⚙️ THE BEST FIFTH WHEEL HITCH FOR SHORT BED TRUCKS 🔩 Demco Autoslide Fifth Wheel Hitch vs Pullrite
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2018
- James reviews the best fifth wheel hitch for for short bed trucks. The Demco Hijacker Autoslide 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch, part # DM8550034.
DEMCO HIJACKER HITCH: amzn.to/2HeSLTf
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One of the most popular auto slide hitches is the Pullrite Autoglide, but I believe that the Demco Hijacker is better for a couple reasons, including cost and the lack of need for a capture plate.
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In this video we have an autoslide in a typical application. It's sitting on the demco quick release for the ram fifth wheel prep package. This autoslide will work with the major brands of fifth wheel rails that are out there. This will couple up to your fifth wheel trailer just like any other hitch out there, with a couple exceptions. With the fifth wheel clamped into place, that will enable the autoslide to do it's job. It's designed to work with standard pin boxes twelve inches to fourteen inches wide.
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You do not have to loosen/tighten the top plate rails every time. They just have to be snug. I’ve used this hitch for 3 years now pulling a 38’ toy hauler with no issues at all. The plate rails are just there to force the auto turn to operate. As long as they are snug, you can hookup/unhook without adjusting them. AWESOME hitch!!
Thanks didn't see like it was a requirement
Great video thanks for taking the time to make it!
Thanks so much for featuring our hitch, awesome video!
Do you have to drill holes in your bed?. I have a 2021 ram 2500 limited, and these people want to drill holes in my bed for the rails. I’m not sure exactly what type of hits they are using. But I do have the pucks where all I have to do is slide a normal hitch in. It is a short bed so I do want to get the slider hitch, but I don’t want to drill holes in my bed for bolts.
@@Scoby450f you need a hitch that works with your stock factory prep package and puck system….
Thanks for the review. It helped me choose the Demco which I have been using for a year now to tow my fifth wheel. It works as advertised. As noted in other comments, it is not necessary to adjust the "brackets" each time you hitch up. They only have to be readjusted if you change trailers with different pin box dimensions. RTFM the page on bracket adjustment in the manual. :-)
We are getting ready to make this decision thanks for the video! Love following your family!
Thank you so much guys! What are you guys towing?
will be towing the Grand Design Momentum 398m
Great video James, I have the Demco auto slider and have watched a lot of videos concerning hooking up etc. By far you have been the best. Thanks. FYI, we did have a hitch failure last year when the gear locked up and jamed, while on the road. Demco was very helpful with getting us back on the road by welding the capture in place and being very, very carful getting home it all worked out and Demco shipped a new full slider in a few weeks so really happy with their customer service. Thanks again James, happy travels.
That is good to hear! Well bad that it broke on you, but awesome that they were very helpful when it did!
That was my fear when deciding on a slider hitch. Too many moving parts equals more things that could fail or/and make noise. Went with the B&W slider cuz of that. But this demco sure made a close 2nd, awesome having that piece of mind about t back window. How loud is it?
Loving your reviews ... thanks and stay safe !
You don't have to loosen and re-tighten the capture plates every time you you hook up the same fifth wheel. The plates actually help you "slide in" when your slightly off.
I have the Demco AUTOSLIDE as well with 7500 miles on mine. Never loosened a plate.
Andy Rice: thank you for this information, very helpful. and of course, thank you to the creator of this video, it is VERY helpful.
Same with my Demco -- my capture plates have been locked in place since the day I've had it installed. I almost considered loosening them a couple times as some of the campground spots we've had made it very difficult to get a straight enough line on it.
Excellent demo Video, Got all the info I need, Thank You.
Great hands on review
Just ordered mine thanks for the video
I don’t have a need for a fifth wheel but your post is very cool to see , very well explained and great footage of everything.
Great demo! Thanks for sharing!!
No problem. Hopefully it helped you out in some way!
I’ve had one for two years ago...and love it!!
We are struggling SO BAD with getting our camper off each time. Any pointers?
@@brandithompson1701 it definitely takes a little getting used to. Always have hitch and trailer aligned; and a little trick is to put your front jacks down but only enough to have them firmly on the ground and chalk your tires. Then release the hitch and raise the trailer until you see the tension relax a little from the king pin to hitch. From there you can pull away…hopefully this helps. Has worked for me every time. Good luck Carl
I have used my Demco Autoslide for 4 years. Recently bought a 2021 Sandpiper with a Rhino Box. I had to purchase a capture plate as the newer pin box was narrower and angled. The cost was just a little over $100. Still love my hitch
Very well done.
