Stellar’s NX18 Hooklift Accommodates Multiple Truck Bodies on One Frame

Stellar NXT18 Hooklift on display at Work Truck Week
The movable latching system allows you to bolt and unbolt the locks anywhere along the frame.
Stellar Industries

At the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis recently, Stellar Industries introduced a new telescopic hooklift for trucks. Designed for Class 4–8 chassis trucks, the NXT18 is the first hooklift in the NXT Series and is capable of loading, unloading and dumping various truck bodies with up to 18,000 pounds of capacity.

The unit has a 35.63- or 54-inch hook height and a rectangular-style secondary jib. With approximately a 7.5-inch lost load height, the NXT18 offers the lowest profile in the industry, providing a lower vertical center of gravity and the ability to accommodate down to 4-inch subframe heights, the company says. 

Stellar engineered the NXT18 with a universal body latching system to accommodate locks that might not be in the optimal spot. With inside and outside locks that can be moved by unbolting, repositioning and bolting back down, this latching system enables you to reposition your latches anywhere along the frame. This also eliminates the time-consuming chore of having to cut off, re-weld and repaint locks when changing truck bodies.

The hydraulic reservoir can be mounted in four different places: bulkhead mount or chassis frame mount on either the street side or curbside of the unit. This removes any workaround complications if there are chassis items that could interfere with the reservoir mounting. 

The NXT18 will be the first in a new series to come equipped with electronic controls for more efficient operation of the hooklift. The two-speed operation allows you to slow down the unit for precise control in various situations. And a radio remote control enables you to operate the hooklift from the cab of your truck or standing outside.