Sure. I've listed them in what I think is order of helpfulness:
- Electric tongue jack
- Fastway flip foot
- Moved 7 pin hookup to undercarriage of X
- Installed Draw-Tite hitch with better location of safety chain hooks
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israndy
Supercharger Hunter
ALiner also makes a non-folding model that is in the right weight range for the Model 3:
Ascape Plus - Aliner
I like that I can jump in and pee and I'm back on the road. Not having to set up the pop-top. Not sure what that would do to range. I know with my bicycle on the hitch I have had a dramatic loss of range in the past (windy night). I could even keep the bike inside this camper.
-Randy
Misterbee
Member
Thats a pretty sweet looking trailer. Too bad I can find one within 400 miles of me, or I might try it out. Still, I am betting that the M3 range would take quite a hit for something that tall. Since I am new to trailering, I think I will try and play it safe. As much as I would like being able to stand up, have a toilet, etc., this is what I am leaning towards right now for a long cross country trip: TAG Teardrop Trailer Models - nuCamp RV
israndy
Supercharger Hunter
That is very helpful. Does the Tesla learn your expected range or you just have to override it on Nav? What did you do about your rear sensors going crazy? What is that at the back of your TM3? Some sort of a wing? Any benefit of having a giant battery from your trailer's perspective? Do you feed it 12v from your car or just use it's own battery?
-Randy
Misterbee
Member
So does posting pictures of towing with a Model 3 when the Owner's Manual says it can void the warranty seem like a good idea? Sorry, I didn't read all of this thread if it has already been hashed out...
Misterbee
Member
Misterbee
Member
I was driving it home from the dealer, about 100 miles, mixture of freeway and surface streets. I have never towed a trailer before so, I was being very cautious and conservative in my driving. I expect that it will be a bit higher once we head out on a real trip, which will be soon.
Before I was willing to make the purchase, I insisted that we take it for a test ride. Fortunately the dealer was a Tesla fan, and was really into the whole thing. We drove US 101 between Ventura and Carpenteria and back again. I tried to keep it down to 55mph (which was a struggle). Here is a screen grab.
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Misterbee
Member
Took the Model 3 out with the teardrop today for a test run before I start my first road trip. I drove around the Los Angeles/Orange County freeway system, with the Cruise Control set to 55 mph, per CA traffic law. Of course, I hit some stop and go traffic, so I did not maintain 55 mph at all times. At the end, the trip odometer showed 397 Wh/mi. I am pleased with the results, although I expect my energy consumption will be higher on the open road.
You can check out the Alto series from Safari condo, they include kitchen and wet baths, really light but not cheap.
Alto – Lightweight Travel Trailers | Safari Condo
If you check Stealth Hitches under the reviews for the Model 3 hitch, there is someone from Quebec that has pictures of the Model 3 hitch with a Alto 1743 there.
Tesla Model 3 (2017 - 2020)
Can-am RV has also installed a custom hitch that allows the Model 3 to tow an Airstream Bambi 22! Not sure how safe that is though.
Tesla Model 3 Towing Airstream - Blog
The Tesla Experiment - Blog
Alto – Lightweight Travel Trailers | Safari Condo
If you check Stealth Hitches under the reviews for the Model 3 hitch, there is someone from Quebec that has pictures of the Model 3 hitch with a Alto 1743 there.
Tesla Model 3 (2017 - 2020)
Can-am RV has also installed a custom hitch that allows the Model 3 to tow an Airstream Bambi 22! Not sure how safe that is though.
Tesla Model 3 Towing Airstream - Blog
The Tesla Experiment - Blog
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The range they are talking about Is that with the car hooked to the dual axle trailer or with the single axle trailer They show a short clip towing the dual axle but it doesn't say which trailer they are using when getting those towing numbers They show pictures of the car being hooked up to both trailers
The Airstream Bambi 22 would be single axle.
Bambi 22FB Floor Plan | Travel Trailers | Airstream
The dual axle in the video might be the Airstream Safari 25 base on the windows placement on the sides, but the video below is missing the wrap around windows in the front.
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israndy
Supercharger Hunter
Looks like Airstream introduced the new 2020 20' Basecamp. Even heavier and less likely to be towable by the TM3. Could a Model 3 tow hitch be made that would support greater weight??
I was looking at the Airstream 2007-2008 Base Camp:
2008 Airstream Basecamp 16' Toy Hauler looks Like Horse Trailer
It's just under 2000lbs dry and it only holds a couple gallons of water so it's not going to get too heavy with a full set of tanks. No shower or even toilet, but a place warm for two to sleep and cook. You can add an electric fridge and a port-o-potty to make it more livable, but it can also be used to haul a kayak or a motorcycle.
Sadly they only made a few (I think under 300) so they may be hard to find. They were re-introduced years later as the 2016 16' Basecamp, two doors, but no longer able to roll vehicles in (only 2% of their customers did).
I was looking at the Airstream 2007-2008 Base Camp:
2008 Airstream Basecamp 16' Toy Hauler looks Like Horse Trailer
It's just under 2000lbs dry and it only holds a couple gallons of water so it's not going to get too heavy with a full set of tanks. No shower or even toilet, but a place warm for two to sleep and cook. You can add an electric fridge and a port-o-potty to make it more livable, but it can also be used to haul a kayak or a motorcycle.
Sadly they only made a few (I think under 300) so they may be hard to find. They were re-introduced years later as the 2016 16' Basecamp, two doors, but no longer able to roll vehicles in (only 2% of their customers did).
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Even if it could, tow ratings are always the lesser of those of the hitch or those of the manufacturer's recommended vehicle restriction. Some ignore it, but one big consideration with Tesla's vehicles are that they are a sort of unibody hybrid construction, and unapproved tow weights could stress the unibody of the vehicle and tear it apart.
There is a company in Canada, Can-Am RV, who has modified all sorts of passenger vehicles to make them "able" to tow larger trailers than one would think. They typically weld in more bracing and build custom setups. I don't know how I'd personally feel about it, but you can check their site out. Personally, I'd love to replace my X with a Y and tow my 4500# GVWR Airstream with it, but I just don't feel comfortable exceeding the tow and tongue ratings of the Y, even with an aftermarket hitch bar/receiver.
israndy
Supercharger Hunter
I have a US TM3 and I am not sure they even HAVE a tow rating. I assumed the rating on my hitch came from the hitch manufacturer.
I am familiar with welding on more supports, my hitch on my little Sprinter RV has been upgraded to handle a motorcycle hanging off the back of it like you see people doing with Class As. The guy that did it said I would probably crack the frame now. So I have only used it a few times.
I am familiar with welding on more supports, my hitch on my little Sprinter RV has been upgraded to handle a motorcycle hanging off the back of it like you see people doing with Class As. The guy that did it said I would probably crack the frame now. So I have only used it a few times.
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