Hitch slides automatically as you drive to give you 22-1/2" of additional clearance for tight turns. A wraparound jaw provides a smooth ride and a locking bar offers added security. Pivoting head allows easy hook up and helps to limit chucking.
Features:
Specs:
Note: This fifth-wheel trailer hitch is not compatible with Sidewinder or Revolution king pins. Do not use any device that changes the pivot point of your trailer's king pin with this hitch.
Automatic Slider Makes Cornering Easy
A slider helps to eliminate clearance problems during slow-speed turns. When you are towing a fifth-wheel trailer, your hitch must be situated on the cab side of your truck's rear axle. However, at slow speeds you can use a slider to slide the fifth-wheel hitch (and the trailer) toward your truck's tailgate and past the rear axle, creating enough space between the cab of your truck and the trailer to permit less-restricted turning.
Normally, you'd have to get out of your truck and pull a lever to release the slider before every turn, but what if there was an automatic system? Imagine having 22-1/2" of extra clearance while towing your fifth-wheel trailer. Now imagine having this without needing get out of the truck to move your slider. The Demco Autoslide makes this fantasy a reality. The Autoslide automatically glides back smoothly when you make a sharp turn so you can maneuver effortlessly around tight corners within campsites and parking lots.
The Autoslide has a built-in roller-and-guide assembly that allows for smooth, controlled, and automatic movement. As your truck turns, this assembly also turns. When the assembly turns, an arm in the base of the hitch moves down 1 of 2 tracks in the interior of the base. This action causes the head to be pushed down one of the exterior tracks in the base. So, when your truck makes a sharp, slow-speed turn, the roller-and guide assembly inside the Autoslide forces the hitch head to slide down toward your truck's tailgate in a smooth, controlled motion. This way, any time that your truck turns more than 10 to 15 degrees, the Autoslide will ensure that there is enough clearance for your trailer to complete the turn as well, and it will do so without any jerking or binding.
In order for the roller-and-guide assembly to function as designed, the pin box must be stabilized on the hitch head. Normally in a 5th-wheel hitch, the king pin moves inside of the hitch head so that the trailer can turn. With the Autoslide, the king pin remains fixed inside of the jaws of the hitch and it is the hitch head itself that turns. This is thanks to the capture brackets on the sides of the head that brace the pin box from both sides to hold it in place on top of the hitch head.
To stabilize your pin box on the hitch head, simply push the capture brackets up against your pin box once the trailer is coupled and tighten the outer bolts and the inner jam nuts. The Autoslide head and brackets will fit standard pin boxes that are between 12" and 14" wide. If you have a Glide Ride, Mor Ryde, Trailair Tri Glide, Rota Flex, Lippert Road Armor, or 5th Airborne pin box, you must install a special locking plate (sold separately) as well.
When you straighten your rig out again and your trailer moves back in line, the hitch head will rotate back to center and slide back toward the cab into the straight towing position.
Secure Wraparound Jaw with Locking Bar
The single-piece, strong wraparound jaw completely surrounds your trailer's king pin for 360 degrees of contact. This wraparound jaw provides a more secure connection than standard 2-piece jaws that close in on the king pin from the sides. The increased jaw-to-king-pin contact on the Autoslide offers tighter tolerances around the king pin, which minimizes both rattle and chucking, for a smooth, quiet ride.
A 3/4" solid steel locking bar spans the area in front of the jaw. This bar provides an added barrier of protection against accidental disconnection so you can have peace of mind that your trailer is secure. The locking bar is attached to the jaw and to the spring-loaded handle. The bar automatically locks when the jaw closes around your king pin.
Double-Pivot, Cushioned Hitch Head
The double pivoting, cushioned head improves your towing experience dramatically by helping to reduce jarring and unwanted noise. Built-in pins allow the hitch head to pivot back and forth and side to side. And hooking up is easy because the hitch head will automatically pivot to the proper angle when it comes into contact with your pin box.
Three polyurethane dampeners help to cushion the movement from the pivoting head and to reduce towing noise. Two of these dampeners are built into the head assembly to cushion the head's side-to-side pivoting. The third dampener cushions the back-and-forth motion and must be installed in the hitch prior to use. Installation of this third dampener is easy - simply press the dampener up into the pre-drilled hole underneath the hitch head.
