Installing the official Tesla model 3 roof rack

[Lunares]

Interesting that my answer from tesla wasn't to email support or call support, but was to email "[email protected]"

 

[EVnut]

From what I've read almost everyone is installing themselves and most aren't using the proper torque. I'm not ready to call this a full blown panic quite yet personally until Tesla weighs in.

I don't think we need to wait for Tesla to weigh in.

 

[EVnut]

It's possibly that a lightly torqued bolt puts more stress, not less, on the weak part of the J bracket.

At the risk of sounding all "know it all".... the physics don't point that direction. It is the clip section of the part that is breaking, not the threaded stud that may not have enough engagement. If the clips themselves are breaking from "too little" torque, then the problem is more dangerous than it could be, not less.

There is simply no way that these clips should ever break in use... *especially* during installation before full torque spec is reached.

Let's not get off in the weeds here. The little welded tabs on the car roof should let go before these clips break. Sure seems like these were accidentally hardened at some point in the process (when the studs were welded to the clips?), making them too brittle for the job at hand. The clips should deform before breaking, and that's clearly not happening.

This is a materials flaw, and we shouldn't be making excuses for it and trying to explain it away with implication of user error. Tesla needs to fix this before they have to throw real money at a lawsuit.

 

[silentcorp]

I don't think we need to wait for Tesla to weigh in.

Totally disagree. We need to know how widespread the problem is, which shipments if not all were affected and what the plan is for us current owners.

 

[BAven8068]

Agreed... these clips should be bending well before we see them just snap in half. On my broken clip there is no sign of any bending when I put it back together and compare to the other clips.

It has the same exact curvature and dimensions it’s just snapped in half.

 

[EVnut]

Totally disagree. We need to know how widespread the problem is, which shipments if not all were affected and what the plan is for us current owners.

Make no mistake: we need to hear from Tesla. My comment was meant to convey that we should not “wait“ to hear from Tesla without acknowledging that this is a serious safety issue that should not be ignored by the owners in the meantime.

Your recent concerns after hearing of more problems makes me believe that you do not “totally disagree” with that.

 

[silentcorp]

Make no mistake: we need to hear from Tesla. My comment was meant to convey that we should not “wait“ to hear from Tesla without acknowledging that this is a serious safety issue that should not be ignored by the owners in the meantime.

Yes I agree with you now that your statement is clear.

 

[huangbong]

 

[spreadingthem3]

Thank you everyone for alerting about this problem. I just checked my roof rack -- also from the Feb 2019 batch. And sure enough, one of the J screws is snapped in the same location as everyone else. For me, I installed the roof rack a week ago, and hadn't yet put anything on the crossbars yet. I tightened then to around 2/3nm. Nothing seemed amiss, but then I checked by lifting the crossbar, and it's clear the J screw had already snapped off. Crazy!

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Thank you everyone for alerting about this problem. I just checked my roof rack -- also from the Feb 2019 batch. And sure enough, one of the J screws is snapped in the same location as everyone else. For me, I installed the roof rack a week ago, and hadn't yet put anything on the crossbars yet. I tightened then to around 2/3nm. Nothing seemed amiss, but then I checked by lifting the crossbar, and it's clear the J screw had already snapped off. Crazy!

Someone should start a poll (not familiar with the availability so maybe there have been more than two batches?). Since I have no idea what is the best way to construct the poll, I won’t start the poll.

1) Bought roof rack in first batch, have checked and have no problems.

2) Bought roof rack in first batch, have checked and at least one j bolt is broken.

3) Bought in second batch, have checked, and have no problems.

4) Bought in second batch, have checked and at least one j bolt is broken.

5) Have the roof rack, but have not checked to see if it is broken, because I like to live life in the moment.

 

[TomHudson]

Do these have any kind of serial number on them? That may help with identifying problematic units. I haven't opened my box yet but will this weekend.

 

[Evdriver]

I ordered mine a week ago and not a peep from tesla about shipping them. Maybe they are re-making these out of something like metal.

This current setup doesn't look reliable or high quality nor does it give me any confidence in putting bikes on this rack after reading this thread.

Long term i want to get a stealth tow reciever for bikes.

 

[Lunares]

I ordered mine a week ago and not a peep from tesla about shipping them. Maybe they are re-making these out of something like metal.

This current setup doesn't look reliable or high quality nor does it give me any confidence in putting bikes on this rack after reading this thread.

Long term i want to get a stealth tow reciever for bikes.

I will say other than the j bracket quality itself everything else impressed me. The whole setup when attached is very solid and sturdy. The crossbars are far higher quality metal. The rubber mats are nice too, especially with how they call out where they get attached.

 

[BAven8068]

I will say other than the j bracket quality itself everything else impressed me. The whole setup when attached is very solid and sturdy. The crossbars are far higher quality metal. The rubber mats are nice too, especially with how they call out where they get attached.

I agree the entire system (bars, pads, locks, etc.) all seem high quality, it’s just the clips that have issues.

 

[ozOrianT]

I received my rack 12/29/2018. During install I recall hearing a couple of faint pops, so after seeing this thread I decided to take my rack completely off yesterday to check the clips (photo on left). I used a torque wrench and went to a little over 7nm. I found no issues at all. But.... the clips are different than the broken ones people have posted pictures of. Mine don't have the open rectangle where the bolt ends.

 

[BAven8068]

I received my rack 12/29/2018. During install I recall hearing a couple of faint pops, so after seeing this thread I decided to take my rack completely off yesterday to check the clips (photo on left). I used a torque wrench and went to a little over 7nm. I found no issues at all. But.... the clips are different than the broken ones people have posted pictures of. Mine don't have the open rectangle where the bolt ends. View attachment 380141

Interesting. The install manual shows the clips without the notch.

I remember complaints from the first early installs last year of the threaded parts of the clips not being tall enough to properly engage the wingnut. I wonder if they just simply welded the threaded pieces higher onto the clips on these new batches creating the gap, instead of just using longer threaded pieces.

 

[Lunares]

Interesting. The install manual shows the clips without the notch.

I remember complaints from the first early installs last year of the threaded parts of the clips not being tall enough to properly engage the wingnut. I wonder if they just simply welded the threaded pieces higher onto the clips on these new batches creating the gap, instead of just using longer threaded pieces.

I think you hit on it...they moved the threaded bolt up instead of just getting a longer threaded bolt. That creates a bigass weak spot

What kind of crap company did tesla outsource too that makes an engineering decision like that

@KootsChewt can you confirm your j brackets dont have a small gap beneath the threaded bolt?

 

[outdoors]

I received my rack 12/29/2018. During install I recall hearing a couple of faint pops, so after seeing this thread I decided to take my rack completely off yesterday to check the clips (photo on left). I used a torque wrench and went to a little over 7nm. I found no issues at all. But.... the clips are different than the broken ones people have posted pictures of. Mine don't have the open rectangle where the bolt ends. View attachment 380141

Seeing that. Well off they come. Thanks for the investigative reporting.

 

[huangbong]

I received my rack 12/29/2018. During install I recall hearing a couple of faint pops, so after seeing this thread I decided to take my rack completely off yesterday to check the clips (photo on left). I used a torque wrench and went to a little over 7nm. I found no issues at all. But.... the clips are different than the broken ones people have posted pictures of. Mine don't have the open rectangle where the bolt ends. View attachment 380141

Nice find! Can any others with broken bolts confirm that it breaks at the open rectangle?

 

[bmwmkc323i]

Yeah, Good find! I just checked the J-bolts from my unopened roof rack box that was received on 2/11 and they also have the open notch. I assume mine would also break if I had the roof installed.