Low hitch receiver weight limit for bike racks in manual

sylvius · Mar 24, 2024

While waiting for my truck I have been browsing the owner’s manual now that it is live on Tesla’s site and I noticed this section about carrying hitch mounted accessories:

The hitch receiver is designed to support vertical loads up to 160 lb (72 kg). When carrying bicycles, skis, or other items on the Cybertruck's hitch, always check to ensure that the maximum weight is not exceeded. When the carrier weighs 40 lbs (18 kg), the weigh threshold is sufficient for carrying two bicycles weighing approximately 60 lb (27 kg) each, or four items weighing approximately 30 lbs (14 kg) each.

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

Is that a joke? This is a truck with an 11,000 lb towing capacity and 1,110 lb maximum tongue weight. How is it remotely possible that the bike rack or cargo basket weight limit is 160 lbs? I’m hoping it’s an error or an overly conservative first edition. I’ve never before seen a limit specified lower than tongue weight and especially one so paltry.

PistolPeteCT · Mar 24, 2024

My X showed the same thing, I put a cargo carrier on the hitch and loaded it with about 300#. I had the same feeling regarding tongue weight

Pops · Mar 24, 2024

I feel Tesla copy/pasted a lot of the manual from their other models.

However... Even if you had a 1000lb tongue capacity that is a straight down rating at the hitch which is how a trailer loads a hitch. When you mount something which places even 200 lbs several feet back from the hitch with no other support the multiplied force is many times the actual weight.

Imagine holding a gallon of milk close to your chest, then hold it with your arm fully extended... then hit a speedbump.

Pops · Mar 24, 2024

sylvius · Mar 25, 2024

Pops said:
I feel Tesla copy/pasted a lot of the manual from their other models.

However... Even if you had a 1000lb tongue capacity that is a straight down rating at the hitch which is how a trailer loads a hitch. When you mount something which places even 200 lbs several feet back from the hitch with no other support the multiplied force is many times the actual weight.

Imagine holding a gallon of milk close to your chest, then hold it with your arm fully extended... then hit a speedbump.

I understand the concept of torque and lever arms and cantilevered loads. It’s not as though a trailered load can’t put high instantaneous forces on the tongue when you go through a dip or hit a bump. I don’t see how they get to 160 lb limit. I’m hoping it’s just like @PistolPeteCT said and it’s a copy paste job from a lighter duty receiver.

Bradleybourbon · Mar 25, 2024

sylvius said:
While waiting for my truck I have been browsing the owner’s manual now that it is live on Tesla’s site and I noticed this section about carrying hitch mounted accessories:

The hitch receiver is designed to support vertical loads up to 160 lb (72 kg). When carrying bicycles, skis, or other items on the Cybertruck's hitch, always check to ensure that the maximum weight is not exceeded. When the carrier weighs 40 lbs (18 kg), the weigh threshold is sufficient for carrying two bicycles weighing approximately 60 lb (27 kg) each, or four items weighing approximately 30 lbs (14 kg) each.

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

Is that a joke? This is a truck with an 11,000 lb towing capacity and 1,110 lb maximum tongue weight. How is it remotely possible that the bike rack or cargo basket weight limit is 160 lbs? I’m hoping it’s an error or an overly conservative first edition. I’ve never before seen a limit specified lower than tongue weight and especially one so paltry.

I thought the same thing when I got mine last month and wanted to add the two bike extension to my Kuat Piston Pro X.