Any updates?

[CyberMoose]

There's a chance for the wheel or raising kit to come off, too, but I don't see you arguing against that.

-Crissa

Oh, should i list everything we aren't talking about that I would be against on my own vehicles? Yes a wheel can come off, it's definitely possible but obviously I'm not going anywhere without wheels. As for lift kits on a vehicle, that can definitely cause problems if not installed properly as well. I don't personally put them on even though i've helped my friend install one on his truck. My truck is basically a stock truck after owning it for 12 years. If I was going to make any modification to my truck, even professionally done, I personally would avoid areas that might cause a lot of expensive damage.

I made one light joke, then defended the possibility of it being able to occur. I don't really think this needs to be an argument at all.

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[tidmutt]

I've considered this as well and I'm really really really hoping for a midgate if the passthrough is an option...or even a bigger window. I'm sure I could make it through but I'm 6'3" and I am not the most flexible person. If you look at the pictures showing the back seat of the Cybertruck, the middle seat headrest would be slightly in the way. If Tesla wants to add a kind of small paththrough but still functional for people, they could add a slightly bigger window and have the rear seats still fold down so i'm not damaging them as I climb in and out all the time.

Not really something I think would be likely. A larger window would make it more likely to damage it with cargo in the back, also if it's just a window that rolls up and down, it'll probably just function for providing HVAC to the bed.

yeah, you would think a window that lowered would be somewhat simple and could be how you supply A/C rather than having to duct it. Reminds me of the old station wagons that had rear glass that wound down. The fancy ones were even powered. Ahhh memories. Anyway, as long as a reasonable sized person (which includes me, and I'm kinda fat, so many larger than reasonable sized - lol) can squeeze through into the cabin in a pinch, I'm good with it. Mostly it would be for A/C, accessing luggage, and a bear escape route. I'm assuming most of the time I'd be retracting the cover to exit. Oh, the larger rear window would also be handy for exiling children. hehehe

It does make me wonder.... will the tonneau be partially retractable? Can we open it so you could just slide out the end to pee during the night?

On another note... I find tonneau kind of an annoying word. I misspell it frequently and it just is odd, perhaps because I am not usually a truck guy. I see it's historical origins here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonneau

But can't we just call it a bed cover or something?

 

[John K]

You think Tonneau spelling is annoying, I do too, wait until the toilet paper debates on the roll direction for the cover. Over or under?

 

[HugeinChina]

You think Tonneau spelling is annoying, I do too, wait until the toilet paper debates on the roll direction for the cover. Over or under?

Tonneauver. Always.

 

[tidmutt]

You think Tonneau spelling is annoying, I do too, wait until the toilet paper debates on the roll direction for the cover. Over or under?

Over for sure. There is no other option.

How about tabs vs spaces for any programmers out there...

 

[tidmutt]

Tonneauver. Always.

Agreed, it's the only way to tonneau.

 

[BillyGee]

I think they mean to put a box underneath and then instruct the truck to remain at full height and full stiffness while the auxiliary box is on the belly.

-Crissa

There's so many reasons why this is a bad idea, I'm sorry my sarcasm wasn't clear enough.

 

[John K]

There's so many reasons why this is a bad idea, I'm sorry my sarcasm wasn't clear enough.

sarcasm requires comic sans fontface.

 

[BillyGee]

No one ever mentioned that? This would be outside of the battery pack, literally on the bottom of the battery pack… so yeah, no batteries would be taken out. Think under carriage

Maybe I do need to go back and make that post in comic sans and put /s at the end of it...

 

[fritter63]

Colorado front range resident as well... solar tonneau aside, I am happy that my CT will be able to withstand hail better than my house likely can

I'll be curious to see how it fairs in storms like the first one we encountered. July 11th, 1990. Baseball sized hail. On our first new car bought together. And the one with golf ball sized a year later just before Memorial Day weekend.

Not that those are memorable events in my head....

 

[CyberMoose]

But can't we just call it a bed cover or something?

I exclusively call it a bed cover.

 

[CyberMoose]

You think Tonneau spelling is annoying, I do too, wait until the toilet paper debates on the roll direction for the cover. Over or under?

Over, are you insane?