Not a lot of reviews other than etrailer or Demco. I just purchased the 21k version of this and I love. I’m able to make 90 degree turns in my mega cab. Awesome review. Thanks for sharing.
No problem, thanks Antonio!
I love my Demco autoslide. Never had a problem with it since buying it in 2019
Thanks this helped out
wow it sure is big, but seems smart to get one if you are gonna be towing in tight spaces. very informative video thanks
lol. It is definitely HUGE! But a sacrifice I feel is worth the peace of mind.
Good review. I have one with the Ford prep package and love it. Thanks for sharing. Only downside IMO is it is heavy... so if you need i out of the bed, takes two people unless you have other means (cherry picker, hoist, etc).
Thank you for the information you provided in your video. I’ve always wanted a short bed ram diesel truck but I was skeptical about a sliding hitch.
Great vid! I wish I would of seen this a couple years back ! I have the 21k in my short bed GMC 3500, and I swear by it , hands down the best AUTO SLIDE !! I have to get in a loosen & tighten capture plate bolts every time with a wrench because a few times a bolt would come unsnug and I bent the capture plates , I noticed this hitch does make some more noise then b&w but there are a lot more moving parts on this too. Super heavy but it’s very convent .. Over all I would purchase this hitch again and again!
Demo Hijacker makes for a happy camper in the bed of my pick-em-up truck. I've watched other 5th wheeler's struggle with manual sliders locking and unlocking. I'll sacrifice a bit of space in lieu of comfort and peace of mind.
As for the Anderson, pretty cool and looks easy enough but I'll let others road test the system for a while.
The clamps on the Hijacker needing adjusted each time is a bit of surprise. I'm not sure that would be necessary but I'll stand corrected.
I have the Mor/Ryde pin box so I must use an adapter plate which alleviates the need for the clamps. I leave the clamps wide open so they are available if ever needed.
Trailer pulls like a dream and I can do 90 degrees if needed.
After nearly three million miles of trailer trucking the concrete oceans and asphalt seas, where the hills and valleys where waves to me. I decided to retire and buy a truck and trailer and see the country. Wait...., What?
Thank you. I saw this system on another 5th wheel, and I saw the hitch, rails and the plate removed completely and attached to the pin box.
I was wondering how the pins in the four corners worked. I liked the idea of pulling everything out of the bed, so I could still use the entire box.
Thanks again.
Great video and awesome review on this hitch. I was on the fence between the B&W slider or this one for my 2023 f350 tremor and towing a 2022 momentum 320g toyhauler. You earned a new subscriber today and look forward to watching your future travels. Have fun and be safe out their. Thanks for sharing.
I have a 2018 sprinter fiver with front living room. 37 ft long with 4 slides. i used an old capture plate with my pull rite and had no delays, or issues.
Beast!
i have the pullrite one and have a universal capture plate that i can put on any trailer, used it today on a friends trailer took probably as long to put the capture plate on her trailer as it would for you to adjust those pins, this is a nice system dont get me wrong but they arent as difficult as you think
Two thoughts. I have a Superglide hitch. I noticed I have to be pretty much in a straight line to hook up easily. Any angle makes the hitch want to turn.
#2, get a battery impact wrench to loosen or tighten your bolts. Makes fast work. I use it for my levelers also.
B&W the best 5th wheel hitch and customer service is outstanding,worth every penny.
This was a very good demo of how the slider hooks up as well as it's functionality. Sure wish they had one of these for a big rig back in 1988 when some moron bought short city trucks to haul flatbeds without bulkheads and had bulkheads mounted behind the cab forcing the 5th wheel all the way back. Would have made driving and weight management so much easier. Now I question if the R20 slide for my Q20 hitch is the right choice because it is locked while driving, which means no tight turns!
Hi James, I absolutely love your videos! I am new to fifth wheel hauling and do not even have a hitch yet. One of your videos showed the operation underneath of this Autoslide. Unfortunately, I can't find that video again and would like to see the mechanics. Please let me know which it is so that I can watch again.Thank you!
How often do you move someone elses 5th wheel . Pull Rite Install your capture plate once and your done . No bolts to tighten .My Pull Rite capture plate is adjustable for more than one model of a king pin.. Great Video...Thanks
Please inspect this hitch in between every use!!! I just had to reweld the main shaft to the bottom gear for a customer as it had cracked through the middle of the weld. If the main shaft had pulled through the bottom gear, the hitch would have separated and the trailer would have been lost.
