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This hitch slides automatically as you drive to give you 14" 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.
Most often used on trucks with 6-1/2' beds, 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 14" 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 base of the Autoslide has a built-in rack-and-pinion gear system that operates automatically. As your truck turns, the pinion in the base also turns. This activates the rack gear, which causes the rotational force of the truck to be converted into the linear sliding action of the hitch. So, when your truck makes a sharp, slow-speed turn, the gears inside the Autoslide force 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 rack-and-pinion assembly to function as designed, the pin box must be stabilized on the hitch head. Normally in a fifth-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. This is done to ensure that there is enough resistance within the hitch when your truck turns to properly activate the rack-and-pinion gear mechanism.
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, 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.
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.
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 universal above-bed base rails (sold separately) . The hitch will fit most industry-standard rails, including those from B&W, Curt, Demco, Draw-Tite, Hidden Hitch, Husky, Reese, and Valley. 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 your 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 (14")
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" + 14" = 50". If your fifth-wheel trailer is 84" wide, take half (42"), then plug in: 50" - 42" = 8" of clearance.
Note: At least 4 inches of clearance is recommended to safely execute a 90-degree turn.
Alternate Instructions
Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (596 Customer Reviews)
This hitch slides automatically as you drive to give you 14" 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.
This review is for the Demco Autoslide 21k and accompanying OEM rail adaptor I purchased for a 2020 Ram 3500 Megacab DRW. I've owned it one year. Overall, the hitch performs as I expected. It is high quality, very sturdy and seems like it will last for a long time. I had it installed at the dealer when I purchased the truck. It automatically slides to protect the cab in my 6'4" bed without any incidents. I tow a standard fifth wheel RV. There are a few negatives, which are not necessarily shortcoming of the product but, instead, necessary evils to allow me to have a short bed. First, it is BIG and BULKY. I believe this is just a function of the mechanism required to allow the autosliding feature and I am not really sure there are any other lighter alternatives with this feature. The fact it requires two parts (OEM Puck Rail and hitch), make it even more bulky. It takes up almost the entire bed and prevents most auxillary tank / tool box combos from fitting. Even standard size storage bins will not fit in my bed. I would prefer if they had a custom OEM all-in-one hitch for my truck like they do for the Ford. It adds significant weight, which decreases carrying capacity, which can be at a premium in hauling a heavy fifth wheel. I've never even tried to take it out of the bed due to the weight and difficulty. I also am not very happy with the adjustable catch plate design. It requires significant manipulation loosening and tightening 8 nuts when hitching and unhitching. This requires a step ladder to reach the nuts. I also found out after the fact that it does not come with the right size catch plate attachments for my hitch and I had to purchase a separate part, which added unexpected expense and delayed my taking the RV on its first trip. Overall, I am satisfied with the hitch.
This is a quality piece of equipment. I can't wait to use it. The installation directions were complete and easy to follow. Looks fantastic.
I have not received the Autoslide trailer hitch only the locking plate.
When will I get the hitch??
I wish the place I bought my camper would have recommended this from the start. Makes owning a 5th wheel so much easier!
We received the hitch in great shape. The boxes were in very good shape. The only problem was a missing polyurethane dampener that was’t included. I called and received great service from etrailer. I have had a demco autoslide for several years but it was an 18000 pound hitch and went to a 21000 pound hitch. They are the best hitch for a shortened truck on the market
Great hitch. No capture plate to deal with, you can hook up to any 5th wheel. No more greasy pin box. No more watching the mirror wondering if your going to hit and damage the cab of your truck. Works perfectly. Built solid, though I did purchase the 21K for a 15K 5th wheel. Easy to lube. The only drawback I had was that it sat just a little bit high in the truck even on the lowest mounting holes. If you are thinking of purchasing this you may want to take some measurements first. I have an 08' F350 SD with air springs so it does set high. Before I bought it I called the factory (easy to reach and eager to help) and asked them, among other things," if the hitch broke, could I easily get parts for it?" They replied that if you need parts we will get them to you wherever you are. Overall I think this is the best hitch on the market.
Joe W.
10/26/2018
After about 6000 miles the hitch developed some fore and aft movement. After another 2000 miles it seemed to be excessive with a loud clunk when stopping and starting. Yes, I do grease it as per instructions before each trip. I called Demco and told them the problem and they sent me the parts I needed at no charge since it was under warranty. Since I had the mechanical ability I disassembled, diagnosed and repaired it myself. I thought later on that I should have been compensated something for my time only because if I took it to a dealer they would have charged for labor. Just a suggestion, there needs to be an easier way to lubricate this hitch rather than removing the large pivot pin and also the large pivot bolt and greasing them by hand. Some well placed grease fittings would make this job a lot easier and cleaner, especially when on the road. Also, the hitch owner would be far more inclined to do it. Other than that the hitch has performed great and I am very happy with it. Thanks.
Works great except life would be so much simpler if they had a hole drilled on each side to remove the lock pins that are below it in the mounting plate to be able to remove the unit from the truck.
Jon G.
7/30/2021
Thank you for the review! While I do see where a hole in the mounting bracket would make this easier to remove with your Adapter Plate # DM6333, a solid bracket in this instance is much better for strength, especially considering this hitch is designed around the universal rails for trucks.
