Spa Cover-Mate III Hydraulic Lifter - Side Mount

If you are going to use the top of the line covers (heaviest) this is not for you. After 6 months one of the shocks broke and now after 2 years both arms are broken.

The problem is that the side arms are not long enough to slide into the support bracket for a stable fit. I am going to find a dowel or similar support to slide into the hollow ""pipes"" of the side support arms to make them strong enough to support the cover in the lifted position. The Covermate III I had previously snapped at this point. My cover is one of the larger ones so the absence of sturdy support arms needs to be addressed IMHO. I would only recommend this if the buyer is willing to modify it as mentioned.

The product was installed by our carpenter today. It is already broken. The cheap plastic hinges flex/bend and ultimately break. The hydrolic also already busted. I will be asking for a replacement. The issue is we are going to have to fix it and live with it, because this lifter is premantently mounted/drilled into the spa. Terrible design and engineering, and terrible quality.

This product is good if you only plan on using it for 1 season. I replaced the plastic mounting arms twice and I didn't even get one season out of them each time. The first time I got the product the mounting arms bent, I noticed this slightly after 1 year, because I use it in the summer only. The company said tough luck since it was nearly over a year, spa depot sold me the replacement parts to repair it at cost. One year later same problem bent mounting arms. This product is pure garbage and it is a wonder why Spa Depot even continues to carry the product. Stay away from this product.

Really liked this lifter, it was very easy to use. The mounting assembly and hinge supports are made of plastic and are minimum durability. The failure occurred on both sides where the lift supports attach to the mounting assembly. The supports are minimum thickness of plastic and can't handle regular use. The lifting arm where it lifts on the cover puts a lot of strain on the center hinge of cover. I would recommend this for ease of using, but not for durability. Failed after 18 months!