Underslung loads

[Ogre]

I'm wondering if it would be possible to carry cargo underneath the Cybertruck. For example, you might need to pick up some 20 foot conduit so you lift the truck to the full 16" height, then strap a carrying tube under the truck.

You can't do this with a normal truck because there is just too much going on under there and the trucks with 16" clearance aren't very practical for day-to-day stuff. Seems like with a Cybertruck you might be able to do this.

It would be easier to mount below because you could just secure it to front and rear bumpers.

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[FutureBoy]

There previously was a pretty extensive discussion about carrying underslung loads. Can’t find it anymore though. The pvc pipe idea is new to the discussion. I would be afraid of an accident if one were carrying rebar in there though.

Speaking of an underslung load is currently giving me a mental image of a crab.

 

[BillyGee]

Ground clearance ≠ unused space

Here's a short list of reasons from the last thread:
- road debris can dislodge it
- raw materials risk damage
- increased high point risk
- wedging and ricochet avoidance window shortened
- possible battery damage from carried materials
- no structural protection in case of tire failure

That's just off the top of my head. There's a bevvy of reasons this isn't standard practice on ANY vehicle on the road.

The CT is no exception, one decent bump on that air suspension and you run the risk of bouncing into anything jutting out underneath. Just put it on the overhead rack or in the bed, it's what it's there for.

 

[Ogre]

The CT is no exception, one decent bump on that air suspension and you run the risk of bouncing into anything jutting out underneath. Just put it on the overhead rack or in the bed, it's what it's there for.

What you say makes a lot of sense. But I'm still tempted. Mostly because I'm not going to have an overhead rack, but I do occasionally need to haul long things.

 

[BillyGee]

What you say makes a lot of sense. But I'm still tempted. Mostly because I'm not going to have an overhead rack, but I do occasionally need to haul long things.

Bed open, gate down, straps set, red flag on end.

All the materials you want to move, none of the needless risks.

 

[Newton]

I dont think its illegal, but i cant figure any good reasons to do this. Mounting on top should be relatively easy... a few of 2x4's could make a temporary lumber rack.

 

[JBee]

So long its about 5-6" high I don't see much of a problem.

Ideally you would at least have a hoop front, rear and in the middle for the long stuff. Or a full aluminum box even that will protect the load. You could even make a cold rolled stainless steel box if you wanted. Technically, you could have a subframe that you can drive over, lower the CT onto, connect, and drive away. Easy way to load and unload. It would have to fit inbetween the front wheel wells and suspension though, so you can still steer, so wouldn't be more than 3ft wide.

As for hitting stuff on the ground this will depend on how high the CT will allow you to set the clearance whilst driving. I'm assuming it won't be at max height for highway speeds to reduce CV wear and range. But 10" of clearance is plenty for that kind of thing, and other larger vehicles have less and get by just fine onroad. Offroad....well lets just say everything is to low there.

 

[BillyGee]

So long its about 5-6" high I don't see much of a problem.

Ideally you would at least have a hoop front, rear and in the middle for the long stuff. Or a full aluminum box even that will protect the load. You could even make a cold rolled stainless steel box if you wanted. Technically, you could have a subframe that you can drive over, lower the CT onto, connect, and drive away. Easy way to load and unload. It would have to fit inbetween the front wheel wells and suspension though, so you can still steer, so wouldn't be more than 3ft wide.

As for hitting stuff on the ground this will depend on how high the CT will allow you to set the clearance whilst driving. I'm assuming it won't be at max height for highway speeds to reduce CV wear and range. But 10" of clearance is plenty for that kind of thing, and other larger vehicles have less and get by just fine onroad. Offroad....well lets just say everything is to low there.

No.

A big road bounce is still a risk not worth taking, even with nifty automatic suspension. My f350, with massive ground clearance and stiff spring suspension, gets bounced around a lot when I'm going down certain highways. I see shredded tires and crap on the road every day, there's no reason to risk clipping some kind of storage tube on that debris when you can just put it on top.

Since this keeps coming up I also did some research and from what can tell US every state agrees with me on this, everyone has laws pertaining to how a load is carried. Not a single state has any mention of this type of load, the only legal ways to carry things on road vehicles are in and above a vehicle, with side clearances varying slightly by state.

The Cybertruck is cool as hell, it will help people reimagine what trucks are really meant to do and look like. However, you can't run from Isaac Newton. There's also no good reason to reinvent the wheel in this way.

The risks far outweigh the rewards in every aspect.

 

[JBee]

Who's up for a risk assessment analysis with spreadsheets and tables?

