CT rear bumper is not a bumper

[tmeyer3]

Not sure why this took me so long to notice, but this post from @Mini2nut https://www.cybertruckownersclub.com/forum/threads/ct-photos-no-renders-please.3642/post-64300 contains the following picture of the rear bumper assembly

There are other threads about bumper materials and potential aftermarket parts, etc.

But this isn't just a bumper--same is true of the front! I misunderstood this big time. Here are my observations:

1. This piece covers the entire approach/departure openings, unlike every other bumper I've worked with. Since there's no exhaust, muffler, etc, to work around.
2. There's no way this is going to be anything that isn't very tough, like plastic. At a minimum it will likely have rigid structures inside a plastic wrap. Thoughts?
3. It's not at all attached to the towing hitch. So where is it attached? The stainless steel? I struggle with that.
4. With the 3.5k lbs load capacity, is there a good chance that these will be extremely heavy. Say, powder coated steel?

Anyway, wanted to share my recent observations. Maybe everyone else is well aware of this point and I'm just now catching on ?

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[Jhodgesatmb]

It’s a prototype, sir. I would take most everything about it with many grains of salt. At least it is driveable!

 

[tmeyer3]

It’s a prototype, sir. I would take most everything about it with many grains of salt. At least it is driveable!

Totally. But it is a Tesla prototype. There's a good chance they'll look like that in prod

 

[Ogre]

Totally. But it is a Tesla prototype. There's a good chance they'll look like that in prod

Maybe. I'd like to see a proper bumper on there also.

This strikes me as the kind of place they would have cut corners on to get the prototype out though. Also, he did say production version would be better.

 

[Ogre]

1. There's no way this is going to be anything that isn't very tough, like plastic. At a minimum it will likely have rigid structures inside a plastic wrap. Thoughts?
2. It's not at all attached to the towing hitch. So where is it attached? The stainless steel? I struggle with that.
3. With the 3.5k lbs load capacity, is there a good chance that these will be extremely heavy. Say, powder coated steel?

Ok.

Let's pretend this is production. My thought is it is most likely a hard plastic type material. Most likely something with a bunch of vertical crosspieces so it can take a 5-10 MPH impact without being damaged. The "bumper" piece is not going to be load bearing so it doesn't need to be heavy, it just needs to focus on taking that light impact. As such, it can be hard plastic/ composite material. You can even see the separation between the bumper and the truck bed.

In the production version, the rear end of the truck is going to be one big cast piece. The stainless body, the truck bed, the tow hitch, and this bumper are all likely attached to that one piece casting.

It is possible the bumper could be pulled off and replaced. I certainly hope it can. If this truck is the be the utility vehicle it should be, it needs to be.

 

[Ogre]

The front looks to be similar and is likely similarly mounted.

I'm going to stick with plastic as my thought here because you can get most of the characteristics you need with a hard plastic and don't need to paint it for the finished color.

Again, looks like maybe removing the bumper is a possibility. Definitely looks separate from the stainless body.

 

[Crissa]

Bumpers do need to float to do their work.

-Crissa

 

[android04]

On Model 3 the rear bumper is plastic. Right behind it is a bolted-on aluminum crash bar that is designed to take impact and crush/deform before the impact travels to the rear structure.

 

[HaulingAss]

Not sure why this took me so long to notice, but this post from @Mini2nut https://www.cybertruckownersclub.com/forum/threads/ct-photos-no-renders-please.3642/post-64300 contains the following picture of the rear bumper assembly

There are other threads about bumper materials and potential aftermarket parts, etc.

But this isn't just a bumper--same is true of the front! I misunderstood this big time. Here are my observations:

1. This piece covers the entire approach/departure openings, unlike every other bumper I've worked with. Since there's no exhaust, muffler, etc, to work around.
2. There's no way this is going to be anything that isn't very tough, like plastic. At a minimum it will likely have rigid structures inside a plastic wrap. Thoughts?
3. It's not at all attached to the towing hitch. So where is it attached? The stainless steel? I struggle with that.
4. With the 3.5k lbs load capacity, is there a good chance that these will be extremely heavy. Say, powder coated steel?

Anyway, wanted to share my recent observations. Maybe everyone else is well aware of this point and I'm just now catching on ?

If it's just a dent-resistant plastic fairing cover for aero and aesthetics, that would explain why the hitch goes through a hole in it.

I'm voting plastic cover.

 

[rr6013]

Ok.

Let's pretend this is production. My thought is it is most likely a hard plastic type material. Most likely something with a bunch of vertical crosspieces so it can take a 5-10 MPH impact without being damaged. The "bumper" piece is not going to be load bearing so it doesn't need to be heavy, it just needs to focus on taking that light impact. As such, it can be hard plastic/ composite material. You can even see the separation between the bumper and the truck bed.

In the production version, the rear end of the truck is going to be one big cast piece. The stainless body, the truck bed, the tow hitch, and this bumper are all likely attached to that one piece casting.

It is possible the bumper could be pulled off and replaced. I certainly hope it can. If this truck is the be the utility vehicle it should be, it needs to be.

Most likely Occam’s Razor!

I’m done with past paradigms. Tesla could give CT anything engineers working from first principles conjure. It would not surprise for CT to be delivered with three piece fitments engineered as sacrificial elements that keep replacement costs affordable and serve the purpose to warn operators of the vehicle of pending damage and an opportunity to limit damaging to the exoskeleton further if they insist. Of course, fixed objects total both on impact.

Third party accessory mfgrs will fill any need for those who like accessories mounted to a rigid bumper, i.e. rear tire carrier, Maxtrax and gas cans!?

I’d be excited to see what new schemes emerge from such an exercise.

 

[Firetruck41]

If it's plastic, the aftermarket will fix it with a steel version. It would be a bumper and skid plate in one.

 

[Deleted member 12457]

If it's plastic, the aftermarket will fix it with a steel version. It would be a bumper and skid plate in one.

Why? Most cars and trucks got rid of bumpers that actually did something years ago. Everything now is meant to crush and not protect anything except the driver/passenger area. Metal bumpers weight too much and the only ones using them are using them for an unintended vehicle use. Cops cars put extended roll-cage like bumpers, they don't change the original one.

 

[jhogan2424]

Why? Most cars and trucks got rid of bumpers that actually did something years ago. Everything now is meant to crush and not protect anything except the driver/passenger area. Metal bumpers weight too much and the only ones using them are using them for an unintended vehicle use. Cops cars put extended roll-cage like bumpers, they don't change the original one.

Because it’s America and people are generally free to do what they want.

 

[HaulingAss]

If it's plastic, the aftermarket will fix it with a steel version. It would be a bumper and skid plate in one.

Because if it's not rusty, it's not manly enough? ?

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