Model Y Tow Package available soon from Tesla Australia

[JayTee]

No, only with the Tesla tow package.

Just to avoid confusion "trailer mode" is what they call it when your car is towing something.

"tow mode" is the old name for "transport mode", used to prevent the car going into park when winching it onto the back of a towtruck

I think for a bike rack use, trailer mode will be no advantage. My bike rack with 4 bikes I want to attach comes in at about 78kg so I will pass on the tesla version with its 72kg ball weight rating and opt for aftermarket.

 

[Jensen]

Do you get Tow Mode with aftermarket towbars?

Sadly no. Tesla will happily sell you the software, you just have to take off the after market tow hitch, and fit theirs. It's called "over a barrel"

 

[hooty]

I think for a bike rack use, trailer mode will be no advantage. My bike rack with 4 bikes I want to attach comes in at about 78kg so I will pass on the tesla version with its 72kg ball weight rating and opt for aftermarket.

Yeah, it’s piss poor. Most tow bars are rated around 90kg static load

 

[hooty]

I think for a bike rack use, trailer mode will be no advantage. My bike rack with 4 bikes I want to attach comes in at about 78kg so I will pass on the tesla version with its 72kg ball weight rating and opt for aftermarket.

Same - EV Stealth Solutions towbar + install onsite at home is $1600 for me
Trailer Mode features just seem like common sense to me

 

[jamesgo]

So i'm also looking at the tow package from Tesla to carry bikes (i have no intention of towing a trailer).

I was looking at the USA forums and both the Thule EasyFold XT 2 https://www.etrailer.com/question-571849.html and Kuat bike carriers seem to work well:

I'll probably get the Thule unit as it comes well regarded: The Best Bike Racks and Carriers for Cars and Trucks

 

[singlespeed]

So i'm also looking at the tow package from Tesla to carry bikes (i have no intention of towing a trailer).

I was looking at the USA forums and both the Thule EasyFold XT 2 https://www.etrailer.com/question-571849.html and Kuat bike carriers seem to work well:

I'll probably get the Thule unit as it comes well regarded: The Best Bike Racks and Carriers for Cars and Trucks

I have a Kuat, the NV1.0 and NV2.0 (4-bike). They are well engineered, a bit more exy than some other options but the quality is very high.

 

[jamesgo]

Anyone know if this is available in Australia or when it's coming? https://shop.tesla.com/product/model-x_y-hitch-rack

 

[Goanna]

OK I got my tow hitch installed today. I was in a hurry and just picked up the car when it was ready. This seems pretty stupid, but how do I get to the hitch? There is a plastic panel there, do I just lever it out with a screwdriver or something?

 

[JayTee]

OK I got my tow hitch installed today. I was in a hurry and just picked up the car when it was ready. This seems pretty stupid, but how do I get to the hitch? There is a plastic panel there, do I just lever it out with a screwdriver or something?

It dosent look easy to remove and replace, you need to pry it out.
This mod might make it easier:

 

[NeilA]

It dosent look easy to remove and replace, you need to pry it out.
This mod might make it easier:

That's a really helpful video - thanks. I would suggest that something like the plastic pry tool is much better than the screwdriver - the latter will progressively damage the panel with repeated removals
It does seem like an uncharacteristic fail by the Tesla design people. That panel should be much easier to remove and replace. I can see lots of people who use their tow hitch regularly just leaving the panel permanently off.

 

[Goanna]

I sent a question via my app to Tesla about removing the towbar panel, they suggested a flat blade screwdriver, and start from the top right. I found it very easy. I don't see any need to make it easier, for me it's a non-issue.
Yesterday I went to the local Auto One, got a tongue, pin and ball for $106 that seems to fit well. The ball mount (tongue) is a Mister Hitches, MH001. My bike rack is currently on it, I'm going for a ride today!

 

[NeilA]

I sent a question via my app to Tesla about removing the towbar panel, they suggested a flat blade screwdriver, and start from the top right. I found it very easy. I don't see any need to make it easier, for me it's a non-issue.
Yesterday I went to the local Auto One, got a tongue, pin and ball for $106 that seems to fit well. The ball mount (tongue) is a Mister Hitches, MH001. My bike rack is currently on it, I'm going for a ride today!

Thanks for that info - Are you finding that the length of the Mr Hitches MH001 clears the bumper OK? I know you are putting a bike rack on it, but do you think there would enough clearance for a trailer hitch without risking touching t he bumper when putting t he trailer on or off the ball?