If the structure underneath the vehicle, is completely enclosed so nothing can move, fall out of or get in it, is engineered to withstand both the static and dynamic driving loads of the vehicle (including punctures), and the vehicle can maintain 10" of ground clearance (which is nearly twice the clearance of a passenger car, like a limo, that would be longer than a CT) then I can tell you now that:

• the risk of losing containment is low,
• because of that the likelihood of an incident is also low,
• of which any resulting consequence is also low,
• meaning that no additional controls are necessary.

Yes its fine, "if" you do it right. That is what engineering is all about. Think about that when they "strap" all the cargo to the bottom of a flying aluminium tube you call an aircraft. ?

At every point I stated how it could be done. I'm not just using rachet straps...

 

[ÆCIII]

Definitely carrying long stock of any material is a relative use-case and purpose that occurs often enough. However I think the ends of underslung long stock could be a hazard hitting obstructions more easier. If you snag or hit something at high speed and it comes loose, that could easily end badly for someone following you. Not to mention all the dirt and road sludge that could be splattering all over your materials.

I'm more supportive of a roof rack designed to aesthetics and style of the Cybertruck, while possibly making the rear portion of it have a kneeling capability to easier load long items, then raise and lock it in the upper position (if desired, for better aerodynamics and wind angle against the materials). It could be designed to raise and lock with the rear slightly higher, which would assure spacious access to the bed/vault even with the materials secured above.

And I would want the raising and lowering of this roof rack to be powered electrically or pneumatically, with lock status indications displaying in the UI just like opening and closing doors/frunk/etc.

Don't want much do I? ...

 

[BillyGee]

Airplanes don't risk clipping the pavement when they hit turbulence.

If they add a through battery storage option for extra long items, knock yourself out. It's contained, doesn't protrude, and doesn't risk damage the same way.

Otherwise there's no point in this. It's a stupid idea that makes no sense when you have a bed, less sense of you have a rack. Why even bother risking it?

 

[JBee]

Airplanes don't clip the pavement when they hit turbulence.

If they add a through battery storage option for extra long items, knock yourself out. It's contained, doesn't protrude, and doesn't risk damage the same way.

Otherwise there's no point in this. It's a stupid idea that makes no sense when you have a bed, less sense of you have a rack. Why even bother risking it?

Because its safer than strapping a 20ft long load like this on the roof?

Tesla aren't the only engineers in town. There are plenty of aftermarket products that work, some that don't, but thats due to poor design, and has nothing in particular to do with on top, underneath, left, right, front, rear. They transport glass like this unprotected, and the edge is lower than the CT underslung carrier.

 

[BillyGee]

All that you've demonstrated with those two pictures is that there are three more sides to a vehicle that are safer to load items onto than one that is mere inches away from pavement screeching past it.

There is no reason to put anything under a vehicle like this, full stop. Feel free to do it when you do get your cyber truck, make sure to tell every highway patrolman that stops you and tells you how illegal it is that I told you so.

 

[JBee]

All that you've demonstrated with those two pictures is that there are three more sides to a vehicle that are safer to load items onto than one that is mere inches away from pavement screeching past it.

Cool in that case we can agree that:

1. If engineered properly it can be safe, no matter what side it is on the vehicle, and it doesn't have to be just mounted on the roof or bed to be allowed
2. That loading glass that low to the ground is just as safe (with second photo it is the same height above ground as it would be on a CT)

But that you think that the first photo is safe baffles me, I grabbed the image off a insurance site showing pictures of how NOT to load your truck.

If that truck would rear end someone, the front car cabin would be wiped out. Same for most heavy weights on the roof that can't be racheted down properly and just slides straight through into the car in front. Plus any other higher vehicle that will hit the load because it sticks out way to far. Much safer for everyone if its underslung properly, and doesn't stick out beyond the car at all. Also can't fall far.

There is no reason to put anything under a vehicle like this, full stop. Feel free to do it when you do get your cyber truck, make sure to tell every highway patrolman that stops you and tells you how illegal it is that I told you so.

The lack of finding such rule, or even the lack of a rule, does not mean it can't be done. As for patrolmen, that all depends if they're up to speed on the code (if there is one) and if the load "appears"to be unsafe.
If done with a dark underslung box as proposed, I doubt 98% of police would notice it, and only a fraction of the remaining 2% would actually pull you over to tell you how cool they think your CT is.

 

[BillyGee]

The rules say how you're legally allowed to carry stuff, if it's not included the implication is that it's illegal. The lowness of those racks doesn't change that they're on the sides and not under, likely within the path of travel of the suspension, the angle is misleading. The ladder on top is safer than a ladder on the bottom, not "safe". Don't move the goalposts.

There is still nothing sensible about storing anything between nearly 5 tons of machine and what is effectively a low grit belt sander with that randomized compression of road bounces.

Don't put crap under your truck. There are still three other sides of the vehicle to do it that aren't literally idiotic, this nullifying any reason to do it.

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