Confirmed: 11,000 lbs tow rating / 2,500 lbs payload capacity (official specs)! + Shatter-resistant glass

[Crissa]

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While largely immaterial to the 1/2 ton market, it would be naive to think fleet customers, who make up ~40% of Ford 'Super Duty' sales, would be willing to put up with those limitations, along with most retail buyers who need those capabilities.

But the only 'capability' you've shown that isn't there is flat-bed. The rest is speculation. And most of those trucks are either not actually pickup sized or not crew cabs.

-Crissa

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[Bill837]

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While largely immaterial to the 1/2 ton market, it would be naive to think fleet customers, who make up ~40% of Ford 'Super Duty' sales, would be willing to put up with those limitations, along with most retail buyers who need those capabilities.

So what I hear you saying is that the complaints are largely immaterial to the market the truck was designed to compete in........

Well, I'm shocked.

 

[SentinelOne]

I've been towing a variety of loads for over 40 years and a "bumper pull" hitch always used to refer to a tow ball mounted right to the bumper, just as the name implies. Bumper pull hitches were very light duty hitches with no attachment to the frame other than that which attaches the bumper itself and couldn't pull anything bigger than a trailer weighing 1,000- 2,000 pounds or so and a frame mounted reciever hitch was needed for heavier loads.

The proper term for the type of hitch you are referring to is just a standard "receiver hitch" that is frame mounted, not a "bumper pull". Communication is important so it always bothers me when we get terminology creep. If people are going to call a frame-mounted hitch a "bumper pull" hitch, then what do we call a light-duty hitch that is supported only by the bumper itself? And am I to believe a class 5 Xtra-Duty hitch rated up to 17,000 lbs. is a "bumper pull" hitch?

ok, I was differentiating vs. a 5th wheel hitch - so Receiver Hitch - it's a 2.5" frame mounted receiver hitch with a full Blue Ox Equalizer on it.

 

[Zapharus]

Might I suggest an airbag? Perhaps a seat belt?

Airbags?! Seatbelts?!
What kind of momma’s boy suggestions are those?!?!!! Real men don’t need such things, real man take a windshield to the head, or get launched out of the vehicle through the windshield, and laugh about it. /s

 

[Deleted member 20282]

I've been towing a variety of loads for over 40 years and a "bumper pull" hitch always used to refer to a tow ball mounted right to the bumper, just as the name implies. Bumper pull hitches were very light duty hitches with no attachment to the frame other than that which attaches the bumper itself and couldn't pull anything bigger than a trailer weighing 1,000- 2,000 pounds or so and a frame mounted reciever hitch was needed for heavier loads.

The proper term for the type of hitch you are referring to is just a standard "receiver hitch" that is frame mounted, not a "bumper pull". Communication is important so it always bothers me when we get terminology creep. If people are going to call a frame-mounted hitch a "bumper pull" hitch, then what do we call a light-duty hitch that is supported only by the bumper itself? And am I to believe a class 5 Xtra-Duty hitch rated up to 17,000 lbs. is a "bumper pull" hitch?

The receiver hitch is a part. Bumper pull is a generally ubiquitous term. Like the vast majority of companies and regulations out there refer to it as such. And hot shot truckers.

And they go much higher than 17k. 24k on super duty.

 

[Deleted member 20282]

That's also a declarative. Without factual basis.

-Crissa

That is factual. A 5th wheel hardly fits on a 6.5 foot bed, let alone a 5.5 bed. There are inches of clearance on open beds. Anyone who has ever hooked up to a 5th wheel will tell you how much of a headache it can be without clearance. Every trailer is made different. Every radius is different. Every truck is a little different. There is physically no way for something that already goes inches from a windshield to work on a cybertruck. I also would not put that much point load over a unibody chassis.

 

[cvalue13]

There is physically no way for something that already goes inches from a windshield to work on a cybertruck. I also would not put that much point load over a unibody chassis.

for what it’s worth:

while it’s true the sails on the CT at the tailgate are lower than the tailgate on an F150, the sails reach bed height parity about 1/3 back from the tailgate

from there forwards, it’s up-up-and-away

 

[Deleted member 20282]

@x86brandon did you make a new profile?

