Urander Enclosed Bed Cap Review. "This Cybertruck Mod Changes Everything!"

[Urander]

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[CybertruckRN1127]

I like it but I wish they made one where more panels folds out to lock in with the tailgate down. I want to camp in the bed but its too short.

 

[noobla3]

I like it but I wish they made one where more panels folds out to lock in with the tailgate down. I want to camp in the bed but its too short.

That’s actually a great idea. And have those extra panels removable so you have a modular system that works at both configurations.

@Urander

 

[Urander]

I like it but I wish they made one where more panels folds out to lock in with the tailgate down. I want to camp in the bed but its too short.

That’s actually a great idea. And have those extra panels removable so you have a modular system that works at both configurations.

@Urander

Maybe we could make some panels that hang from the ceiling and slide out to cover the sides and back.

Or something like this could make it a lot easier:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2QLKHRK

 

[Eka]

I like it but I wish they made one where more panels folds out to lock in with the tailgate down. I want to camp in the bed but its too short.

That’s actually a great idea. And have those extra panels removable so you have a modular system that works at both configurations.

@Urander

I've been thinking about that for what I would want. First, make a door and move the rear camera to the door. Once you recalibrate the cameras, FSD will come back after some driving. Second: This allows for greater roof surface for solar panels. I one orientates the standard 1762 mm x 1134 mm solar panels with the long ways cross wise, one can put three of them on the roof behind a reasonable wind deflector from the windshield. This is overhangs the top of the bed wings, but is not larger than the footprint of the CT. If you make the solar panels as a roof for a roof top tent, it can be pointed south for better solar gain. You also end up with a virtual palace of a roof top tent. Being ingenious with design it would be possible to have two or three layers of solar panels. Thus allowing them to serve as awning while collecting sun. This gives you a significant solar gain above all electric cooking would require.

How to hold extension body panels onto the base. Pins for alignment, and draw clamps for holding them tightly in place and compressing seals for waterproofness.

I have a number of ideas for how to open it up and have roof top tent and some awning shade too. Each design has it's advantages and disadvantages. I have ideas in my notes on how to make the mechanisms needed in the designs. I just need to CAD them out to see if they really work. The single layer of panels obviously will work. The question is do I hinge it at the front or use even or uneven scissor lifts. An uneven scissor lift allows it to tilt as it lifts, and provides more height at the low end.

Down sides: It would make backing into a V3 or V2 Supercharger problematic. Can you back into a V2 or V3 Supercharger with the tailgate down? Obviously more weight and up high. More wind drag. Ruins lines.

These are some OpenSCAD screenshots of what a three high stack looks like close to where it may end up. It doesn't even extend past the tailgate down. These are 30mm thick frame solar panels with 10 mm gaps between the layers. No other structure. With 9 solar panels you can think of recharging the CT some.

 

[Eka]

Thought it would be good to give a visual idea of some of the sloped options one could tuck a tent under. I can see easy ways to do the pulling out of the "drawers" of solar panels for these designs using standard drawer slides I've seen for sale. I can also see how to automate their extension and retraction using common off the shelf parts. I also can see how to provide support back to the CT versus poles to the ground. Some of the support methods allow partial automatic retraction if there are high winds. Another method retracts some pins and drops the supports to the ground. It then can do a full retraction.

This is the one I like best for general use. Only 2 sets of three panels. Top panel and the surrounding frame would provide a waterproof cover for all the mechanisms and the tent while stowed. At a Supercharger stop, or just stopped in a parking lot, the top could be pulled forward and provide shade and expose the root top tent roof solar panels for double the solar gain. For camping an unequal scissors lift raises the whole top up and tilts it forward. It's possible to add a third set of three solar panels off the front or rear. It gets quite high off the rear in tent mode. This style could have a side or 270 degree awning for shade in camp.

These to show a 35 degree slope, hinged at the front, with the pull out panels to both sides and just one side. With the solar panels all to one side it is maybe too much.

 

[DarickHemphill]

I ran into a guy at a tesla super charger who had a rack that looked very similar. His biggest complaint was that it decreased range as bad as a trailer... What does this do to your range?

 

[jahansolu]

Take this concept, have the material extend to both rear windows - then you'll have an enclosed air-conditioned / heated tent. Something like this:

 

[Urander]

I ran into a guy at a tesla super charger who had a rack that looked very similar. His biggest complaint was that it decreased range as bad as a trailer... What does this do to your range?

