Comparing Demco 5th Wheel Auto Slide Hitches 21K DM8550038 and 18K DM8550024

Question:

I am interested in the Demco Hijacker Mod: DM8550038 and/or the DM8550024 as I have a 2015 Ford F-350 with the factory installed 5th wheel kit. My questions are: 1. Will both of these hitches just attach to the pre-installed rails on my Ford truck? 2. Do these hitches have any kind of suspression system to aleviate any of the bumping, bouncing encountered during towing? 3. I am somewhat concerned with the two bolt plate at the rear of the hitch that has to bear the weight of the trailer when the hitch is slide to the rear - it looks very flimsy to me and the flange on the hitch looks like it will bend over time. Thank you for your time.

asked by: Wylie D

Helpful Expert Reply:

Demco 5th wheel hitches # DM8550038 and # DM8550024 are both confirmed fits for your 2015 Ford F-350 with the factory installed 5th wheel kit. Both are drop-in installations and both hitches include the automatic slider feature and a generous 14-inches of front-to-back travel for excellent turning clearance. The Demco hitches do include cushioning in the form of polyurethane dampeners that work to reduce noise and shocks from road surfaces.

Construction of the Demco hitches is quite beefy; the shipping weights of # DM8550024 (289-lbs) and # DM8550038 (321-lbs) give you a good indication of their build quality. Other similarly-rated hitches can use substantially lighter construction. My contact at Demco said that the outrigger bar you referred to is there for stability rather than weight bearing. Since it only comes into play when you're making those 90-degree turns you do not need to worry about its load-bearing capacity.

If you need wiring harness you can use Demco part # DM8555002.