I'm jealous but let me know how the install goes. How long did it take to arrive
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Model 3 Power Liftgate?
- Thread starter rosjon
- Start date
socaliwong
Member
I hear what you're saying, but why not just throw automatic trunk with the premium (LR RW/AWD/ P3D)? Everything is a la carte already. Profit margins are going to be made regardless and having automatic trunk is not going to make or break a sale between a 3 or an S.
I think eventually they will do that but we don't configure these cars much right now. Every version has Premium interiors ( except SR+) with the only configurable options being exterior color, interior color, wheels and AP/FSD. I think when they sort out the demand they will add air suspension and powerlift gate to the premium package. What we have now will probably end up as the base config.
insaneoctane
Well-Known Member
Just my 2 cents. I love that someone has offered this product. I wish Tesla would have offered it in this price of a vehicle. I don't need stronger struts to auto open my trunk (or frunk), because I find them VERY easy to open, rather, I find them more challenging to close. I am able to close the trunk (so you can save you snarky "wimp" comments), but I just don't feel right having to "slam" the trunk on my otherwise expensive car. It ought to have an auto close and I'm glad someone is offering an alternative! That said, it's a bit pricey and I'll certainly wait for some reviews and maybe even V2 to clean up whatever they forgot or can improve. Hopefully by then it will be cheaper too.
Fernand
Active Member
Slippery slope from Tesla love to Tesla shame. A sort of bicycle borne bum today in San Francisco's financial district (which contrary to some Fox News and Russia Today reports is not drowning in prone drug addicts and excrement), a bum woke enough to categorize my un-premium manual door handled Model 3 as a TESLA, spat knowingly in its direction. I wanted to show him I wasn't one of the 1% that's bleeding the working classes, to let him see the embarrassing red springs on my measly $40 trunk struts, or at least demo the missing heater on the steering wheel -- and give him my referral code -- but the traffic was really dense, the autopilot mistook him for an obstacle and steered around him. Sigh. Missed opportunity.
@Lee_B, I'm confident that with enough of the cool third party add-ons you can bring both the luxury and the price of your Model 3 closer to what those bicycle bums are thinking of. I have no quarrel with pioneering. I hope you get there soon, if not first, and I honestly look forward to seeing your installation video on the lift-gate.
@Lee_B, I'm confident that with enough of the cool third party add-ons you can bring both the luxury and the price of your Model 3 closer to what those bicycle bums are thinking of. I have no quarrel with pioneering. I hope you get there soon, if not first, and I honestly look forward to seeing your installation video on the lift-gate.
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Garlan Garner
Banned
Be careful with the i1 Tesla modification.
Its cool looking but could be really costly in the long run.
The balls that the struts connect to on the car can't take the closed pressure for long periods of time.
They slip off from time to time. Those red springs put more pressure on those small ball joints than the ball joints can handle.
Its a violent slip that cracked my rear glass. Thankfully I have glass repair on my insurance otherwise I'm out of over $1k to get that rear glass replaced.
Possible solution - Zip tie those struts to the car at the ball joint if you keep the i1 tesla strut from flying off and breaking the rear glass.
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Garlan Garner
Banned
OMG...please please don't install those springs on 4129 struts for the rear.
Just another FYI. Those springs put a tremendous amount of pressure on those ball joints that attach the strut to the car.
The 4129 struts have the softest ball joint housing ( socket ) out there. Those housings will corrode over about 70-100 opening and closings. If that 4129 comes off of that top ball joint it can shatter the entire rear glass panel because the glass is not but 1/2 inches away.
I know it looks cool, and I have nothing against i1 but this mod of Brian is totally not worth the risk....IMHO.
Please please plese people. Don't do i1's mod.
Fernand
Active Member
That's entirely worth considering. So can you provide detail?
How/where do such ball joints typically corrode and fail?
Is there any real data/experience to support that
1) the 4129 struts have "the softest ball joints" and approach failure over 70-100 operations?
2) the spring actually stresses the ball joint when at rest, as opposed to during initial travel?
2) the ("soft") ball joint failing would cause a hard part to snap towards the glass?
How/where do such ball joints typically corrode and fail?
Is there any real data/experience to support that
1) the 4129 struts have "the softest ball joints" and approach failure over 70-100 operations?
2) the spring actually stresses the ball joint when at rest, as opposed to during initial travel?
2) the ("soft") ball joint failing would cause a hard part to snap towards the glass?
Garlan Garner
Banned
Great. i1 Tesla ( brian ) meant well, but obviously he didn't put in the time to test those things.
Thankfully I had insurance with only a $50 deductible on my glass. Will be replaced on the 20th.
