Towed a 10,400 pound generator today!

[scottf200]

As he's said, the Cyberbeast is basically a front wheel drive truck until you really punch it. That's probably why it spun the front tires until he engaged enough for the rears to really start putting down power. The AWD Cybertruck is the opposite, a rear wheel drive truck until it's needed...

Until I see instrumentation I won't believe the 'punch it' comment.
I use ScanMyTesla on my '17 TMX (2 induction) and in 'Range Mode' where it favors the rears but
it reacts instantly to the slightest accel pedal movement as I recall.

Sponsored

 

[HaulingAss]

Until I see instrumentation I won't believe the 'punch it' comment.
I use ScanMyTesla on my '17 TMX (2 induction) and in 'Range Mode' where it favors the rears but
it reacts instantly to the slightest accel pedal movement as I recall.

Regardless of what you believe, the Tri-motor Beast is primarily a front-wheel drive vehicle at steady cruising speeds. When you climb steep hills requiring more power, punch it on the flats, drive at high speed or tow something heavy, then power is dialed into the rear wheels. The rear wheels will also take over if the front wheels are having trouble getting traction. The front motor is used whenever power application is light, and the front wheels have sufficient traction, because it provides the most efficient cruise and induction motors can be efficiently coasted without having regen braking happen.

Because towing loads the rear wheels and unloads the front wheels, the dual motor is the better option for towing efficiency, especially climbing those steep gravel grades in Kyle's towing test loop in the Rocky Mountains. That's because the more efficient permanent magnet motor can handle more of the work if it is on the rear axle, as it is on the Dual Motor Cybertruck.

The Beast has more towing power, but I think that's kind of a moot point because the Dual Motor has all you need to tow up to the rated limits.

 

[ideaXfactory]

Looks like it was no problem. He had a really huge generator and towed it with no issues. Probably left it sitting on the job site for a couple of weeks or so until finished.

 

[Deleted member 8371]

Keep in mind that since the CT is a unibody you shouldn't be using a weight distribution hitch

Can you tell us why? Please

 

[Eliot Minaise]

Is it? How far is the job site? I can't imagine crews are driving 100-120 miles a day regularly.

This is a 50 mil radius loop around central PHX.

Basically the whole metro. I find that unlikely.

30 miles? Maybe. 40? Even possible. 50-60 miles one way? I dunno about that....

We at Signcraft Premier Identity Solutions drive an average of 200 miles to jobsite when we work out of town.

 

[CyberGus]

Keep in mind that since the CT is a unibody you shouldn't be using a weight distribution hitch

I thought it was an exoskeleton ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[CyberGus]

The Cybertruck fits within the definition of "unibody" but in no way resembles a traditional unibody truck. The thinking is that a ladder-frame truck can distribute the load across the length of the vehicle, but a unibody lacks the necessary rigidity.

Cybertruck is rigid af

 

[HaulingAss]

I thought it was an exoskeleton ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

There are only two kinds of construction for production road vehicles:

Unibody and Body on Frame. The Cybertruck is unibody. Part of the unibody is also an exoskeleton.

But really any unibody could be considered an exoskeleton, Elon termed Cybertruck an exoskeleton because the outer structure is actually hard and dent resistant, in a traditional unibody the body panels add only a small amount of additional additional strength and rigidity. Cybertruck takes unibody construction to a new level.

 

[HaulingAss]

Keep in mind that since the CT is a unibody you shouldn't be using a weight distribution hitch

False. Unibody vehicles often use properly setup weight distribution hitches without problem. The only caveat on the Cybertruck is that it's possible that the software controlling the air suspension could need an update to play nice with a WD hitch. It's also possible the required software is already built into Trailer Mode. The fact that the Cybertruck Owner's manual has quite a bit of towing information in it without prohibiting a weight distribution hitch makes me think it's probably fine, even without a software update.