How is the temperature over there? The truck isn’t efficient in winter, and we even hit over 900 Wh/mi at 85 mph uphill under 20 °F without the rack.


Here’s our test from last summer at 70 mph

 

[DarickHemphill]

How is the temperature over there? The truck isn’t efficient in winter, and we even hit over 900 Wh/mi at 85 mph uphill under 20 °F without the rack.


Here’s our test from last summer at 70 mph

Temp is bipolar... we have ranged from the 70's to the teens and back again in a week.
Appreciate your reply.

 

[Urander]

Temp is bipolar... we have ranged from the 70's to the teens and back again in a week.
Appreciate your reply.

Weather has been absolutely wild this year! SoCal just had snow last month and is already hitting over 100° in March.

As for speed, that plays a role too. At 70mph you’re looking at around a 6 - 10% range impact depending on temperature and elevation, and if you’re pushing over 85mph that jumps to 15% or more compared to running without a rack

 

[Urander]

Take this concept, have the material extend to both rear windows - then you'll have an enclosed air-conditioned / heated tent. Something like this:

It works great for weekend trips, but once you’re doing week-long overlanding, that extra room really starts to matter. You won’t get double the bed space, and a bigger tent eats into your storage pretty fast. Which is probably why at any Overland Expo, you’ll notice pretty much every ICE truck out there is running a rack or a bed cap

 

[Eka]

I ran into a guy at a tesla super charger who had a rack that looked very similar. His biggest complaint was that it decreased range as bad as a trailer... What does this do to your range?

One of the biggest things is to keep down is frontal area increase. My current working design is only 75mm taller than the peak point on the CT. I know I can drop that to 40mm and still slide the top solar panel set over the front window, but... The question is how far down does the tent roof solar panels go at their closest spot above the CT's roof after the peak, and what structure is needed for them to mate up against for the tent floor. Once I have the floor structure designed I can figure out how much I can lower it and still have suitable glass clearance.

Another HUGE thing most people miss about aerodynamics is vehicles almost never drive through a perfectly head on wind. The wind is almost always at an angle. This is because the direction of the wind the vehicle sees is always a combination of the natural wind and vehicle motion. So anything on the surface of the windward side contributes to drag. This is why Tesla has flush door handles.

Even something as simple as what the weather stripping shape does to air flow can have an influence. Thankfully the air is still being compressed more at where most air deflector weather stripping is. This mitigates the created turbulence some, but not 100%. My plan is to use a different style of weather stripping. I'm thinking of using a weatherstripping with wiper like this one:

My goal is to arrange to have the wiper edge drop into the gap zone between the windshield and roof glass or slightly behind it. I know there is a wiper profile out there that is designed to insert into a slot. I just need to find one that fits my use. I want to use it for closing up a gap to keep dust and road spray out.

I'm thinking of having windows on the sides. My plan is to inset the topper frame by the thickness of the glass and compressed weatherstripping. That will get the window surface flush with the side of the CT.

Due to having the solar panels, I'm not going to try to keep the mattress in place. I'll just use a self inflating mattress I already own. It is't too hard to loosely roll up when not in use.

The other design I'm playing with is aerodynamically super aggressive. It has one solar panel mounted lengthwise that always sees the sun. It is offset to one side. On the other side a 270 degree awning is integrated into the side so it is flush when stowed. There is also spac e on the roof for Starlink.

 

[Gene]

What I am wondering about the Urander unit. Would it have been possible to have the roof panels on the topside of the crossbars and would that not be better for aerodynamics? Those crossbars as they are now, do they not make for turbulence? I am considering a purchase of this cap but the places I go in both northern Canada and Navajo/Hopi lands makes range a bit critical.

 

[Urander]

What I am wondering about the Urander unit. Would it have been possible to have the roof panels on the topside of the crossbars and would that not be better for aerodynamics? Those crossbars as they are now, do they not make for turbulence? I am considering a purchase of this cap but the places I go in both northern Canada and Navajo/Hopi lands makes range a bit critical.

You can remove all 7 rear crossbars if you’re not mounting anything on top. It helps reduce drag, improves Wh/mi, and gives you a smoother roof that sits about 2 inches lower.

Hope this helps!

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