Nope. I was busy enjoying time with family and time away from work.

I also have grown quite tired of people taking the position that Tesla is an infallible entity taking the moral high ground. This is the foundation of cults. If people can’t see things like Tesla getting more hours out of employees than the Big 3 at, now, considerably less wages. Or that the Big 3 are still paying salaries from 30-40 years ago as differentiators. If you think the alleged engineering prowess is the only reason Tesla has higher margins, I have an island in the desert for sale for you. In recent months, all the Musk companies are being investigated for labor issues, have had complaints of IV hydration use, police reports of violence, caffeine pills and dangerous conditions.

Look, it’s really simple. I’m a software engineer, I’m fairly affluent as a result and I am a car collector. I buy anything and everything interesting and sell it when I get bored with it. I think Tesla is a deplorable company with gullible customers, but I will still buy a CT because it’s interesting. I don’t buy the cars based on the company.

Musk is just another horribly greedy billionaire, who leverages bullshit in one company to create bullshit in another. Tesla has no business claiming AI superiority, no business doing stuff like Dojo or robots or Solar. All those things are distractions to conflate things and add value to Tesla, so he can leverage Tesla for SpaceX, which is at this point in time in my mind, bordering on treason as they are interfering in 2 global conflicts. Tesla isn’t any better than any other car company. Actually measurably worse in quality, human rights violations and compsenation. Like Shawn Fain said, the next time we come to the table in 2028, it will be the Big 6. We will see how Tesla’s balance sheet looks when they have to pay pensions and double everyone’s pay and cut their hours.

Oh, and GM bought their casting vendor, so…. that should be fun. Meanwhile, GM jointly developed the first Hydrogen Fuel Cell, with Honda, going on sale in 2024. So maybe the future of Tesla comes with a pivot to Hydrogen? Then what?

Just respect the vehicle for what it is, a west coast truck for people who aren’t “into” cars. Their simple vehicle solution helps with quality and consistency, at the expense of the thing most consumers want, to make a car theirs and customize it. And the aftermarket and ecosystem around that. Will you CT’s selling at auctions in 70 years telling for 10x what they are now? Nope. At the moment, with gas prices so low and lease rates so low, the TCO of the CT will likely be on par comparison with the 3 to the Camry, which in Tesla’s own earnings, Tesla says is cheaper TCO.

 

[Deleted member 20282]

for what it’s worth:

while it’s true the sails on the CT at the tailgate are lower than the tailgate on an F150, the sails reach bed height parity about 1/3 back from the tailgate

from there forwards, it’s up-up-and-away

The 5th wheel issue has nothing to do with the tailgate. It has to do with the rear windshield and turning 90 degrees to it. On my F-350, with a clear bed of almost 7’, I can’t go 90 degrees. It’s pretty well understood that an 8’ bed is needed, or a slider hitch.

See what I mean about the turns? The 5th wheel pivots in the bed, you need 100% clear unobstructed 90+ degree turns.

Based on the tape measure pictures and other things, the only way it could ever work is if the bottom of the trailer was higher than the sail panels, which would mean the trailer has to be above legal height. They are in a specific reason to be at the exact legal height limit and still have 6’+ of headroom in the bunk area. We can’t change the dimensions of the trailer.

Also, the pin weight has to be forward of the axle to push load onto the front tires as the rear tires alone don’t have the load rating, in general, on any truck. That’s the primary advantage of the 5th wheel is putting weight on both the drive and steer.

 

[cvalue13]

The 5th wheel issue has nothing to do with the tailgate. It has to do with the rear windshield and turning 90 degrees to it.

miscommunication here

I know it doesnt have anything to do with the tailgate

I’m instead telling you that, with the CT, it also has nothing to do with the rear windshield, either

because we’ll before the 5th wheel forward corners got near the rear windshield, it would instead crunch the sail pillars

 

[Deleted member 20282]

But the only 'capability' you've shown that isn't there is flat-bed. The rest is speculation. And most of those trucks are either not actually pickup sized or not crew cabs.