Thank you. We have anew truck ordered and it’s short bed. So we just started searching the needed new hitches. We currently are in travel trailer. We are upgrading to fifth wheel. We have channel too giffordsonthego. Thanks again
I’ve had fifth wheels for 9 years and I’ve never even touched the cab and have been able to 90 all my units with a short bed ford. 06/11/ and now 17 f350
I would think you would drive straight a little bit before tightening those two side pieces so your hitch is more straight and can tighten the sides more
A simple phone call to to Pullrite was all you needed to get the correct capture plate.
Great video, my man. However, way too much work up in the bed of the truck. I pull a 2018 40' Montana 5th wheel using a Reese Sidewinder pin box on the 5th wheel. I have a 2017 RAM 3500 SRW Mega Cab with the Ram Boxes and a 6'4" bed. The pivot point is moved from the top of the hitch back to under the nose of the 5th wheel, while locking the pin box into place so it can't turn inside the bed. I have zero clearance issues, can make 90+ degree turns, and it tows like a dream. Yes, it costs more since I had to purchase the Sidewinder 19K pin box, but this was my only option as my truck has the Ram Boxes which narrow the bed somewhat. I looked at all the slider hitches, and they are way too heavy to remove when needed, plus the standard pin box would hit the insides of the Ram Boxes when turning tightly. I just have a standard Reese Titan 20K hitch which I can lift out when I need access to the full bed of my truck. Please check out the Reese Sidewinder pin box line. It is the perfect option for us guys towing big 5th wheels with Ram Boxes and the 6'4" bed. RAM wouldn't even build my truck with the 5th wheel puck package with the Ram Boxes. I had to have the bed rails installed aftermarket. I proved them wrong with the Reese Sidewinder. Once again, great video.
Phil, I am debating on a sidewinder pin box or an auto slider such as Demco or pullrite. Pullrite put out a video stating that moving the pivot point creates trailer sway but I am not sure if that is true or if they just want to sell their product. Have you notice your trailer wagging?
I have the Pull-Rite and it is true that Pull-Rite does a poor job of informing you about which capture plate you need. I’ve found the universal plate to be a good choice. Once it’s in, it works really well and it’s simple to hook and unhook. Anyway, thanks for the informative video.
That thing is HUGE! Did you look into the Andersen hitch? I love mine! Maybe not now, but in a couple of years even Goose could take it in and out... it only weighs around 30lbs. I had it in my 2016 Ram 2500 Mega cab and worked great. I have a new 2018 Ram 3500 Dually and still use it. There is ZERO noise or chucking. I just did a 2800 mile trip to AZ (remember I told you about the Grand Canyon) and it was perfectly smooth and quiet. It's worth looking into!
Take good care and safe travels!
PS.... 1st!
I haven’t checked it out. Is it a slider. Does it work well with short bed trucks?
The Chick's Life - RV Travel no it's not... It works with a short bed. Do a quick Google search. Won't take you just a few minutes to discover the benefits. Take good care. Tell Goose I said it past her bed time! Haha
We have the Anderson Ultimate 2 Hitch and love it! We have a “short bed” (6’6”) 2016 GMC 3500HD SRW and it works great. I can’t quite get to 90 degrees with our 40’ 2018 Cougar 368MBI but it’s pretty dam close. Probably about 80-85 degrees. I haven’t gotten anywhere that came close to hitting the cab, including the 3 point turn around I have to do to park it in my driveway. It tows fantastic and it’s SO easy to take out and put back.
Anderson the way to go, Aluminum rated at 26000 lbs weighs 26 lbs, pull the release and remove it. This unit is old school technology. New 5ith wheel front caps are designed for short beds with the rounded corners.
I couldn't wait to get this bulky hitch out of my truck...anderson fifth wheel is so awesome!
Short story. First time I went to move my 5th wheel with my Ford F350 short bed the camper came through the back window. $1,000 lesson. Now I have a long bed. (Didn't know about auto sliders.)
Great video! Was wondering what the distance is from the back side of the hitch to the front of the bed. Wondering if there is room for a toolbox (even if only a slim one) since I have the same truck.
Definitely room for a small box. I tow our fifth wheel with a little TTR 50 dirt bike up there, so a slim box should fit no problem.
Hello, the tutorial was very good, how much is the measure of the drawer you used? Thanks
I have the Demco auto slider and I never have to adjust the pin box plate. Just give them a bout 1/4 in clearance on each side and you are done. One more thing is if you unhook at a angle you can take a pry bar on the gear teeth to put it back straight.
How does this work if you’re backing up? It still slides it backwards?
Excellent video but don't understand backing bolts out for pin box every
Great video. What size truck are you in? What is weight of fifth wheel?