Best 5th wheel hitch ever for a RAM 3500 mega cab.
No issues with the RV coming close to the back of the cab or back glass.
I would recommend this hitch to anyone searching for a 5th wheel hitch for a Ram mega cab, I wish I knew about it when I first purchased my Ram mega cab, I learned the hard way, after busting out my back glass...and trying several hitches. This hitch is truly an autoslide. I have showed several short bed guys this hitch and told them the cost of the 5th wheel hitch is worth it.... It is top of the line. This will be the last 5th wheel hitch I will ever need to purchase.
I had trouble with this hitch at first. I could not get it to close and latch properly when I backed into the king pin. I worked with tech services and ended up replacing the inner pivot parts and I have really not had any issues since. Because I have to have the locking plate for my pin box, you do have to line up the truck just right for it to latch properly, but once you figure that out, it is easy. The auto slide feature works really good. I have a short bed RAM truck and I have completely turned 90 degrees with my trailer attached and it slides back with no issues to miss my cab. I highly recommend this hitch. Also the Demco Tech Services guys are great to work with.
If you have to have a slider this is the one to buy. I’ve now driven with it about 5000 miles..the only down side is that you have to hook and unhook with the truck perfectly straight in line with the trailer. But it does work perfectly as advertised.
Richard
6/5/2019
Great, customer service with [Demco Representative] could not be any better..he knows this hitch like the back of his hand . I would buy another just because of him.
It works really well. It is really nice not to worry about the 5th wheel trailer clearance when making tight turns. We pulled the rig several hundred miles last summer and at least 3000 more since January with no issues.
Also I used the height adjustment feature when setting up my trailer.
When I received the shipment I was impressed by how well it was packed. It would have been nice to had had help, but I was able to assemble and mount it myself. The instructions were good, and as I said, we have had no issues during our first snowbird season.
This is an initial impression review. The hitch was delivered on a pallet and arrived earlier than expected. Everything was well packaged with all associated hardware. This hitch was mounted on Reese Quick-Install Custom Outboard Installation Kit w/ Base Rails for 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches ( in the bed of a 2007 Dodge Mega Cab 3500. Overall it appears to be well constructed, unfortunately, I did have issues with bolting the hitch adapters to the hitch. The hardware is either grade 3 or 5 (looks like 5) and did not torque well. I had one bolt that stretched and sheared before I reached the torque spec (photo attached). I'm not sure if this was designed to use the weaker hardware or a business decision, however, all eight bolts were replaced with grade 8. I do look forward to utilizing this hitch in a few months. I would at photos, however it appears that I can't.
Very happy with the product. The only draw back is the weight. Can't be loaded/unloaded by one person.
A good cross-sell opportunity is to offer a tool for removal.
When I first got it, it didn't fit the truck. Support team was helpful and responsive. It seemed to be due to the bed spray. I was able to get it to mount perfectly by loosening a bolt under the truck, and then smoothing the edges of the locks in the rails.
Pretty pathetic service from etrailer. Order place on Aug 25th with ETA of the following Friday (1o days). But nope, I wait. It finally (and supposedly ships) on Sept 7th (13 days later). On Sept 14th I received a confirmation that my items were delivered, but nope. Not to my house anyway. Avoid these folks if you want something to arrive when they say it will arrive.
Brooke M.
9/23/2021
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Our customer service team should be reaching out to you in the near future.
thanks to Greg S. he helped me a lot in choosing and answering all my questions
Really like this hitch. Two things I don't like however, are 1) you need to backup almost perfectly the way you unhooked or it's a bear to hitch backup. 2) I don't like the bolts for the pinbox. Wish there was a quicker alternative. Hate getting a wrench out to tighten and losen.
great product i love it etrailer support was great. I had a question called the manufacture they have great service too. Best part is its MADE IN THE USA in Iowa.
The hitch and adaptor arrived in three days. Everything went together fairly easy considering I had just torn my rotator cuff a week earlier and my helper never showed up. Definitely would have been easier with two people. Had planned a trip next week to Yellowstone National Park but will have to wait until after surgery. Will do a follow up review after I am able to see how well auto slide works. Great customer service!
Good hitch but very heavy and hard to maneuver
If that's not an issue it works perfect
Don't have to worry about turning with 6,4 bed
Etrailer great job shipping , etc
Purchased a heavier 5th wheel so this one replaced my pull rite. No more capture plate to deal with. Very happy with this hitch.
Worked good but a lot of adjustments. They sent the wrong capture plates. Demco customer support was great.
Sierra K.
9/1/2021
In the description it says locking plates, sold separately, are required for the Rota-Flex Pin box that you have. Item # DM6171
The hitch works perfectly
Had a set back on the shipment, but the service and responded was some of the best I've ran across. The equipment came before the give delivery date. Everything was in great condition, good communication.
Very well made easy to install with another person would buy again
i really love it
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Darrel
1/17/2023
I firmly believe that every fifth sold should have one of these hitches. It is a job getting it in and out of truck but I feel better knowing its not going to let my trailer damage my truck.