Took my Cybertruck on Sedona's Outlaw Trail for Offroading and Camping -- Photos & Lessons Learned

[Cybergirl]

No problem. I cut a piece of cardboard the width of the gate. The edge needs to be very straight in order to seal the gap. I lay the cardboard on the bed tight against the gate. The cargo holds the cardboard in place. This, of course, is temporary. I only place the cardboard this way when driving on gravel roads.

Update: This method of preventing dust from getting into the vault doesn't work as well as I hoped. It does prevent dust from settling on cargo, but dust still collects under the cardboard. As you can see in this photo, dust traveled far into the vault beneath the cardboard through the valleys of the bed.

I had to clean out the vault floor before laying out the air mattresses for sleeping. I later stuff a towel in the gap where dust enters the vault and found it effective in keeping out road dust. I will replace the use of a towel with a large diameter foam backer rod available at Home Depot. I'll push a length of backer rod into the gap before traveling on dust, gravel roads.

Sponsored

 

[Woodrick]

Update: This method of preventing dust from getting into the vault doesn't work as well as I hoped. It does prevent dust from settling on cargo, but dust still collects under the cardboard. As you can see in this photo, dust traveled far into the vault beneath the cardboard through the valleys of the bed.



I had to clean out the vault floor before laying out the air mattresses for sleeping. I later stuff a towel in the gap where dust enters the vault and found it effective in keeping out road dust. I will replace the use of a towel with a large diameter foam backer rod available at Home Depot. I'll push a length of backer rod into the gap before traveling on dust, gravel roads.

I know, it's radical, but what about a piece of carpet or artificial grass? Something that's a little more pliable than cardboard and will tend to form fit the openings and sink below the ridges?

Did the dust come from both the tailgate and mid crack or just one?

Did you have much weight on the cardboard? Is it possible that there was enough airflow out of the cracks that the cardboard stayed elevated at speed?

 

[Cybergirl]

I know, it's radical, but what about a piece of carpet or artificial grass? Something that's a little more pliable than cardboard and will tend to form fit the openings and sink below the ridges?

Did the dust come from both the tailgate and mid crack or just one?

Did you have much weight on the cardboard? Is it possible that there was enough airflow out of the cracks that the cardboard stayed elevated at speed?

The cardboard was held down firmly. A pliable rug might work. You'd have to try it to be sure.

I would say that 99.9% of the dust comes from the gate gap.

 

[Woodrick]

The cardboard was held down firmly. A pliable rug might work. You'd have to try it to be sure.

I would say that 99.9% of the dust comes from the gate gap.

A thin piece of foam under it may be enough or, maybe carpet underlayment. Something that sinks into the dips and stops the airflow.
It had to be a pretty good air flow to move that much dust that far up 1/2 inch (?) channels.

At a minimum, and to go with the cardboard theme, maybe a pieces that sit in the channel. They probably don't need to be long, just stop that airflow.

Also, maybe cut the cardboard a little long and at the correct length, score one side of the cardboard and bend it back, facing down and then cut fingers to be in the grooves.

But as you said, a folded up towel the width of the bed may be the easiest.

 

[Cybergirl]

A thin piece of foam under it may be enough or, maybe carpet underlayment. Something that sinks into the dips and stops the airflow.
It had to be a pretty good air flow to move that much dust that far up 1/2 inch (?) channels.

At a minimum, and to go with the cardboard theme, maybe a pieces that sit in the channel. They probably don't need to be long, just stop that airflow.

Also, maybe cut the cardboard a little long and at the correct length, score one side of the cardboard and bend it back, facing down and then cut fingers to be in the grooves.

But as you said, a folded up towel the width of the bed may be the easiest.

The sub-vault door complicates any kind of permanent solution since whenever you want access to the sub-vault, you have to remove whatever you are blocking the gap with. My solution is to glue 1/2" backer rod to the bottom edge of a strip of wood 2" wide by 56.5" long by 1/4" thick. Whenever I want to seal the gap, I set the wood strip down on the back edge of the vault (gate open, sub-vault closed) with the foam facing down, and then close the gate. The foam backer rod is squeezed between the gate and the back surface of the vault sealing out any road dust. I store the sealing strip in the vault when not in use.

 

[Woodrick]

What about something like this. You kind of just drop it in, but the top (turn this upside down) is too big to slide through. Kind of like a stopper.

Or this

Something narrow that can slide into the gap, but bigger on the other end.

I'm one of those that know where my truck is, I've touched the truck, but I can't pickup the truck!!!!
So maybe I can see the requirements soon.

 

[Cybergirl]

What about something like this. You kind of just drop it in, but the top (turn this upside down) is too big to slide through. Kind of like a stopper.

Or this

Something narrow that can slide into the gap, but bigger on the other end.

I'm one of those that know where my truck is, I've touched the truck, but I can't pickup the truck!!!!
So maybe I can see the requirements soon.

Might work. What best is to seal the gap is by squeezing something (towel, foam, rubber, etc.) between the vault floor and gate as the gate is closed.

 

[CyberTruckeeTheOne]

Ever since paying for my Cybertruck, I sleep in the fetal position

That's why I paid cash.

I'll be having high fever two days before the amortization is due.

Imagine going through that monthly for 5 years.

Sponsored