Thank you for the awesome video I've got a question do you have to back up completely straight to the trailer in order for it to lock in properly I heard that's also a down fault with the auto slides for an example if you get into a tight spot and you need to drop your fifth wheel but your truck is on a 45 degree angle can you still unhook and hook to the trailer thank you
Loosening the bolts like he did gives you more room to latch if you are on an angle, much the same as if it were and open plate 5th. It still have limitations on how acute the angle can be, but the adjustable wedges do allow for it.
Why did you end up choosing this in comparison to a Pullrite 2315?
Nice video. Can you fit a Travel Trekker 50 Gallon Auxiliary Fuel Bed Tank in front of the slide? They are about 17.5" wide.
Just buy a pull rite there is a universal capture plate fits all trailers. Very nice, no need to have to adjust every time you hook up and un hook from your trailer
You don’t have to adjust each time like this guy did.
I'll just stick with a sidewinder less moving parts to wear out, and just as effective. With the lack of lubrication parts will wear out at a quicker pace.
Would you be able to tell me the distance from the back of the cab to the hitch? Thinking of a fuel tank in front of the hitch if it will fit. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the review, you did a good job explaining the operation……..You need to get in the bed and loosen/ adjust the “capture clamps” EVERYTIME you hook up????
Much rather use the capture plate other brands use….besides who needs more than one capture plate? Most only tow one RV….
Yeah….no thanks….
New to the rv life ..does the auto sliders slide when backing up? Haven't found a video with them backing into a spot just curious
Would i need a 5th wheel extension then for for my camper if i have this hitch?
I have the same hitch and I don't readjust nothing after it was set up first time you just have to line up you hitch plate to get it between the bars losing would allow you to be off A Little as you back in to hitch
I just had one of these installed today. I too have a 2018 Dodge Ram with the PUCK System. Is it possible to put 4 small padlocks in the quick releases of the corners to keep someone from ripping it off? I realize it's heavy, but a thief who knows how much these things are worth might be tempted. Just a thought.
It’s definitely possible. But you could probably just use a heavy duty lock on one of the four corners and be good!
Do you have a video of the installation
We are brand new at this but have a fifth wheel that family has always hauled for us. We want to haul it ourselves but have a 5.5' short bed Chevy with nothing in it. When we buy the Demco autoslide I'm sure we'll need rails and then need to find someone to install. Can you fill me in with rail details...and will a shop install it if we buy everything ourselves?
Does it or will it slide when your backing up a sharp corner?
Do you need yo use grease on the plate?
Will it stay back when backing up
Hey I’m struggling figuring out how to loosen/tighten the bolts onto the pin box. I can’t loosen mine by hand after install. But I also can’t loosen it with pliers and no metric thing is big enough.
I just used a large crescent wrench.
Heavy duty springs would fix that problem of having to mess with the bolts every time you want to hook up your trailer
Not sure if you have fixed it since this video. You do not want your breakaway cable wrapped around the electrical connection like that. The goal of that cable is to remove the plug and short those 2 wires together if your trailer comes away from your tow rig while driving. Once that pin gets pulled out it applies a full 12v to the trailer brakes. If those wires get cut they are not going to apply power to the brakes.
Do you need to lube or Greece the moving gears on a Demco? I hope you see this, I can’t find it anywhere on the web.
We never did for the 1 1/2 years we towed with it all around the country.
Great review. Question on the hijacker. How much of an angle are you able to hook up. The manufacturer says 15 degrees or less.
The straighter you are the easier it is. But basically the more you loosen the bolts the greater degree of angle you can back in.
Could you do 30 degrees with rails loose. Some pull thru site are semi circles. Impossible to be straight. Thanks.
@@brucew1592 i am thinking and wondering if it is possible to rotate the plate as you get close to your trailer when you are on an angle to get an extra few degrees.?
I have 2flags on magnets and one on the 5th wheel hitch and one on the pin box annd line them up easy easy
What's the weight of the hitch itself?
Flexibility indeed but it's way too heavy and takes too much space in your bed..Reese Sidewinder...does great!
You probably won't see the message, but were New to your channel, just subscribed, and shared with a few friends. Great Video! I am looking for a good Fifth hitch for my Dodge Ram 1500 eco-Diesel don't know to much about fifth hitches, About to do this camping RV thing as well, Im a Amazon seller and taking this to the open road. Would love to pick your brain, lol and chance to to get a hold of you a better way than youtube. haaaa
When are the requirements for Towing a fifth wheel do you need a special license or permit
no u do not
I have a short bed ram with a conventional 5th hitch and I’m never close to hitting my back window.
Sergio Perez Your day is coming.
Terry Waters I doubt it very much. I’ve been pulling for the past 10 yrs. I think It’s just the experience we both have in difference.