Easy Installation
The Autoslide hitch is designed to attach to the included industry-standard base rails, which install in your truck bed and anchor to your vehicle's frame with the included custom brackets. The hitch comes pre-assembled for an easy installation. All you have to do is bolt on the side plates and attach the head to the hitch base.
The side plates have 2 functions. They contain the feet that fit into the above-bed rails, and they allow you to raise or lower the hitch head to better match your pin box height. After you choose your desired height setting, simply bolt the side plates to the hitch base with the included hardware. Then attach the base to the rails with the included safety pins.
Clearance Formula for Short Bed Trucks
Use the formula below to ensure there will be enough space between your truck cab and trailer when executing a 90-degree turn.
(A+B) - C = Clearance
A = Distance from the center of fifth-wheel hitch jaw to truck cab
B = Length of Travel (22-1/2")
C = Width of trailer divided by 2 (to get half)
For example: If the distance from the center of the hitch to the cab is 36", 36" + 22" = 58". If your fifth-wheel trailer is 102" wide, take half (51"), then plug in: 58" - 51" = 7" of clearance.
Note: At least 4 inches of clearance is recommended to safely execute a 90-degree turn.
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Jeff Hello, everybody. This is Jeff at etrailer.com. Today, we're gonna take a look at the replacement side plates for the Demco Hijacker Autoslide above bed mount fifth wheel trailer hitches. Now these will replace the side plates that came standard on your Demco Hijacker Autoslide above bed fifth wheel trailer hitches. It is designed to fit the Demco 13,000 pound, part number D-M-8-5-5-0-0-4-0 model. Fits the 18,000 model, part number D-M-8-5-5-0-0-3-4.
And it also fits the Demco 21,000 pound model, D-M-8-5-5-0-0-3-5. All three of those models we do sell separately on our website. Now when these side plates are attached to your Autoslide assembly it'll allow you to install your fifth wheel hitch in to your universal above bed base rails. These are a simple bolt on installation tier hitch base. You can see it does have multiple rows of bolt holes.
And the reason they do that is it let's you adjust your hitch height that you need for your application. It'll give you three different hitch height settings. Either 15 1/4 inches, 16 1/2 inches, or 18 inches. And the hitch height is critical because you wanna be able when you're towing your fifth wheel to be as level as possible. And the hitch height is always measured from the bottom of the truck bed to the top of the hitch head.
Now the finish on these, they have a nice rust resistant black powder coat finish on them. It is a steel construction. Does include everything shown here. Includes all the mounting hardware. All the pins and clips that'll attach it to your base rails.
And the nice set of instructions that'll describe how these install. And how it operates. But that should do it for your review on the replacement side plates for the Demco Hijacker Autoslide above bed mount fifth wheel trailer hitches..
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (633 Customer Reviews)
Hitch slides automatically as you drive to give you 22-1/2" of additional clearance for tight turns. A wraparound jaw provides a smooth ride and a locking bar offers added security. Pivoting head allows easy hook up and helps to limit chucking.Just installed. Fit perfect and e-trailer video instruction were very helpful.
Awesome on-line company. Correct product was sent for our truck and sales staff was easy to work with! Highly recommend this company!
Wow, where to begin. I can't imagine towing a 5th wheel trailer in a shorter bed truck without an autoslide setup. After the initial install I noted on the 2nd(?) trip a clunking noise during acceleration after a stop - a couple emails back and forth with Demco support, as well as a quick phone call, and it was all sorted out (user error) with no further issues - Thank you Demco!
I tow a short & light Jayco 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton shortbed and having the ability to drive, turn, and park the camper without having to get out of the truck to manually engage or disengage a slide on the hitch has made for much more relaxing weekends away. The Hijacker autoslide gives PLENTY of space between the camper and cab and I've never had to worry, but I did my homework and ran the numbers well before I purchased my hitch so I wasn't surprised.
I would say the only downside for me would be the weight and bulkiness of the hitch. Not having the means to easily remove and store it between trips, the hitch is forced to live in the bed of the truck right now, but I did know about the weight going into the purchase.
