CM3 CoverMate III Hydraulic Cover Lift

Purchased this cover locally. Then found it on amazon $100 less. Returned prior purchase and bought from amazon. Several different models so be careful which one you chose. Mine is the automatic one. I’m older and this really takes the weight of the cover and makes it very simple to lift.

It comes in a million pieces and doesn't need to be like that. The directions are atrocious and I've assembled MANY things in my life. Couldn't find a video on the deck mount. It took hours to get it together. Hoping it doesn't have a short shelf life like the other reviews said. If I hadn't put so many hours into it already, I would've just sent it back.

This lifter was supplied by the retailer who sold me my Bullfrog (A9L) spa. This was all part of a much larger backyard remodel where we built a vault for the spa with a seat wall. The cover lifter is designed to be attached to the spa but there is a deck mount available which is what we needed. First use after the lifter was installed the mounting brackets started to buckle. These plastic parts are simply not designed strong enough to withstand the bending moment that is imparted into them when you lift a big cover like the one I have.I solved this problem by going to the hardware store and buying a length of 3/4" aluminum stock, some some longer pivot bolts and nuts to go with them. I cut the aluminum stock with a hacksaw to length (10 inches) then with a hammer, I pounded the ends of the stock flat. I then drilled holes pivot bolt in one end and the mounting bracket blot on the other end. Finally I installed my newly minted support bracket between the pivot bolt and the second support bolt.The bending moment is now carried by the aluminum support bracket I built instead of the plastic elbow. The cover lifter now works great. It holds the cover in an upright position when the spa is in use and it is simple for a single person to lift the cover. The only real draw back is it's not as clean looking because I cannot use the bracket covers.

After six months I'm having all the same problems that others mentioned. It seems like it's just not designed or built strong enough for its intended use. It was installed by the dealer when I got my new spa; when I told them about the issues a few days ago, they contacted the manufacturer and then told me that the manufacturer said the problems weren't covered under the (1 yr) warranty, but that they would fix it anyway as a customer accommodation. I appreciate that of course, but I don't understand why the warranty wouldn't apply in this case when it's clearly defective in several ways.

Absolute hot garbage. Almost ruined my spa cover installing this hydraulic lift. Got it from a spa cover manufacture. Had to buy my own 1” bolts because they sent the wrong hardware, do not waste your money. So much easier to just lift the cover off.

Well I just broke my second set of pivot arms. Another 80 bucks. Problem with this device is that when you put the spa cover in the upright position and the thing just dangles there the thin walled aluminum arms are prone to bending, cracking, and snapping off. I was pushing it up very gently and not using it in even moderate wind to preserve them, but a teenage jaunt into my tub last week resulted in both pivot arms breaking (as well as a submerged cell phone). Don't have much of a choice except to order another set of pivot arms or scrap the whole thing. I wish covermate would read these reviews and improve their product. Just better gauge aluminum tubing would help make it stronger. I was thinking of sliding another pipe inside the tubing to strengthen it up.

I am now on my third Covermate III in 2 years. The first one lasted almost 4 years before it collapsed, and I felt it was a pretty good lifetime. After they installed the replacement in May '09, I noticed that the hinge mechanism was now made entirely of molded plastic, and didn't think that it would last very long. I was right. Our spa gets a fair amount of direct sun in the afternoon, and the hinge mechanism actually softened and warped and became inoperable. The spa vendor replaced it under warranty this past March. By the end of the summer, the hinges had again warped due to sun exposure. I currently have a claim with the spa vendor to get it replaced again.

Unit was installed with my Sundance tub last fall, and my pivot arms broke today. Reading online, I see this is fairly common. Not well engineered if this is the result, but then again, maybe it's in their interest to sell those replacement parts! Two replacement arms are nearly the cost of whole new lifter!