How long is the box
Does this hitch cam over and auto slide while in reverse as well?
Yes, it is completely independent regardless of what direction you go. Safe towing!
Great hitch, but very heavy to lift and remove from bed. Need two people to lift or make a hoist device.
Check out the Anderson hitches , much easier and only 35 or 45 lbs depending on the one you choose and half the price .
Go long box truck and Reese Goose Box. Then you have plenty of room in the bed of your truck for tools and kids dirt bikes. Just my 2Cs from 35 years of experience.😉
You don't need to loosen the bolts.. you just have to make sure you are straight
True. If you are perfectly straight on and dead center you don't have to. But I had gotten it jammed soany times I found it so much easier to loosen the bolts a half inch or so.
Don't loosen mine either - the bolts are in the same spot I originally put them in. Haven't jammed, but not saying it couldn't happen.
Your truck 2500 r 3500 gcvw , TRAILER pin weight
Do you use a fifth wheel lube plate with it?
Tony Pritchett no, the king pin does not rotate.
Are you still using this hitch ? Thansk
Not all comments about a capture plate true in this video Some trailer will require a plate to prevent movement Do the research !!!!!!!
If your pulling a goose neck that catch plate doesn’t apply
Cough sidewinder
Too big and heavy. OMG thats so 1985!
Try the Anderson Ultimate 5th wheel hitch. Lightest and strongest you can get.
I've been contemplating that switch also. Want to sell the demco first.
But they are fixed not a slider!
I have this and it's ridiculously heavy especially with the picture frame adapter. Might be going to the anderson ultimate.
True! It is massive and very heavy! The idea of having a hitch weighing less than 40lbs is very appealing! But, we just wanted to make sure that we had more than enough clearance with our short bed as well as storing a dirt bike between the cab and the trailer.
Getting to be an aged video, but I was wondering how backing this hitch compared to reports of sloppiness with the Pullrite.
Did you do research on greasing the king pin? Yes, king pins take grease. You are wearing both your king pin and hitch jaws.
A short bed seems like a huge hassle. Why not just get a regular bed?
Availability, price, difficulty finding a parking spot, etc.
Short beds are just more convenient. A long bed gets things done without additional equipment, for sure, but I definitely would never consider it to be more convenient for any sort of regular use.
Allen Klingsporn- lol, more convenient? You have to get special and more expensive equipment to use it, so many items won’t fit in it, you loose weight capacity. I’m sure there’s other things I’m missing, but those are the big ones.
Admit it, it’s only for looks. You guys go through all this because you feel it looks better with a short bed or your old lady does and she made you buy it.
When guys bought trucks back in the day, they bought them for practicality and reliability. Sure, looks were involved, but wasn’t the highest priority.
Nowadays, guys don’t use trucks for work. That’s why they are all shinny and there isn’t a scratch in the bed. Pavement princesses, just like their princess owners.
@@mikemiller9119
Why are you worried about what other people bought? There are plenty of reasons why people buy short bed trucks, many do so it fits easier in their garage, they look better, they have a tighter turning radius... same with the diesel vs gas, you have your opinion, and maybe someone else has a different opinion. It's their money, dont worry about it.
...and its LOSE, not LOOSE. :)
@@gregb5494 why would you be worried about what I tell people? Everyone has their own ideas and opinions and it doesn’t make sense that you take time out of your day to make a statement about it on CZcams.
Are you lonely and need someone to talk to?
@@mikemiller9119
Yep, just what I thought... you're just another CZcams troll.
Those glasses ...
That’s a bad spot for the brake cable. It NEEDS to be attached to the truck, not the hitch.
And, you should have the trailer a little lower to hitch. You want the hitch to take a little weight as you back under it.
That behemoth is way too large! Not to mention the ridiculous amount of weight it adds to the payload. I'll take my B&W 18K Patriot slider hitch all day long!
The best and Safest thing to do if you are considering towing a 5th wheel.
First trade in your little short Pickup and buy a Full size Truck 😲🤣
A Duelly is the safest for larger trailers as well 👍
That way you have bed space and don't need all that Mechanical Crap that's going to fail and cause an accident on the highway ⚠️💀☠
You can't enjoy your travels if you're dead or in prison for killing someone else when all that crap comes apart at 50-60mph😉
😂😂😂
8:02 springs solves the trouble...
Your not supposed to loosen the side plates! You set them and leave unless towing different unit.
If you loosen them it increases the ease of hooking up. But no you do not have too.
Too complicated....the pullrite is the very best option...get a universal capture plate...I'll stick with pullrite..still lots of adjusting with that hitch
I can't listen to any man wearing open toe shoes and is not in water