Fernand
Active Member
@Garlan Garner, I didn't see that. Did your glass get
damaged by a flying 4129 strut under normal operation?
can you provide details please, so we can better understand
how to deal with this? A zip-tie would be a simple solution, so if
you know exactly how it happened it would be much appreciated.
p.s. you have GEICO insurance?
damaged by a flying 4129 strut under normal operation?
can you provide details please, so we can better understand
how to deal with this? A zip-tie would be a simple solution, so if
you know exactly how it happened it would be much appreciated.
p.s. you have GEICO insurance?
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Fernand
Active Member
Garlan Garner
Banned
Yes. There are 2 ball joint/socket connections on a 4129. One on top and the other on the bottom.
With both the springs and the 4129 installed.....the springs provide a lot of constant pressure on both ball/socket joints. That pressure is what pops the trunk open by itself when the trunk lid is released.
That constant pressure on the socket/ball joint is ever present...even when driving. The socket of joint is on the 4129. That socket is built with very soft plastic. Over time the socket on the top of the 4129 erodes away because the ball of the socket rotates on the top much more than it does on the bottom.
Well, when the top socket on the 4129 erodes away....the 4129 is dislodged from the socket and all of that potential energy is released.
What happened in my case is that the top socket dislodged from the ball and the 4129 found the small gap between the glass and the trunk and shot its way through there. Unfortunately it to part of the glass with it. Thankfully it didn't shatter in my case, but it was close to shattering the whole thing. It sounded like an explosion when I opened my trunk from inside the car.
Yes, I have GEICO car insurance and they have been great. The only drawback about the whole thing is that TESLA does not work with insurance companies...sooo…...I will have to pay for the glass and labor and tax and then GIECO will reimburse me.
Garlan Garner
Banned
Exactly. The OEM struts are there to keep the trunk lid open once you open the trunk. They have NO pressure on them when the trunk lid is closed.
Garlan Garner
Banned
I'm trying to be as sensitive to i1 Tesla because his wife is ill and he doesn't need to see a lot of bashing and stuff like that.
However....I also don't want to see peoples rear glass blown out of their Model 3's either.
However....I also don't want to see peoples rear glass blown out of their Model 3's either.
Fernand
Active Member
Thanks, @Garlan Garner, really appreciate the specifics, I get the picture. I was more worried about the funky clip.
But, one more question. In your case, did the top socket show visible deformation or cracking, or did the clip let go? Since you said "erodes", is there actual wear? I wonder if yours was dry and some e.g. silicone lubricant would make that less likely? Considering a lot of people have done this mod, let's get this crash Black-Box analyzed, LOL. Do you still have the failed 4129, can you take photos, pretty please?
Since I like the convenience, and the Tesla Red spring for color accent, I'm going to examine the mechanics on mine and try some measures to avert that sort of surprise. You probably hit it on the head with zip ties, nylon tie-wraps are very strong, and all that matters is retaining the strut should the ball joint fail. I'll post a photo when I've settled on what seems like a plausible solution, one that hopefully won't make anyone here even more terribly embarrassed. You know, like when you pull the hostage from the trunk, you don't want them pointing at your trunk hinges and snickering ...
And, hey, the StrongArm people are selling us a LOT of 4129s. Maybe we can put the fear o' Dog in 'em, and get some replacement metal ball sockets with mil-spec clips from them?
But, one more question. In your case, did the top socket show visible deformation or cracking, or did the clip let go? Since you said "erodes", is there actual wear? I wonder if yours was dry and some e.g. silicone lubricant would make that less likely? Considering a lot of people have done this mod, let's get this crash Black-Box analyzed, LOL. Do you still have the failed 4129, can you take photos, pretty please?
Since I like the convenience, and the Tesla Red spring for color accent, I'm going to examine the mechanics on mine and try some measures to avert that sort of surprise. You probably hit it on the head with zip ties, nylon tie-wraps are very strong, and all that matters is retaining the strut should the ball joint fail. I'll post a photo when I've settled on what seems like a plausible solution, one that hopefully won't make anyone here even more terribly embarrassed. You know, like when you pull the hostage from the trunk, you don't want them pointing at your trunk hinges and snickering ...
And, hey, the StrongArm people are selling us a LOT of 4129s. Maybe we can put the fear o' Dog in 'em, and get some replacement metal ball sockets with mil-spec clips from them?
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Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
- Look very practical, especially for closing the trunk.
I don't like to have to put my hands on the edge of the trunk to close it.
I'm sure after a while, there will be some scratches.
- I hope this will be include with the Model Y because it will be even harder to close the full hatchback.
I don't like to have to put my hands on the edge of the trunk to close it.
I'm sure after a while, there will be some scratches.
- I hope this will be include with the Model Y because it will be even harder to close the full hatchback.
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