-Crissa

It’s not just the lightning it has to compare to in order to play in 1/2 ton fleet. Remember, the ICE counter part has significantly higher capacities. 14,000# towing, 3,300# payload and 750+ mile range. It’s not enough to convince someone to consider 2 EV’s with similar stats. You have to sell them on leaving the ICE features for the subpar EV stats. I think that’s a large reason why there was so little EV adoption in F150 to Lightning. It wasn’t a compelling offering in any dimension, including, at this point, probably TCO.

But to dismiss such a large market, I think, is stupid on Tesla’s part. The absolute biggest mistake they made on CT to me is to try and reinvent the truck. The truck is an incredibly refined and thought out design with a massive ecosystem and aftermarket, with millions of owners invested in accessories and parts. And nothing comes forward. If people didn’t move from ICE to Lightning as a drop in replacement in fleet, they are definitely not going to move from ICE to CT with a miss on stats. And at the rumored price point, F-250 is the better answer for fleet. It’s why it’s such a popular truck. Same tax situation as F-150 in that it’s not over 10,000# GVWR. Diesel option. Bigger payload and range. Same price point, less maintenance on F-250.

 

[Deleted member 20282]

miscommunication here

I know it doesnt have anything to do with the tailgate

I’m instead telling you that, with the CT, it also has nothing to do with the rear windshield, either

because we’ll before the 5th wheel forward corners got near the rear windshield, it would instead crunch the sail pillars

My bad! But yeah, either way, not 5th wheel friendly. A unit will have to be made for the CT, specifically, with limited head room to have a higher base height and remain under the DOT height limit.

 

[Crissa]

That is factual. A 5th wheel hardly fits on a 6.5 foot bed, let alone a 5.5 bed. There are inches of clearance on open beds. Anyone who has ever hooked up to a 5th wheel will tell you how much of a headache it can be without clearance. Every trailer is made different. Every radius is different. Every truck is a little different. There is physically no way for something that already goes inches from a windshield to work on a cybertruck. I also would not put that much point load over a unibody chassis.

There is physically no way for you to say that, other than out of your arse.

Some 5th wheels are low, some are high, some are just an arching arm that reaches into the bed.

Seems like the limitation would come from the trailer, not the hitch in this case.

And again, not the unibody.

The ICE counterpart doesn't have higher towing capacity without rare options.

And no, the 250 isn't the counterpart.

-Crissa

 

[PilotPete]

My bad! But yeah, either way, not 5th wheel friendly. A unit will have to be made for the CT, specifically, with limited head room to have a higher base height and remain under the DOT height limit.

I’m not a 5th wheel expert. But I’ll suggest this. EVERYTHING anyone “knows” about the interaction and interface between a 5th wheel trailer and the truck is based on a truck design utilizing a frame ladder chassis and bolting a bed and cab on.

I have no idea if they intend or desire to design the CT to tow a 5th wheel. But if they have considered it, the whole interface is going to be different from what we have seen on current trucks. And until you look at it with a fresh mind and open eyes, it will never work.

 

[HaulingAss]

My bad! But yeah, either way, not 5th wheel friendly. A unit will have to be made for the CT, specifically, with limited head room to have a higher base height and remain under the DOT height limit.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about! There is not federal DOT height limit for trailers, different states set their own, and it's the same for semi-trucks as it is for recreational trailers. Further, the bed of a Cybertruck is going to be considerably lower than many ICE trucks designed for heavy towing so any state height limits would be worse on the typical heavy-duty truck than it would be on a Cybertruck with a taller 5th wheel hitch. The sail sides are not the problem, the problem is the Cybertruck is not in the class of trucks people use to tow 5th wheels.

The very fact that you are talking about heavy 5th wheel towing with a Cybertruck shows a real disconnect with reality. Cybertruck will sell millions of trucks, and none of the buyers are going to buy it to tow a 5th wheel, and it has nothing to do with the sail sides of the bed and everything to do with the fact that people use heavier duty ICE trucks to tow loads approaching maximum heights of 13.5-14.5 feet tall!

I guess there's one in every crowd!

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