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Rossy
Member
Rossy
Member
Got a big speeding ticket while towing on I5 iSummer 2019. So now California towing I’m goin 59mph. Much bigger state now ~$400 or so later.
Rossy
Member
Interesting. I’m wondering if spraying some additional black paint on the mating surfaces wouldn’t be in order...hmmm.
Rossy
Member
THAT is beautiful. I need to order a replacement cover. We camo a couple weekends a month so I’ve left the cover off originally, then it fell off about a year ago and I haven’t replaced it...
Rossy
Member
Rossy
Member
I’ve towed three years with stock setup. No issues. U-Haul trailers, kayak trailers and our 3500# travel trailer. Upgrading to Draw-Tite this week as we just bought a 3800-4809# trailer and plan on using WDH.
The spec for tonque weight (torque arm only Bosal to hitch ball) is different than for a cantilevered cargo carrier or bike rack (torque arm to center of mass of the attached system)
smorgasbord
Active Member
Which is true, but that it lacks any acknowledgement of horizontal distance effect is weird. Are they being overly conservative thinking it's a 4-bike rack that's hanging 2'-3' from the vehicle, or a 2-bike rack that's just inches away but carrying heavy eBikes?
It's more the vertical offset that is the issue. The two bike rack still has a CG a couple feet above the Bosal attachment point. Acceleration, braking, and turning causes that CG and lever arm to torque the connection. What's worse is the slop in the connection causes a hamner effect when the accelerations reverse.
smorgasbord
Active Member
High-end eBikes typically have relatively low COGs due to motors mounted in the bottom bracket and batteries mounted as low as possible in the frame for handling. With a platform rack I doubt the COG is 24" above the hitch. Rotation is rotation, and distance horizontally is no different, torque-wise, than distance vertically. Good bike racks typically provide good connections with not actual slop/play, but there is, of course, deformation as the 2" hitch can only do so much in terms of leverage.
The load produced by a horizontal offset is different than vertical depending which way the acceleration is applied. A horizontal offset gives torque on bumps and turns. A vertical one gives torque on braking/ acceleration and turning.
A 5,000 pound trailer can be stopped by the X hitch because the allowed vertical offset to the Bosal is quite small.
The 2" hitch connection is not the weak point, the key locked connection from the hitch adapter to the frame mounted portion is. Check out @ohmman 's thread on what happens to the Bosal with a weight distribution setup (extra torque).
This is the biggest drawback of the Bosal, IMO. Makes it neigh worthless for anything but a low slung 4x8 cargo trailer or maybe a small U-Haul type.
My upcoming travel trailer’s coupler sits at about 19” above ground when it’s level. If I used the maximum height on the Bosal, I’d be about 6” too low - way too far off for comfort.
I’ve got the Draw-Tite package sitting in my garage waiting for install. All I need now is for it to not be 16 degrees outside with 2+ feet of snow on the ground.
Unfortunately I can’t fit the X in my garage, so this will have to be outdoor surgery!Just back the MX into the garage partway. This should protect you from the worst of the weather. You should have plenty of room with only 1/3 of the vehicle in the garage.
I can’t even get it in that far. Since the cars don’t fit anyway, I mounted cabinets along the sidewalls next to the workbench etc. Victim of my own organizational success!
Can anyone comment on difficulty of getting the bumper back on after removal? i've got my drawtite on route any any videos i have been able to find all show the bumper coming off but haven't been able to see how to get it back on. Is it as simple as lining it back up and "clipping" it back in all the way around?
Finally got my Drawtite delivered -was delayed a couple weeks. Going to take it to local shop to get installed. Curious if any of you attached the wiring harness to the hitch behind the removable cover panel instead of drilling and mounting it on outside? our hitch will be used 95% for carrier / racks vs. actual trailer requiring wiring hookup so i'm ok with inconvenince of taking cover off to plug in. Anyone have pics of finished job with wiring harness on inside? Very helpful video above the author talked about using twist ties to attach it but never got a pic or shot of it.
Long term if we do way more trailering i could relocate and mount it on outside to the panel.
Long term if we do way more trailering i could relocate and mount it on outside to the panel.
JamesBrown
Member
Can you please post a picture standing back 10' or so and from the side? I would love to see how much it protrudes.
Decided not to do the DIY thing and had Drawtite installed by my local independent Tesla guy in Toronto. He did a nice job getting the receptacle mounted on the removable cover plate and only took couple hours. My wife was nervous I wouldn't be able to get the bumper back on and pleaded with me to get professional help - lol!
I love how this drawtite sits so flush with car - you hardly notice the hitch. I get Tesla wanted something fancy/removable with the Bosal but the tongue weight rating is BS in my opinion (problematic if you're carrying 1-2 bikes on a decent rack yet alone a steel cargo carrier with some cargo).
!I love how this drawtite sits so flush with car - you hardly notice the hitch. I get Tesla wanted something fancy/removable with the Bosal but the tongue weight rating is BS in my opinion (problematic if you're carrying 1-2 bikes on a decent rack yet alone a steel cargo carrier with some cargo).
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