TorkLift · Hands-on review
TorkLift GlowStep Stairs and Stow N Go Tailgater Review: We Did It Wrong First So You Do Not Have To
Buy them, but watch our install video first. The GlowSteps are the best upgrade we have made to the camper entry, and the install has a couple of gotchas that will cost you parts and patience if you go in blind.
What we like
- Rock solid on uneven ground, no more wobbly entry
- The glow strips are genuinely useful, not a gimmick, after dark at camp
- Handled a muddy North Idaho spring trip without complaint
- Stow N Go keeps the tailgate step and storage usable with the camper on
What to know going in
- The instructions are hard to follow, plan for a slow first hour
- Our factory bumper step and handrail were in the way until we did a simple hinge modification
- Budget a few extra rivnuts if this is your first rivnut job
TorkLift sent us their GlowStep stairs and the Stow N Go Tailgater to install on our truck camper, and we did what we do best. We figured it out the hard way first, then showed you how to do it right.
Why we wanted real stairs
The factory scissor step situation on a truck camper is fine until it is not: uneven ground, a dark campsite, a dog who beats you to the door every time. We wanted an entry that felt like a staircase instead of a dare, and steps that stay usable with the tailgate.
The install: watch before you drill
This is where the video earns its keep. Two things bit us:
- The factory step and handrail get in the way. Rather than give either one up, Christian worked out a simple hinge modification that keeps the tailgate step and the handrail working alongside the Stow N Go. It is in the video, and it will save you the head scratching.
- The instructions are rough. Between the diagrams and the hardware bags, plan your first hour as a reading hour. And if you have never set rivnuts before, buy extras. We wasted a few learning.
None of this is a dealbreaker. It is a one-afternoon job if you go in knowing the two gotchas above.
Living with them
The glow strips sound like marketing until the first time you come back to camp after dark and the stairs are quietly showing you where to step. On our secret huckleberry trip the steps did hero work in the mud, and they have not loosened or rattled since the day they went on.
Would we buy them again
Yes, without hesitation. The entry into the camper is the thing you touch more than anything else on the rig, and this is the single upgrade that made it feel solid. Watch the install video, do the hinge mod, and enjoy the glow.
Disclosure: TorkLift sent us this product to review. Nobody sees our reviews before they publish, and the opinions here are ours. Some links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.