Abstract: A telescoping gripping and lift assembly for use with a flat bed truck or the like includes a pair of gripper arms, each of which is attached to a transverse lift housing which, in turn, is pivotably attached to the rear of the flat bed. Each of the gripper arms is telescopically extendable relative to a respective opposing end of the lift housing between grip and release positions via a pressure equalizing gripping piston & cylinder unit positioned within the lift housing. In addition, each of the gripper arms is a two part construction with an outer sleeve encompassing an inner sleeve and with a respective hydraulic telescoping cylinder selectively extending and retracting the larger outer sleeve relative to the smaller inner sleeve.