Cybertruck towing discussion

[mongo]

You have to go into the Computer Screen to adjust and apply the Trailer Brakes if you want or need to use the Trailer Brakes separately from the Truck Brakes?

To manually control, probably.
However, Cybertruck can utilize its sensors to figure out when brakes are needed so the amount of manual intervention should be lower (esp if they use the cameras to detect sway).

 

[ecarfan]

You have to go into the Computer Screen to adjust and apply the Trailer Brakes if you want or need to use the Trailer Brakes separately from the Truck Brakes?

Not sure why you would want to have the trailer brakes activate when the tow vehicle is not braking or slowing down using regenerative braking.

In what scenario would you want that to happen?

 

[mongo]

Not sure why you would want to have the trailer brakes activate when the tow vehicle is not braking or slowing down using regenerative braking.

In what scenario would you want that to happen?

Stopping trailer sway. (Esp without slowing down)

 

[israndy]

I have used my Jeep to move my toad (Honda Insight) and needed to brake going into a curve, it's only an 1800 lb car, but it wanted to push the Jeep around. Never felt it in the dually Sprinter, but that's almost a 9000 lb RV. Technically legal to tow w/o brake kit in the Insight in most states.

 

[ThomasD]

Stopping trailer sway. (Esp without slowing down)

Thank You

 

[ecarfan]

Stopping trailer sway. (Esp without slowing down)

I thought the best method of stopping trailer sway was to increase speed slightly. Actually, maybe that is only for the case when the tongue weight is too light.

What other conditions will cause trailer sway? I’ve towed tens of thousands of miles and have never experienced it.

 

[scottf200]

I thought the best method of stopping trailer sway was to increase speed slightly. Actually, maybe that is only for the case when the tongue weight is too light.

What other conditions will cause trailer sway? I’ve towed tens of thousands of miles and have never experienced it.

I've had it happen with our 23D Jayco and it was NOT a comfortable feeling. Luckily I saw it fairly quickly at it was getting a little worse every few seconds.
I manually applied the trailer brake (right hand on underdash mounted trailer brake controller) WHILE increasing speed a modest amount to "straighten out the trailer".

 

[ecarfan]

I've had it happen with our 23D Jayco and it was NOT a comfortable feeling. Luckily I saw it fairly quickly at it was getting a little worse every few seconds.

When that happened, do you know what your tongue weight was as a percentage of your total trailer weight?

 

[scottf200]

When that happened, do you know what your tongue weight was as a percentage of your total trailer weight?

It was a number of years ago ... as I recall I just cleaned my hitch area and anti-sway bars. I suspected there was less friction somewhere and/or I was driving too fast. I had pulled it a number of times before and after than without issue. My memory is that I drove slower after that. We perhaps were running late that day going camping after work or something. It was an *uncomfortable* feeling. Thankful that I had the manual brake and I had read and practice using it ... ie. in case of a panic situation.

 

[ecarfan]

It was a number of years ago ... as I recall I just cleaned my hitch area and anti-sway bars. I suspected there was less friction somewhere and/or I was driving too fast

Too little tongue weight can result in trailer sway or “fishtailing” according to experts. Proper tongue weight is critical.

One major cause of trailer sway is improper loading. Weight in any kind of trailer should be evenly distributed. Put too much weight on the rear of the trailer, the rear of the trailer can turn into the proverbial pendulum. And the trouble is, once that trailer begins to sway, things can get worse in a hurry—jackknifing your tow vehicle, maybe even rolling your whole combination over with disastrous results. Too much weight forward, you can actually pull the front tires of the tow vehicle away from the roadway, making for out-of-control steering and braking.

Avoid trailer sway issues due to improper loading. Ideally, 10 to 15 percent of your trailer’s gross vehicle weight should be on the trailer hitch

 

[ecarfan]

To manually control, probably.
However, Cybertruck can utilize its sensors to figure out when brakes are needed so the amount of manual intervention should be lower (esp if they use the cameras to detect sway).

That would be the smart way to do it!