All in all, for the peace of mind the Demco autoslide gives me, I'd spend the money all over again.
Out of the box I was slightly disappointed to see there was no paper or anything between the rails. The ends of the rails from shipping and the entire second rail was scuffed. Second was the spacing between the rail an bed. It gives a plastic box spacer and a shim. There was still enough gap that I has to also add another spacer washer otherwise the bed would be gouged/bent when tightening. This was easy to come up with but sad I had to source my own pieces when I ordered the "premier" and "custom" install kit. Third was the cheesy vinyl backing to prevent the galvanic corrosion. I was installing in an unheated garage so it wouldn't stick. Took the rails and shims inside to warm up but after going back outside to poke holes a center the shims the vinyl shattered and broke all apart in the cold. Lastly since I got the rails well before the hitch is going to show up (freight for the hitch) I tried installing the rails. One bolts to the bed holes which was easy. Second you need to drill holes but there is no template. They reference a picture of the template in the manual and taping the template 27" from the back. But it is not included. And since they don't provide measurements I could not get the second rail installed. Most videos show using the hitch as the measuring device but since the rails are universal why not give measurements. I am sure this rail kit will do its job as it is very heavy duty, I just give it three stars since I have a half installed scuffed rail kit.
Hitch works great, my truck has a 5’7” box, I can back up turning 90 degrees if I need to. It’s very important that your pretty straight when you unhook or you can’t hookup. You have to be more accurate when hookup. The first few times it seemed like it was going to be a hassle, you just have to pay a little more attention. Hitch is worth it
Your team was very helpful getting me the hitch that I needed, and it arrived a little sooner than expected. In fact my truck is still in the repair shop for the damage caused by the other hitch, so I have not installed the new one as of yet.
Thanks for all your help.
Everyone that I spoke to on the phone were very helpful. I haven't hooked up my hitch yet but I like what I see so far.
My f150 is hybrid and the only issue I had one of the bolts had to install facing up
everything i have bought i am very happy with and will buy again.
Good product, everything I needed for easy install.
This hitch has worked great for the last year. I can put the truck a full 90 degrees to the camper with no issues on my standard bed (6'8") truck. I never have to worry about taking out my back window either going forward in tight turns or backing up. The only negative is the weight of the hitch. I use an electric hoist to take the hitch in and out of my truck. Very quick and easy with the OEM puck system. The guys at Etrailer were great to work with. Best price I could find and delivery was quick and easy.
Seems to be built very well, and installation was fairly easy considering the size and weight. Won’t know how it travels until I get the RV in the Spring….we shall see! In my particular case, I had to use spacer washers between one of the brackets and the hitch so it wouldn’t jam in the truck mounts but no big deal.
I’ve also figured out a way to “store” the hitch for the winter.
Worked out great. I used the hitch for my camper right after I installed it. However, I did break one of the bolts when installing it, which is OK. I just switched to grade 8 bolts which is better anyways. I love the fact that Demco hitch unlocks when you pull the lever regardless of weight on it. Compared to my previous Mopar hitch you had to get at the right weight pressure to unlock it.
The new lower base for the Demco hitch arrived on Tuesday via Freight it was a great interaction the driver I actually knew from a previous delivery, me and a friend were able to lift the old one out of the bed of my truck and install the new one today and all I have to say is...
PERFECT FIT!
It appears that Demco has already redesigned the lower base compared to my original one to prevent this problem from happening again. I was actually kind of shocked to see that upgrade and change.
I cannot say enough good words about you with etrailer and Demco working with me to get this problem solvedm Yes it took a little bit of work, ultimately this time we got it. I cannot thank you guys enough.
My friend and I will be finalizing the installation and getting it locked down to the bed with a few custom spacers for the lower rails this weekend.
Here are a few pictures of the installation resuming. If I remember , when I finally pick up my new camper, I'll send some pictures along too. Have to give credit where credit is due . Not sure of you have a customer wall at HQ. I know we had one in my old shop.
Anyway.. thank you again .
Has to do a little assembly, really easy. Tows super nice, when turning does move towards the back. You’ll need to adjust the guides for the fifth wheel.
Do you have a question about this 5th Wheel Hitch?
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