I have a '19 X with the hitch receiver that came in a separate case. I am now looking to get a bike rack that can transport 2 adult and 2 kids' bikes and won't give me issues at a supercharger. The hitch receiver per the User Manual can only handle 120 lbs. Considering that the bikes are 25-30 lbs and most racks start at around 40 lbs I don't see how I can remain below the weight limit. But on the other hand I see a bunch of picture on the internet of X's with 4 bikes. Tesla itself sells a ~40 lb 4-bike rack. So curious if the weight limit is more of a suggestion? Any comments/ideas would be greatly appreciated. (I know there are other threads on racks but none address this issue specifically).
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Is a 4-bike rack for Model X doable?
- Thread starter greenboy
- Start date
A lot of discussion in the past on this, but consensus seems to be that 120 lbs to be a little conservative. You can go a little above that without any worry (and perhaps more if you want to sweat a bit).
However, you can definitely find lighter racks out there. There's an Allen Sports model on Amazon at 23 lbs. A couple years ago, I even got a tray model that only weights ~30 lbs -- unfortunately, it's no longer there. (And, for now at least, your kids bikes probably weigh less than 30 lbs.) So, at an average of 25 lbs per bike, you can basically hit 120 lbs-ish.
As for us, we are shopping for new bikes now (and weight is definitely a consideration).
Are you referring to the Accessory hitch? If you have the regular 2" hitch (which the 2019 X should have), it should have a tongue weight of 350 to 500 pounds. I do see the manual still references 120 pounds.
You might try viewing some of the existing threads such as Trailer vs. Bike Carrier
You might try viewing some of the existing threads such as Trailer vs. Bike Carrier
Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for the hitch and the install (if you did not install yourself)?
With a tray style bike rack, 2 bikes is definitely the limit, at least for freeway speeds (at least if you want to follow Tesla recommendations). If I were to do a short drive on city streets, I would probably go up to 3. I agree that it's a bit disappointing. Since we're leasing our X, I don't want to swap the hitch adapter. Plan is to move to a Cybertruck when lease is up. That should be able to handle 4 bike racks. 
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
Imagine that if you want to carry 4 bikes, you should give consideration to only using very lightweight bike and hitches. Alloy frames instead of steel.
Tesla rates their hitches conservatively, but of course any issues with carrying something heavier is totally on you.
Problem is that the stress is cantilevered off the hitch. Going down bumpy roads etc. can put tremendous strain on that lever. Tow hitches are designed more for pulling heavy loads rather than supporting heavy vertical forces. This is why you can pull 5,000 lbs, but only 120 lbs verticle.
The more bikes you put on, the longer your lever will tend to be. Driving 80 mph can also induce tremendous forces.
Tesla rates their hitches conservatively, but of course any issues with carrying something heavier is totally on you.
Problem is that the stress is cantilevered off the hitch. Going down bumpy roads etc. can put tremendous strain on that lever. Tow hitches are designed more for pulling heavy loads rather than supporting heavy vertical forces. This is why you can pull 5,000 lbs, but only 120 lbs verticle.
The more bikes you put on, the longer your lever will tend to be. Driving 80 mph can also induce tremendous forces.
Thanks everyone. Seems like putting more than 2 bikes might be ify although there are some people like aix93 that feel comfortable exceeding the stated limited. I would probably put myself in the more conservative camp and at the same time not sure about installing a new hitch or changing my bikes. Carrying bikes is a nice to have for me. If I felt confident that I was keeping the X for several more years those solutions would probably make sense (I would lean towards a 3rd party hitch). But I am thinking of switching to a Y in a year or so.
fsedano
Member
gigawatt1010
Member
I have 2 Super73 ebikes. One is 70 pounds and one is 50 pounds. I can take the batteries out during transport to save a combined 25 pounds, so it will be under 100 pounds combined. I'm interested for a better solution as well. Watching this thread.
EDIT: @fsedano - what model Thule is that and how far have you travelled with it with 4 bikes?
EDIT: @fsedano - what model Thule is that and how far have you travelled with it with 4 bikes?
Paid 230 for hitch, then installed it myself. Took about 2 hours since my 3 and 4 year old insisted on "helping" me.
Similar threads
- Question
