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Draw-Tite Aftermarket Receiver Package

Discussion in 'Model X' started by ohmman, Jul 15, 2017.

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  1. Insight75

    Insight75 Member

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    This is very helpful. I may go ahead and buy one of these. I bought my X used and the previous owner did not leave me the hitch even though it does have the tow package option. I've been trying to get this from Tesla for quite a while to no avail. I also don't have the wiring harness. Is this something that I can easily get or is it specific to Tesla?
     
  2. MP3Mike

    MP3Mike Well-Known Member

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    It is specific to Tesla.
     
  3. ohmman

    ohmman Plaid-ish Moderator

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    I dropped off my stock hitch and crossbar to my service center today. They will get it over to Tesla engineering, and hopefully it will be analyzed. I'm guessing I won't hear much back, but if I do I will report to the thread.
     
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  4. TOBASH

    TOBASH Supporting Member

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    I thank you for your answers.

    A tow hitch that becomes loose is potentially deadly. This is a thing that MUST be reported.

    You were using your hitch within specs.

    I like TESLA but this is a serious issue!

    The report is not to punish TESLA but to instead look to see if engineering holds up to real World driving.

    I own the same hitch, and now I don't trust it.

    This needs to be reported no matter what your personal feelings are.

    If someone is injured or dies because of this defective unit, how would you feel.

    I've read a few of your posts. Your a details guy. This detail should not be left to the manufacturer.

    MHO----YMMV
     
  5. ohmman

    ohmman Plaid-ish Moderator

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    I had more than 3/4" rise to the ball. So no, I wasn't.
     
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  6. Xenoilphobe

    Xenoilphobe Active Member

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    Received the receiver today... unfortunately on travel the next 5 days..
     
  7. Fiddler

    Fiddler Member

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    I measure exactly one vertical inch. The rear end on the receiver is 2" horizontally outside the fascia. Your photo shows the receiver opening directly under the fascia. That means the stock receiver is more than 2" longer. I guess about 2.25" longer.
     
  8. beths11

    beths11 THE LONG RANGER

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    @ohmman was also using a specialty hitch on his trailer(I forget the name) which put added stress on the Tesla hitch. I expect Tesla's manual will specifically state NOT to use that type of hitch.
     
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  9. idoco

    idoco Member

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    Not discounting the possible seriousness of this but a couple points.

    As Ohmman already pointed out he was not using the hitch within specs. In addition to what he posted, according to etrailer.com, the detachable hitch is not meant to be used with a weight distributing hitch Bosal Hitch Adapter Loosening.

    This type of detachable hitch made by Bosal is very common in Europe. After Ohmman reported the loosening I did a search of European RV/caravan forums for failures of this hitch. Detachment type failures of this hitch are exceedingly rare (I can only find one clearly documented case). And when less catastrophic failures of this hitch occur they appear to be the result of user error in installing the hitch. Most of the problems with this hitch appear to be difficulty of removing or inserting related to the latching mechanism.

    Bottom line in my opinion. If you are going to get close to the towing weight limit or want to use a WDH than a standard fixed hitch is the way to go. I've installed several on my trucks over the years. Easy to do.

    On the other hand if you are not pushing the towing weight or using a WDH than the stock Bosal should be fine. As evidenced by the abundant use in Europe without apparent disaster.
     
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  10. ecarfan

    ecarfan Well-Known Member

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    Did you mean to write "if you are not pushing the towing weight or not using a WDH"?
     
  11. idoco

    idoco Member

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    Implied parenthesis?:)

    !(heavy || WDH). As opposed to !heavy || WDH

    But you are correct. It was ambiguous use of an adverb on a coordinating conjunction.
     
    • Funny x 2
  12. AnOutsider

    AnOutsider S532 # XS27

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    Thanks for the writeup Mark. The positioning of the safety hook attachment points alone makes this a worthy upgrade IMO.

    Ya know, I told my wife that, but what do I know right? I think she just finds it easier to leave it in :p
     
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  13. ohmman

    ohmman Plaid-ish Moderator

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    Thanks for stopping in. ;)
     
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  14. qadaemon

    qadaemon Member

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    Hey @ohmman how do the tailgate bumpstops pop out?
     
  15. ohmman

    ohmman Plaid-ish Moderator

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    They unscrew.
     
