the saddles, the truck frame is sandwiched between the frame and TC. The lift is mounted with 6 to 8 bolts on each side on the TC. To my knowledge, there is not another tiedown as strong. You have the option of not using the saddles, and continue to use your existing tiedowns.

    I have made numerous post on this subject. If you do a search, use the Advanced search so you can read posts over a year old.

    If I had elec jacks, and was comfortable with them, I do not know if I would spend the money. I can honestly say without reservation, the lift with its hoop is much more stable, and the four individual jacks do not begin to compare when loading in the wind, or using the TC when off loaded.

    If you have any specific questions, I will try to answer.

    Wayne