Andy Thompson, of Can-Am Towing in Canada, is a multi-decade towing expert and has set up many unibody cars to tow larger loads than they're rated for in a safe manner. That includes a Tesla Model 3 with a weight distribution hitch towing a 26' Airstream. People who drove it said it towed like a dream, even in evasive maneuvers. Andy is all about towing safety and having your rig set up right.

Americans have a lot of funny ideas about towing due to using cheaper body-on-frame vehicles that don't have much torsional rigidity which can amplify dangerous oscillations. Andy said the Model 3, for its size, made an ideal tow vehicle due to a number of factors including chassis strength and rigidity, low center of gravity and a short distance between the tow ball and the rear axle (with a relatively long wheelbase). He designed a custom tow hitch for the Model 3 that requires some of the space in the trunk basement (trunk below the trunk floor).

I have no doubt Andy could design a hitch mount for a Cybertruck that could safely tow 14,000 lbs, possibly more, with a weight distribution hitch. He really knows his shit when it comes to towing. Unlike all the people spouting nonsense about how unibody is incompatible with WD hitches.

 

[ButterEV]

There are only two kinds of construction for production road vehicles:

Unibody and Body on Frame. The Cybertruck is unibody. Part of the unibody is also an exoskeleton.

But really any unibody could be considered an exoskeleton, Elon termed Cybertruck an exoskeleton because the outer structure is actually hard and dent resistant, in a traditional unibody the body panels add only a small amount of additional additional strength and rigidity. Cybertruck takes unibody construction to a new level.

I can attest to the strength of the “exoskeleton” since I got sideswiped

 

[ButterEV]

False. Unibody use properly setup weight distribution hitches without problem. The only caveat on the Cybertruck is that it's possible that the software controlling the air suspension could need an update to play nice with a WD hitch. It's also possible the required software is already built into Trailer Mode. The fact that the Cybertruck Owner's manual has quite a biit of towing information in it without prohibiting a weight distribution hitch makes me think it's probably fine, even without a software update.

Andy Thompson, of Can-Am Towing in Canada, is a multi-decade towing expert and has set up many unibody cars to tow larger loads than they're rated for in a safe manner. That includes a Tesla Model 3 with a weight distribution hitch towing a 26' Airstream. People who drove it said it towed like a dream, even in evasive maneuvers. Andy is all about towing safety and having your rig set up right.

Americans have a lot of funny ideas about towing due to using cheaper body-on-frame vehicles that don't have much torsional rigidity which can amplify dangerous oscillations. Andy said the Model 3, for it's size, made an ideal tow vehicle due to a number of factors including chassis strength and rigidity, low center of gravity and a short distance between the tow ball and the rear axle (with a relatively long wheelbase). He designed a custom tow hitch for the Model 3 that requires some of the space in the trunk basement (trunk below the trunk floor).

I have no doubt Andy could design a hitch mount for a Cybertruck that could safely tow 14,000 lbs, possibly more, with a weight distribution hitch. He really knows his shit when it comes to towing.

I’m using the information which was given to me from BlueOx. I’d lean on them for their opinions rather than messing up my truck or trailer

 

[HaulingAss]

I’m using the information which was given to me from BlueOx. I’d lean on them for their opinions rather than messing up my truck or trailer

Not being familiar with your weight distribution hitch, I would follow the manufacturers recommendations. But they can't speak to all weight distribution hitches. The flex of the torsion beams on a WD hitch need to be matched to the vehicle. It could be there were no unibody vehicles suitable for it on the market when it was released. Andy Thompson at Can Am Towing engineers and builds custom hitches for vehicles. I think they also sell his preferred weight distribution hitches, for use on unibody vehicles.

 

[ButterEV]

Not being familiar with your weight distribution hitch, I would follow the manufacturers recommendations. But they can't speak to all weight distribution hitches. Andy Thompson at Can Am Towing engineers and builds custom hitches for vehicles. I think they also sell his preferred weight distribution hitches.

I’m going to look into Andy. I’d love to work with him on a custom hitch for my CT. Thanks for the info and recommendation

Sponsored