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  16. qadaemon

    qadaemon Member

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    Thanks! Mine had loctite on them and were difficult. I got them with a rag and large knipex cobra slip joint pliers. I assume that's something they stopped doing if others aren't having issues.

    I also had problems with two of the three nutserts that hold the diffuser to the body. They were already broken off the body, so I had to replace them. I'll let Tesla know for funsies.

    The draw-tite hitch is about 4lb lighter than my bosal without the receiver. It appears better built too. I'll test some towing tomorrow; I have to adjust my drawbar first and I think it's beer-thirty instead.

    For those with the single screw hitch panel, you only have to trim the screw's attachment tab off of the diffuser/bumper. I'm going to modify the hitch panel to mount the 7-way plug and permemantly attach it. I'll try and remember to post dimensions and pictures here once it's done.
     
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  17. TOBASH

    TOBASH Supporting Member

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    Sorry, but USA and Europe are like the proverbial apples and oranges. YOU CANNOT COMPARE.

    We prefer SUV's, and they prefer small cars. The X is an SUV. The Bosal is meant for small cars.

    TESLA, IMHO, should have used a more robust design, and I believe using an under-qualified product on the X is a setup for disaster.

    Auto manufacturers do indeed need to anticipate misuse by drivers. Also TESLA salespeople have told me I can toe a 30 foot fishing boat with this device. I am beginning to realize they are wrong and sold me an incorrect item. This unit is something that is wrong for the car and needs to be replaced! A safety bulletin should be created and the government should be informed. A voluntary replacement and recall program needs to be initiated.

    I spend my life operating on people who suffer the ravages of injury from unanticipated issues. We have here an issue. It needs to be dealt with before people like me get called in.

    I love TESLA but I will not defend a problem part. This part should probably NOT be on a super-strong SUV. This SUV is like a pit-bull... it needs a strong leash.

    The fact that TESLA sent people out to personally assist ohman on the road tells me they know this is potentially a super serious issue.

    Argue all you will... you will not convince me otherwise.TESLA should have used a more robust unit! A solid unit with a detachable cover would have been ideal.

    Best,

    T
     
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  18. qadaemon

    qadaemon Member

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    I didn't get to take the trailer out today because I need a washer I don't have to adjust the drawbar properly. I did get the wiring set up and the cover back in place though.

    For the cover, I cut a slot and relived an area for the new hitch. The slot allows it to go around the hitch for install & removal. I would have cut it out on the wj or cnc, but it's just me and the SC looking under there, so I did it with a spiral cut saw--hence the apprentice marks. The slot is 1 3/16" but could have been 1 1/4" to get a bit tighter. The square relief is 3" wide and 3 1/2" long. I added a section of bare-bond to cover the slot. For what purpose, I don't know. I doubt it would go anywhere.

    For the wiring that draw-tite apparently forgot to address, I added a 2" hole in the diffuser approximately 7" from the side of the hitch, and mounted it with black-coated stainless pan head screws I found at Ace Hardware. I started with pilot holes since it looks like ABS. I was going to mount it on the cover, but with the spring weight and the stress of the trailer cable, I figured it would hold up better on the diffuser. Both trailers I pull have plenty of cord to reach, and I have an extension if others don't. YMMV. I oriented the plug so that it's wiring disconnect would be easy to get to if I need to drop the bumper ever again.

    Note that this is on the older single-screw cover & diffuser. I assume the same dimensions would work on the newer style, but I don't know.

    I test fit everything, and you can see there is now plenty of room to attach the chains in the proper cross fashion. Before they were very hard to get to, and not long enough to cross.

    IMG_0326.JPG IMG_0950.JPG IMG_1607.JPG IMG_2017.JPG IMG_3098.JPG IMG_1734.JPG
     
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  19. ohmman

    ohmman Plaid-ish Moderator

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    Very nice work. I'm going to copy your mounting location for the 7-blade connector. I agree that the safety chain mounts are a vast improvement.
     
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  20. ohmman

    ohmman Plaid-ish Moderator

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    I'm mounting my wiring harness today into the panel. I came to ask why you mounted yours flipping back, but I see it's so that you can unhook the harness clip without dropping the panel. Good point and one I hadn't considered - thanks for mentioning it. It does look like I could mount it with the door hinge on the same side as the hitch and still have access. I may do that so that it's easier to manipulate the plug while hitching and unhitching.
     
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