 

[Goanna]

I think the length is adequate. It's fine for the bike rack, it clears the bumper easily.
Here is a picture:

 

[NeilA]

I think the length is adequate. It's fine for the bike rack, it clears the bumper easily.
Here is a picture:
View attachment 931031

Thanks! That's really helpful. I gather that Mister Hitches can be used upside down too if it helps trailer height.

 

[crc77]

Thanks for all those photos - makes it much clearer to see the relationship of the components.
I'm tossing up between the Tesla hitch and the EV Stealth, but I admit to thinking that your Rough Country ball mount looks rather close to the bumper. I recall many years ago having a Mazda 3 and the tow ball was about the same distance from the rear bumper as yours, and I was forever finding the trailer hitch bumping into the car when attaching/removing it.
What are your thoughts on that?

Sorry for the late reply. Having tested the setup with a trailer last week I can confirm there's enough space there to avoid the bumper. Feels like a normal distance, about the same as my previous Santa Fe's tow kit.

 

[crc77]

OK so I finally got out and did some towing last week. A few things I learnt;

• TAPE! Tape over your nice clean unscratched plastic bumper lip to protect against the safety chains. See my photos attached.
• I needed to fabricate a 1mm spacer for the inside of the hitch to reduce clunking. I used a 1mm building spacer from Bunnings that I drilled a 16mm hole in for the hitch pin to keep it secure. A 1.5mm spacer would have been ideal.
• Efficiency. I usually do around 160wh/km. The trailer drives were 289 loaded, 192 unloaded, 211 loaded, 168 unloaded.
• Tow mode. Prevents auto steer, probably rightly so. Increases default follow distance but you can adjust. Not sure what else it does.
• Torque. Towing with an EV is a dream. The flat EV torque curve really shines.

 

[NeilA]

OK so I finally got out and did some towing last week. A few things I learnt;

• TAPE! Tape over your nice clean unscratched plastic bumper lip to protect against the safety chains. See my photos attached.
• I needed to fabricate a 1mm spacer for the inside of the hitch to reduce clunking. I used a 1mm building spacer from Bunnings that I drilled a 16mm hole in for the hitch pin to keep it secure. A 1.5mm spacer would have been ideal.
• Efficiency. I usually do around 160wh/km. The trailer drives were 289 loaded, 192 unloaded, 211 loaded, 168 unloaded.
• Tow mode. Prevents auto steer, probably rightly so. Increases default follow distance but you can adjust. Not sure what else it does.
• Torque. Towing with an EV is a dream. The flat EV torque curve really shines.

View attachment 933925View attachment 933926View attachment 933927

Good info! Thanks for taking the time to detail that!

 

[Goanna]

Question about the tow package. It's meant to come with a "trailer harness". Is that the wiring internally to the plug next to the hitch receiver? Or am I meant to get a small wiring tail to go between that and the trailer plug? I'm pretty sure my old car included a separate short cable.
So want to know if something was left out, or not given to me! Thanks.

 

[crc77]

Question about the tow package. It's meant to come with a "trailer harness". Is that the wiring internally to the plug next to the hitch receiver? Or am I meant to get a small wiring tail to go between that and the trailer plug? I'm pretty sure my old car included a separate short cable.
So want to know if something was left out, or not given to me! Thanks.

Correct, the trailer harness as advertised is the internal one that rigs up the trailer plug next to the hitch receiver on the car side. You'll need your own trailer loom (flat 7 pin on Tesla side to whatever your trailer has. Rental trailers always come with one).

 

[quar]

So has anyone got a good 4-bike carrier for the oem tow hitch? i find i'm running into general trouble whenever I look into the details more.

I was set on getting the Yakima Doubledown ace 4 or 5 but it seems its not recommended from the fitment guide. The pin hole to the face edge is 4cm, but Yakima says minimum is 5cm (2")

Yakima Backroad is ok, but i prefer the anti rattle knob for quick mount, and this is a fair bit more than the doubledown ace for some reason.

Buzzrack 4H seems to be the only platform option as it's only 17kg, no tilt function though, and no quick mount function.
All other platforms head towards the 25-30kg mark, which leaves very little for 4 bikes.

Apex XT have some reports of the knob fowling the bumper, while some are ok - but it's very expensive.

Allen sports have a quick mount.

Anaconda Fluid hitch rack seems ok and cheap, but minimal on the features.

Anyway please let me know if you've bought one, need one for family bikes mainly.