Cyber "Truck" Towing Question: hitch receiver is designed to support vertical loads up to 160 lb (72 kg)?

[Cali5268]

I am in disbelief right now. Is this true ?

https://www.torquenews.com/11826/te...e-vertical-loads-model-y-no-more-160-lbs-or-2

• "The hitch receiver is designed to support vertical loads up to 160 lb (72 kg) "

This would help explain all the issues others have had towing stuff.

I have a trip in December to take our ATV to the park. I'm now worried about towing anything?A 'MAX' of 160 pounds sounds insane. I could step on the top of the trailer and break it, based on these numbers.

Is this number perhaps wrong?

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[zach]

IMO, the reference to “vertical loads” specifically imply loads that would cause rotational torque on the hitch. In the scenario you described, if you were to install a 8ft tall stripper pole on your trailer hitch mount and dance on it you might would rip the hitch off. But a downward vertical weight above 160lb would not torque it off.

The owners manual lists the maximum towing capacity at 11,000lb with a tongue weight of 1,100lb. This is roughly equivalent to most Ford F-150 models.

 

[aeroguy]

This limit seems very reasonable and is in the carrying accessories section of the manual, not towing. Free hanging accessories such as bicycle carriers and luggage racks will have an added torque that a trailer with a ball connection will never see. Also, this is a dynamic limit, so simply stepping on the trailer will not simulate the torque experienced driving down a bumpy road with a free hanging 160lbs on the hitch.

https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/cybertruck/en_us/GUID-EBDD7BD9-8942-45CA-8E0D-26B48185DEB9.html

I have 1,136 miles towing an ~8000lb trailer with ~900lb hitch weight with no issues. Wondering what are ‘all the issues’ others have had.

 

[Cali5268]

IMO, the reference to “vertical loads” specifically imply loads that would cause rotational torque on the hitch. In the scenario you described, if you were to install a 8ft tall stripper pole on your trailer hitch mount and dance on it you might would rip the hitch off. But a downward vertical weight above 160lb would not torque it off.

The owners manual lists the maximum towing capacity at 11,000lb with a tongue weight of 1,100lb. This is roughly equivalent to most Ford F-150 models.

See this is where I'm confused. So where is the max of 160 pounds coming from? Did they make a mistake in the owners manual? Doing the math, something seems off

 

[rlhamil]

See this is where I'm confused. So where is the max of 160 pounds coming from? Did they make a mistake in the owners manual? Doing the math, something seems off

Towing weight applies the force differently than say a bike carrier, or a hitch step that sticks out. So two different limits, one (1,100 lbs) for towing and the lower one (160 lbs) for other scenarios.

This is not unique to the CT, there are other vehicles that are fairly similar in that regard.

Since I weigh more than 160 lbs, I won't be putting a hitch step on there.

 

[TrittMD]

This is a copy and paste error from the Model Y book…nothing more. The try tongue weight is listed in the towing section. Another nothing sandwich.

 

[TrittMD]

Towing weight applies the force differently than say a bike carrier, or a hitch step that sticks out. So two different limits, one (1,100 lbs) for towing and the lower one (160 lbs) for other scenarios.

This is not unique to the CT, there are other vehicles that are fairly similar in that regard.

Since I weigh more than 160 lbs, I won't be putting a hitch step on there.

I hope you don’t really believe what you just typed.

 

[TrittMD]

Here are the facts:

Sometimes you can only find information on the vehicle's or hitch's Gross Towing Capacity, sometimes referred to as (GTWR). A quick way to calculate hitch Tongue Weight Capacity is to multiply your vehicle's Gross Towing Capacity (GTWR) by 10% (tongue weight = GTWR x 10%). So, a vehicle and hitch with a 5000 lb towing weight capacity will have a tongue weight capacity of 500 lbs.

Once you have identified your vehicle's TWC, subtract the weight of the carrier and frame to determine how much gear you can safely carry. For example, if you want to use a hitch bike rack and your vehicle has 1,500 lbs GTWR, then you have 150 lbs tongue capacity (1,500 x .10 = 150). If the weight of the bike rack is 40 lbs, you can carry bikes weighing up to a total of 110 lbs.

 

[SentinelOne]

Seems low - a Joe hauler and a basic dirtbike weight 300lbs.....most trucks can handle....

Also, I have a 9600 lb trailer and I used a weight safe hitch to measure the load it put on the truck hitch and it was > 1200lbs (I stopped lowering at that point) so I took it off and said guess not with the CT! :-(. Guessing 1 time, non moving the truck is fine but eeeek!

 

[CyberGus]

Try to loosen a bolt with just your fingers, you’ll have no luck. Use a 12” wrench, and your fingers suffice because of leverage.

A trailer is pushing straight down on the hitch, but something like a bike carrier with a vertical load has the weight out at the end of a lever, just like the wrench and the bolt.

 

[CyberGus]

I am in disbelief right now. Is this true ?

https://www.torquenews.com/11826/te...e-vertical-loads-model-y-no-more-160-lbs-or-2

BTW, you’ll find more sensationalism than journalistic integrity at “Torque News”.

 

[TrittMD]

Try to loosen a bolt with just your fingers, you’ll have no luck. Use a 12” wrench, and your fingers suffice because of leverage.

A trailer is pushing straight down on the hitch, but something like a bike carrier with a vertical load has the weight out at the end of a lever, just like the wrench and the bolt.

Your observation is only true at rest on a flat surface. Drive, turn, up hill, downhill…little more complicated vector of forces. Tongue weight is tongue weight. Article is garbage. Manual is a copy and paste error.

 

[Ruffles]

This is a big nothing burger. There is a massive difference between towing and the leverage generated by vertical loads with dynamic forces. There is no issue here.

 

[greggertruck]

 

[Kahpernicus]

https://www.discountramps.com/info/...ng-limitations-hitch-mounted-carriers/a/b183/

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