I once had a roommate that put it under, I packed up my bags and found a new place. Can't trust that guy to not murder me in the middle of the night.

 

[JBee]

RE Midgate

Although I'd really like to see a midgate I'm not sure how they will manage to do it with the current mid wall design. The problem is that the CT 6.5ft bed is only so on the bed level itself, and it tapers back into the bed area to accommodate the rear seat backrest recline angle. Technically it's only a 6ft bed at 1ft over the bed, which is also an issue for tall people sleeping on a higher mattress. Total height under the vault cover at the midwall is around 3ft.

The window is also another issue in that there is no room underneath the current midwall design to slide the window down. For reference the window is only 11-12" (30cm) high so it wouldn't work as a crawl through, and the area that is parallel to the window underneath is only 7". So unless they slope the rear window to match the midwall incline area the window will not have any space to wind down into. If they do have a opening in the midwall, that would also allow an after market addition of some rearwards facing seats in the vault...if you needed them.

That leaves another problem with the current midwall design. If it folds over forwards like it is now it's also not flat area to extend the bed. It would have to be straight instead of the z shape, but that also shaves off some length at the bed height when up. There's also a problem with load retention when the midgate is folded down. For that they might need to foldup the rear seat bottom to create a retention wall behind the front seats.

Maybe foldup rear seats like in the F150s would be easier overall to add storage space in the cab, and together with lights in the top of the rear gate, so when it's folded over theres still rear light, might be an easier way to extend the bed length for those occasions you need the extra bed length. Which is what it looks like they're doing in the CT prototype:

In a ideal world the whole cab would shuffle forwards a bit and allow for a simpler straight mid wall with wind down window that could also then fold forward (midgate) on top of the read seats backrests. The limitation there is to keep the head height for the rear passengers right, the front passenger have ample headroom. From what I can tell without having exact rear seat dimensions, the rear seat bottom will need to lower onto the cab floor in order for the backrest to fold over and be flush with the bed height.

So to get a foldover midgate the midwall needs a significant redesign from the prototype, which is not out of the question, but maybe there is not enough motivation to so if some simpler mechanical changes will add versatility with minimal cost. We also haven't had any recent bed photos. A middle passthru hatch might be easier to accomplish but is not a really useful addition, as the bed is already long enough for skis etc.

As for using the midwall window for HVAC for the vault area, I think its much easier and effective to duct through the HVAC to the rear vault and in particular it could then be independently temperature controlled, without having to deal with any NVH leaking in from the rear into the cabin.

.

 

[Diehard]

There's so many reasons why this is a bad idea.

I know for sure I will have a senior moment and forget I have stuff down there and lower it to get my cushy ride back before I go over a speed bump. When I call Tesla about the damage, this is that I hear: ”This is not covered by warranty. To see the extent of the damage, we will have to remove and open the battery pack. The labor for that is $6K. Pending what we find, additional charges for repair or whole pack replacement may apply. We do not recommend driving it like this since chance of overheating and fire increases”. This the best scenario case, the other possibility is, since everything is structural, something somewhere got twisted by 0.0001 mm and then the truck is totaled.

I would rather put that money on an aftermarket adjustable rack in bed or a trailer.

 

[CyberMoose]

I know for sure I will have a senior moment and forget I have stuff down there and lower it to get my cushy ride back before I go over a speed bump. When I call Tesla about the damage, this is that I hear: ”This is not covered by warranty. To see the extent of the damage, we will have to remove and open the battery pack. The labor for that is $6K. Pending what we find, additional charges for repair or whole pack replacement may apply. We do not recommend driving it like this since chance of overheating and fire increases”. This the best scenario case, the other possibility is, since everything is structural, something somewhere got twisted by 0.0001 mm and then the truck is totaled.

I would rather put that money on an aftermarket adjustable rack in bed or a trailer.

Yeah I agree. the suspension would have to have some sort of locking feature with the Truck also being able to detect something attached to the bottom of the bed in case someone completely forgets to lock the suspenstion. Also imagine roadkill hitting that thing. I drive my truck a lot when I am going hunting or camping. In those areas I've had lots of small animals that have run out infront of my truck and are lucky that they fit under my truck. I'd feel bad for the little guys if they smack some sort of box and then I gotta hose off the remains.

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