Whoops. Should have checked it before I sent it.I only want the 2" (not 22") hitch
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Has anyone towed with a Model X yet?
- Thread starter Blue heaven
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- Australia New Zealand
Murbs
Member
Westfalia-Automotive A40T Removable - Towbars - EV Towbars Automotive NZ Ltd
from our Kiwi friends is getting a bit closer
Westfalia | Melbourne Towbars
Looks like you may be able to source this from Melbourne. They have a picture of the same one.
This has the advantage of being able to change the towball fitting for bike carrier or for different towball size. I still think
I still prefer the US Tesla version which would make easier to leave the hitch-receiver on the vehicle (just attach or remove the towball section) and would also give more flexibility for bike carriers.
Looks like you may be able to source this from Melbourne. They have a picture of the same one.
This has the advantage of being able to change the towball fitting for bike carrier or for different towball size. I still think
I still prefer the US Tesla version which would make easier to leave the hitch-receiver on the vehicle (just attach or remove the towball section) and would also give more flexibility for bike carriers.
Murbs
Member
Yep, they sure are available in Melbourne.
For someone who has access to a steel fabricator, the A40F might be useful since a 2" tube with an angled mounting plate welded to it could be bolted to this hitch.
Hi All
A response from the Tesla US:
A response from the Tesla US:
2” hitches are only available in North America (US and Canada) because hitches are only homologated to North American vehicles and legally allowed in North America on Teslas.
Customers who chose to have their vehicle equipped with the tow package in EU and APAC countries have vehicles outfitted with a tow ball rather than a hitch. The addition of the tow package in the EU and APAC had to have been configured and chosen during the design phase of the car, and there is no option to swap out for a hitch due to homologation standards.
Hitches are not purchasable separately and cannot be installed on Australian vehicles.
Customers who chose to have their vehicle equipped with the tow package in EU and APAC countries have vehicles outfitted with a tow ball rather than a hitch. The addition of the tow package in the EU and APAC had to have been configured and chosen during the design phase of the car, and there is no option to swap out for a hitch due to homologation standards.
Hitches are not purchasable separately and cannot be installed on Australian vehicles.
Hi All
A response from the Tesla US:
2” hitches are only available in North America (US and Canada) because hitches are only homologated to North American vehicles and legally allowed in North America on Teslas.
Customers who chose to have their vehicle equipped with the tow package in EU and APAC countries have vehicles outfitted with a tow ball rather than a hitch. The addition of the tow package in the EU and APAC had to have been configured and chosen during the design phase of the car, and there is no option to swap out for a hitch due to homologation standards.
Hitches are not purchasable separately and cannot be installed on Australian vehicles.
How is it that so many other Australian cars have a hitch style removable tow ball tongue and ball arrangement. This is the same proxy argument we get with the internet browser and yet again we know that other Australian vehicles seem to manage something similar. It looks to me as if they just folded at the first sign of resistance.
Jays200
Member
"Homologation" I don't completely understand it but I can understand how it might apply to the part of the tow bar that is permanently attached to the car. The bit I don't understand is how it applies to the part that is removable and is essentially an accessory.
As for buying the part in the USA, I'd love to, however, to not even list it as a spare part is redonculous.
APAC is NOT EU. Tesla, give us Aussie's the 2" square receiver, please
Last edited:
The maximum towing weight for Model X is listed at 2500kg with a maximum tongue weight of 90kg. The tongue weight should not be less than 4% of the towing weight. (From the Australian Manual for Model X).
Using the above data 90kg is about 3.96% of 2270 so close enough. A towing website however recommends a tongue weight of 9-15% of gross towing weight. How to Measure Tongue Weight | Weigh Safe Trailer Hitches
This would limit the towing capacity to 1000kg assuming 90kg is 9%.
Does the air suspension and trailer mode allow for the 4% figure above? If most trailers are designed for the 9-15% recommendation will they produce tongue weights of > 90kg with heavier loads? I know you can get measuring devices to calculate tongue weight but i don't think they are widely used.
Using the above data 90kg is about 3.96% of 2270 so close enough. A towing website however recommends a tongue weight of 9-15% of gross towing weight. How to Measure Tongue Weight | Weigh Safe Trailer Hitches
This would limit the towing capacity to 1000kg assuming 90kg is 9%.
Does the air suspension and trailer mode allow for the 4% figure above? If most trailers are designed for the 9-15% recommendation will they produce tongue weights of > 90kg with heavier loads? I know you can get measuring devices to calculate tongue weight but i don't think they are widely used.
Oz Will
Member
Hi, this may be a dumb question looking at this thread, but we bought the tow package with our Sig Model X, but there was no towbar of any description when we collected the car at the beginning of Feb. I've asked the Melbourne SC twice now and been told they are still waiting for towbars from the US. We have a standard 4x7 trailer with a cage that we put bikes in and I referred to wanting to tow our bike trailer and am now wondering if they didn't put the "normal" towbar on because they thought we needed the 2' hitch due to my bike reference? Am I right in thinking that there is a standard towbar on some Aust Model Xs, but the issue for hose on the thread is not having the detachable sort (and agree given so many other makes have it, that it seems odd). Any help or advice gratefully received re whether what is actually available from Tesla at present (must be something looking at the photos) works ok with standard Australian trailers.
Hi Oz
I will answer as best I can.
The standard tow bar (as part of the tow package) for Australia comes with the removable ball connector attachment shown below. Whilst this will serve some people perfectly well (I suspect it may for you) it does not meet the needs of others who expected the removable hitch attachment also shown below.
