Lifting my 5th wheel hitch

[JOHN_LAURA]

As I have posted earlier, we have moved up to a Grand Design 5th wheel and a new Ram 2500 CTD. I talked the DW into letting me get the B&W Companion sliding hitch that fits in the factory puck system. I am trying to come up with a way to lift this in and out of the Ram's bed. Has anyone ever tried a engine lift to do this? Harbor Freight has them for Under $180.00, for a 2 ton. I don't have any trees to wench from. Just trying to see if anyone has tried it. Thanks

[agesilaus]

Here is what I did, I built a table out of 2x4 lumber that was the height of the tail gate. Then I can just slide the hitch on and off the truck bed with little problem. They are heavy to pick up but slide fairly easily. Make sure the table is stout with cross braces to hold the weight

Oh yeah this is best a two person operation, one behind the table to keep it next to the tailgate, the other doing the sliding. Unless you build a massive table, I used some plastic deck grating (I had on hand) as the top but you could use a couple of 2x4 across the top, it does not need to be solid, better not to keep the rain off it.

[Old-Biscuit]

X3 on using 5th wheel

[RobWNY]

I bought an electric winch from Amazon and attached it to an eye bolt I installed in my garage rafters. I back in, wrap tow straps around the hitch, attach those to the winch and lift it up. Then I pull the truck out, lower the hitch onto a harborfreight wood dolly and roll it to where it's kept. Reverse the procedure to put it back in the truck.

[Western_Sky_Ran]

Same as NMDriver2, I just let it hang from the hitch pin and it's now just part of the 5th wheel when not in use.

[NMDriver2]

I just pull the rail pins and let the landing legs on the 5er lift it. I leave it hanging on the 5er pin when not in use. Easy to re-attach when needed and out of the way when not.

[djousma]

I was originally headed that direction to remove my demco hijacker autoslide. Instead, I got a 1000# chain hoist from HF for about $30, and just threw a 6' 4x4 over a few rafters in my garage and looped a chain around it to lift my hitch in and out. Much easier for me to store the chain hoist than an engine lift.

[Big_Katuna]

Harbor Freight sells one for under $100.

Clicky

[donn0128]

Ratchet winch in the garage?