As far as manually activating the CT brake controller as @ThomasD posted about upthread (#40), note that there is a “Right Scroll Wheel” choice in the interface, so that you can define that steering wheel control as a means to manually control the trailer brakes. Nice move by Tesla. But I would like to know if by selecting that choice, then the right scroll wheel is always dedicated to that function or only when Trailer Mode is engaged? I assume the latter.

 

[coleAK]

Not sure why you would want to have the trailer brakes activate when the tow vehicle is not braking or slowing down using regenerative braking.

In what scenario would you want that to happen?

Trailer sway. It happens more than you think.

 

[coleAK]

I thought the best method of stopping trailer sway was to increase speed slightly. Actually, maybe that is only for the case when the tongue weight is too light.

What other conditions will cause trailer sway? I’ve towed tens of thousands of miles and have never experienced it.

I have it happen about once every other summer with our travel trailer. I’m towing ~8-10k miles a summer.

It is almost always when I have a strong (as in 30-50+ mph cross wind, somewhere between 45 degrees off the nose and broad side) then get passed by something large. My current tow rig (LX570) has tow correction in the stability control but with my previous tow rigs (g500 and before that 1995 f250) they didn’t and it was concerning when it happened.

 

[GoldCountryCA]

My thinking for travel trailers is along the lines of:

0) Pick an aerodynamic shape, like an airstream or a molded fiberglass trailer
1) Minimize width and frontal area
2) Take advantage of minimal width by not using mirror extensions on the tow vehicle
3) Select a single axle trailer instead of dual axle, if possible, to reduce rolling resistance
4) Install LLR (low rolling resistance) tires on the trailer
5) Install "Moon type" aerodynamic wheel covers on the trailer wheels
6) Install removable wheel spats to cover the trailer wheels.
7) If underside of trailer is not smooth, make modifications to improve
8) Minimize and reduce size of protrusions, lowering frontal area and also improving Cd. Example: low-profile A/C, or rear mounted A/C or no A/C.
9) Other ideas as they come along

GSP

1) buy a practical truck
2) put fuel in said truck
3) carry on

 

[GoldCountryCA]

There is very little difference in the powertrain between the semi and the CT. The Beast is likely software limited for power and does not have the clutches. As demonstrated the beast can clearly can pull better than a F350, but they just need top keep it legal for a normal licence. A software/regulatory update would be sufficient to market what you want.

Anyone who bought the hype that a CT will out haul a modern-ish diesel doesn’t understand towing. Where does the fifth wheel/goose neck hitch mount? In the unibody?

Yes, you can tow a small bumper pull, but you won’t come close to the capability of a modern ICE truck. They can tow 37,000+ pounds. The tongue weight of that gooseneck will punch a hole through a CT clear to the earth.

 

[GSP]

1) buy a practical truck
2) put fuel in said truck
3) carry on

Way too easy. What is the fun in that?

GSP

 

[GoldCountryCA]

Way too easy. What is the fun in that?

GSP

Next year I’m going to buy a Conestoga wagon to drive with my oxen. I’ll have all the fun.

 

[israndy]

Why would anyone join a thread about CyberTruck Towing and then *sugar* on the idea? If you are here to promote towing 37,000+ pounds or continuing to destroy the world by drilling for Dino fuel and burning it you are in the wrong forum.

If you wanna talk about things you CAN tow with it, and understand that we need a truck that can replace 90% of the trucks on the road that just get used for grocery runs and picking up some sheetrock or plywood, then you are in the right place.

 

[coleAK]

.

If you wanna talk about things you CAN tow with it, and understand that we need a truck that can replace 90% of the trucks on the road that just get used for grocery runs and picking up some sheetrock or plywood, then you are in the right place.

I can do all that with my model 3.

So is it not wasteful and “destroying the world” use a CT and consume 2-3x the electricity as a model 3 to do the same things?

 

[israndy]

Electricity is renewable, sun comes up every morning. If you wanna play the "If it's not perfect, it's bad" game, you are part of the problem.

The Model X can tow almost 3x what the Model 3 can, and comfortably fit 7 passengers, if I have a large family (obviously that wouldn't be "perfect") and I wanna tow a camper I should get it over the TM3. If I want a truck mounted camper I can't do that on the Model 3 or X. Surely you see where this is going, Tesla needs models that meet each person's needs.