Best 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch for a 2017 Ram 1500 with 5-1/2 Foot Bed  

Question:

Expert Reply:

You are correct, the Demco Hijacker Autoslide 5th Wheel Hitch part # DM8550022 (18K) will not provide enough turning clearance for the 5-1/2' bed on your 2017 Ram 1500. Your best option to obtain the needed turning clearance would be to use the Demco Hijacker Autoslide 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part # DM8550040 (13K) which provides up to 22-1/2" of front to back travel compared to the 14" of the 13K. You will also need the install kit part # DM8552030-71 to install the Hijacker in your Ram.

In order to determine if the 22-1/2" of travel the 13K hitch has will be sufficient for your truck/trailer, you will need to do a bit of measuring. You can use the formula I have listed below to determine turning clearance. Please note that these figures can also be affected by the design of the nose on your trailer and whether or not it is tapered.

(A +/- B) - C = Clearance

A = Distance from center of rear axle to truck cab

B = Travel of a sliding fifth wheel hitch

C = Width of trailer divided by 2 (to get half)

For example: If the distance from the center of the axle to the cab is 36 inches and the sliding fifth wheel hitch has 12 inches of travel, 36 inches + 12 inches = 48 inches. If your fifth wheel trailer is 96 inches wide, take half (48 inches), then plug in: 48 - 48 = 0 inches of clearance.

The hitch can be removed but weighing in at 426 lbs, this is not an easy task. Instead, I recommend just purchasing the cover part # DM14844 to protect the head while not in use.

expert reply by: Conner L

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