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Old 05-26-2016, 06:11 PM   #1
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Colorado 2011 towing rock and rolling

2011 Dutchman Colorado all over the place when towing . Any flat nosed vehicle that passes, buses, class A Rv's, the slightest gust ...we sway side to side. Get passed by 5th wheels they are having no problems. Suggestions ? Ideas? This vehicle looked near new when we just purchased, no wonder, they must have parked it in the barn and left it.
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Old 05-26-2016, 06:42 PM   #2
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What are you towing it with? Are you using a sway control & equalizer hitch? How fast are you towing? What model of Colorado do you have?
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Old 05-26-2016, 07:15 PM   #3
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What are you towing it with? Are you using a sway control & equalizer hitch? How fast are you towing? What model of Colorado do you have?
2016 F150eco boost with towing package. Sway bar and load adjustment arms, max speed today 50mph on I-10 cross wind ~20mph. Firestone tires, no water, no grey , just called Dutchmen, suggested taking it to a dealer..ugh on Memorial Day weekend 1200 miles from home.
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Old 05-26-2016, 07:16 PM   #4
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2016 F150eco boost with towing package. Sway bar and load adjustment arms, max speed today 50mph on I-10 cross wind ~20mph. Firestone tires, no water, no grey , just called Dutchmen, suggested taking it to a dealer..ugh on Memorial Day weekend 1200 miles from home.
Model 260rb
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Old 05-26-2016, 08:12 PM   #5
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My guess is you don't have enough weight on the truck hitch. Try and drop your eazylift hitch setting one notch or link to put more weight on your truck.
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Old 05-26-2016, 09:12 PM   #6
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My brother in law has a new ecoboost and was complaining about the same thing towing one of his catering trailers. I wonder if they shaved off too much weight (close to 700lbs) with all the aluminum body parts? Should try getting close to 15% tongue weight on the trailer.
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Old 05-26-2016, 10:29 PM   #7
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What model and weight.

The Colorado is not exactley in the 1/2 ton towable catagory. We have an '07 30' Colodaro, it's definately far over any 1/2 ton towing rating, no matter who is figuring the numbers.

We tow our Colorado with a one-ton, using a Hensley hitch. We've towed across SD in crosswinds hitting 60 MPH and never felt a thing.

I doubt that the Colorado line had anything that I would feel comfortable towing with a half-ton. I hate to say it, but it sounds like you are a victim of the numbers game that the manufacturers pay fast and loose with.
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Old 05-26-2016, 10:57 PM   #8
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I see the weight listed at 6600lbs if i'm looking at the right one (260rb), should be very 1/2 ton towable.
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Old 05-26-2016, 11:53 PM   #9
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I see the weight listed at 6600lbs if i'm looking at the right one (260rb), should be very 1/2 ton towable.
Dawnie,

You may be right, but our '07 the Colorado is really like towing a brick. I have never towed anything that was so unruly. In our case, going across the Great Plains is like having a great big sail working sideways at you. Then add some crazy crosswinds that come in fits and starts.

If the camper in question has the same profile, I would expect a similar towing experience. Perhaps multiplied.
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Old 05-28-2016, 08:46 PM   #10
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I see the weight listed at 6600lbs if i'm looking at the right one (260rb), should be very 1/2 ton towable.
Dawnie,

The 6600# is the curb weight, the cargo capacity is another 3064#. Hitch weight is listed as 818#, add the passengers and cargo to the truck, it's got to be getting close to the limits.

The Colorado line is definately not in the Lite catagory. But we know how the numbers game can be played to make it work. It's just not a game I play any more.
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Old 05-30-2016, 06:36 PM   #11
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Hitch changes

We bought our trailer and hitch package and had it set up to a Nissan Titan, changed vehicles but neglected the obvious, the height of the hitch.
We lowered our hitch about 5 inches. The porpoising has almost disappeared, the roll situation is a tad better. Still the wind and certain vehicles send us weaving. Looking at tires their axle and wheel assembly. Each side has 2 tires, each tire being a different brand. It looks as if the tires are not square or 90 degrees. Each side has one tire that looks out of line.
We feel the wind, less than 10 knots today but the vehicles and their blasts of air still create the wobble. Thank you DesertRat for getting us to recognize the obvious.
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Old 05-30-2016, 09:00 PM   #12
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We bought our trailer and hitch package and had it set up to a Nissan Titan, changed vehicles but neglected the obvious, the height of the hitch.
That info would have been helpful
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Old 06-03-2016, 12:40 AM   #13
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Good evening all,
My brother tows a 33' camper with a F150 ecoboost and complained about the wag the tail effect as well as bouncing in the middle (Between the camper and tow vehicle). I told him to re- adjust his angle on the Equalizer hitch. We added a few more washers and re-connected everything. He says it's night and day now. His camper weighs in at 7400lbs shipping weight. he said he doesn't even notice it back there as much. I had the same experience and re-adjusted myself and it worked fine. The dealership in both cases didn't install correctly!!!
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Old 06-03-2016, 01:13 AM   #14
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Good evening all,
My brother tows a 33' camper with a F150 ecoboost and complained about the wag the tail effect as well as bouncing in the middle (Between the camper and tow vehicle). I told him to re- adjust his angle on the Equalizer hitch. We added a few more washers and re-connected everything. He says it's night and day now. His camper weighs in at 7400lbs shipping weight. he said he doesn't even notice it back there as much. I had the same experience and re-adjusted myself and it worked fine. The dealership in both cases didn't install correctly!!!
In all my years of RV'ing I can't recall a stealer EVER installing my WDH correctly. Much less selling me the correct sized hitch for the rig.

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Old 06-27-2016, 08:32 PM   #15
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I have heard quite a few instances of the new F150's being a tail wagging experience, so you are not alone. I have a 2014, and it took a bit to get everything sorted out. I still have a couple things before I take it across country, but what I have done so far has made a huge difference in handling.

Whatever you do, do not forget to weigh it, just to make sure you aren't exceeding the axle ratings, or you may be one of those poor slobs missing a rear wheel on the interstate. Mine came in 500# over weight with the spring bars disconnected, and only able to move 180# to the front and 80 to the trailer with them connected. My bars are too light, need 1000# bars, 800# aren't cutting it. Trial and error is the key to these. Once you get the hitch and weight locked in, the F150 makes a fine tow vehicle, especially the Ecoboost. People will not expect it when the F150 and a trailer can take off from a stop light and scoot up to the speed limit quicky, leaves them mashing the gas to get around, because you just know that is why the went around you in the first place.
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