The hitch is generally seen as the more useful as you can connect hitch bike trailers or a ball to it. Unfortunately for some reason the hitch is only provided in the US. It would seem simple to offer the hitch attachment to Australia users (I am happy to pay for it despite having paid for the tow package already) but any discussions with the SC or Tesla just get little or no response.
Although I went out in the freezing cold to take a photo of the ball attachment for you - I need to credit the hitch photo as coming from Teslerati.
Hope that helps and doesn't confuse the matter further.
What we get:
What we want (but only available in the US for some unknown reason):
I will answer as best I can.
The standard tow bar (as part of the tow package) for Australia comes with the removable ball connector attachment shown below. Whilst this will serve some people perfectly well (I suspect it may for you) it does not meet the needs of others who expected the removable hitch attachment also shown below.
The hitch is generally seen as the more useful as you can connect hitch bike trailers or a ball to it. Unfortunately for some reason the hitch is only provided in the US. It would seem simple to offer the hitch attachment to Australia users (I am happy to pay for it despite having paid for the tow package already) but any discussions with the SC or Tesla just get little or no response.
Although I went out in the freezing cold to take a photo of the ball attachment for you
- I need to credit the hitch photo as coming from Teslerati.Hope that helps and doesn't confuse the matter further.
What we get:
What we want (but only available in the US for some unknown reason):
Jays200
Member
My DS said it was an "homologation issue" when I said I was expecting the 2" receiver but getting the "Swan neck" Euro hitch.
Anyway, he said he'd look in to it, however, I haven't beard back. My MX is currently en-route to AUS.
So, after contacting numerous European/UK hitch suppliers, contacting the German OEM manufacturer (BOSAL) and considering taking a punt on some similar looking Ebay tounges I emailed a US Tesla service centre. They said no problems and the parts would be ready for pickup a few days later. Cool I thought. Then the question was asked "was I from Australia?" and I thought this was going too well and here is the roadblock I was hoping to get around. Anyway, after providing the VIN on my yet to be delivered car and confirming I was from Australia, the parts were paid for and ordered by credit via email. Caveat was that this part is not warranted/supported in Australia and used at my risk.
The best bit is the hitch was US$112 and the bag $US19 and I expect postage to be less than US$100. So I arranged for my cousin (yes, I have family in the US, no, I'm sorry I cannot help other people secure one of these).
I'm not bragging just saying that after a lot of effort it is possible to get one but it shouldn't be this difficult. If more of us manage a work around then perhaps Tesla will supply locally in Aus.
There was one for an inflated price on Ebay recently,
Tesla Model X Trailer Hidden Hitch Receiver 2016/17 Bosal adapter 1027582-00-a | eBay
Here's a snip of my invoice
Anyway, he said he'd look in to it, however, I haven't beard back. My MX is currently en-route to AUS.
So, after contacting numerous European/UK hitch suppliers, contacting the German OEM manufacturer (BOSAL) and considering taking a punt on some similar looking Ebay tounges I emailed a US Tesla service centre. They said no problems and the parts would be ready for pickup a few days later. Cool I thought. Then the question was asked "was I from Australia?" and I thought this was going too well and here is the roadblock I was hoping to get around. Anyway, after providing the VIN on my yet to be delivered car and confirming I was from Australia, the parts were paid for and ordered by credit via email. Caveat was that this part is not warranted/supported in Australia and used at my risk.
The best bit is the hitch was US$112 and the bag $US19 and I expect postage to be less than US$100. So I arranged for my cousin (yes, I have family in the US, no, I'm sorry I cannot help other people secure one of these).
I'm not bragging just saying that after a lot of effort it is possible to get one but it shouldn't be this difficult. If more of us manage a work around then perhaps Tesla will supply locally in Aus.
There was one for an inflated price on Ebay recently,
Tesla Model X Trailer Hidden Hitch Receiver 2016/17 Bosal adapter 1027582-00-a | eBay
Here's a snip of my invoice
Oz Will
Member
I'm sorry you went out in the cold, but very grateful and yes, explains it perfectly. My bike reference has clearly thrown them. I have a good connection to someone very well connected in Fremont via work and will see if I can get a management view of the problem as having had the 2' on the ICE SUV the MX replaced, it just makes no sense not to offer it - even if at our own risk.Hi Oz
I will answer as best I can.
The standard tow bar (as part of the tow package) for Australia comes with the removable ball connector attachment shown below. Whilst this will serve some people perfectly well (I suspect it may for you) it does not meet the needs of others who expected the removable hitch attachment also shown below.
The hitch is generally seen as the more useful as you can connect hitch bike trailers or a ball to it. Unfortunately for some reason the hitch is only provided in the US. It would seem simple to offer the hitch attachment to Australia users (I am happy to pay for it despite having paid for the tow package already) but any discussions with the SC or Tesla just get little or no response.
Although I went out in the freezing cold to take a photo of the ball attachment for you
Hope that helps and doesn't confuse the matter further.
What we get:
View attachment 226248
What we want (but only available in the US for some unknown reason):
View attachment 226249
Oz Will
Member
Thanks. So much for the US-AUS FTA , but great you have a work-around. You will love your MX by the way, but like the sound system, Telsa could get 11/10 more often if only there was a bit more flexibility in things like this - and so many other makes have it that it can't really be a homologation issue at our end other than that they haven't gotten to it yet (or maybe there is some design quirk we don't know about???).
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