Tesla Cybertruck Manual Confirms the Truck's Tow Hitch Is Too Weak for Its Own Good
- by autoevolution
- Sep 25, 2024
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25 Sep 2024, 10:54 UTC
• By: Photo: DeadSetElectric via Cybertruck Owners Club
In August, YouTuber WhistlinDiesel shared a shocking video that showed the Tesla Cybertruck's frame snapped when pulling a Ford F-150. A quick look into the Cybertruck's owner's manual might explain why its frame broke. Apparently, the Cybertruck tow hitch is as weak as that of a Tesla Model Y, which should not be the case with an "apocalypse-ready" pickup truck.
Shocking as it was, WhistlinDiesel broke the spine of a Tesla Cybertruck when it tried to pull a Ford F-150 truck. To be fair, the Cybertruck in the video had a long history of abuse, and it was just dropped with the hitch hitting a concrete pipe before the pull that resulted in the broken frame. This has been pointed out by Tesla fans multiple times, although this might not be all that is to it.
WhistlinDiesel made a subsequent video, dropping the Ford F-150's tow hitch on various concrete obstacles to see if it stands better. Thanks to its steel frame, the Ford pickup endured, even though the frame bent after being dropped several times from a 5-foot (1.5-meter) height on its hitch. However, as easily as it bent, the frame straightened up when Cody dropped a concrete block on it.
This shows that opting for an aluminum frame might not have been the best decision for a tough truck, as Tesla markets it. Tesla Cybertruck features alloy megacastings for the rear structure, and this is its Achilles heel. Put too much stress in the wrong direction, and the alloy snaps, ruining the truck. Hopefully, replacing the rear structure should be pretty straightforward, albeit expensive.
The Cybertruck owner's manual reveals the possible cause of Cody's truck failure. The manual states that the tow hitch has a vertical load limit of only 160 lbs. (72 kg). This is exactly the same as the Tesla Model Y, which made some people believe Tesla mistakenly copy/pasted the text from its manual. After all, the Cybertruck can tow trailers with a maximum tongue weight of up to 1,100 lbs.
However, physics shows us that no mistake has been made with the Cybertruck's manual. Although many don't see it, there's a marked difference between the vertical load limit on the tow hitch (weight carrying) and the tongue weight limit (weight distributing). The former applies to bike carriers and other hitch-mounted accessories, which might act as a lever on the Cybertruck's frame. This is accentuated the further the hitch accessory extends from the Cybertruck's body.
When driving, a road bump can create a considerable dynamic load on the hitch, likely to cause damage. This is not the same as when the trailer's tongue exerts a vertical load. That's because the trailer will pivot around its axle when the truck hits a bump, whereas, with the hitch-mounted rack, the shock is entirely taken by the hitch.
Most pickup trucks have different values for the vertical load limit on the tow hitch and the tongue weight limit. However, the difference is much smaller, usually half the maximum allowable tongue weight and up to 500 lbs. (227 kg) in the case of the Chevy Silverado 1500. For the Ford F-150 in WhistlinDiesel's video, the maximum tongue weight allowable is 1,400 lbs. (635 kg), whereas the tow hitch vertical load limit is 500 lbs. Either way, that's more than three times the Cybertruck's hitch vertical load limit of 160 lbs.
This confirms that the Cybertruck is nothing like other work trucks, no matter how hard Tesla tries to project that image. The stainless steel body might take a bullet or two, but the Cybertruck's structure is too brittle for a tough truck. You may use it to carry the occasional plywood and furniture from Ikea, but be gentle with it, as it's not built to last if used on a farm or construction site. Even loading a bike carrier and two bikes can be tricky, so make sure you read the manual before doing it.
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