Official Tesla trailer video...oops?

[idoco]

Tesla posted a video on how to hook up a trailer to the Model X.

One problem. Looks to be a drop offset which the specs specifically say is "not allowed".

Here's the hitch on the video:

And here's the specs on the Bosal hitch receiver:

So for those of us obsessing over hitch heights, offsets, hitch ball holder lengths, etc....there is wiggle room. Which is good to know since I decided to go 1.75" rise on my hitch ball in order to be at the trailer recommended towing height.

*I think the closer you get to max tow and tongue weight the less wiggle room I would assume(the Casita in the video is probably only about 2500 lbs and 250 tongue weight).

 

[j-rho]

That’s not much of a drop, it puts the ball height centerline towards the bottom of their recommended range, at least as I read it.
Clearly a port of some kind of Euro thing, what with the 0,75” instead of 0.75”.
The rating by tire is a weird thing. Four or five adults (especially American-sized adults) and a little luggage in the back of the X puts way more load on the rear axle than 500lb. of tongue weight. They ought to just publish a payload figure.

 

[ecarfan]

Well that’s an interesting video. In my opinion it is remarkably uninformative. Nothing about the specifications of the Bosal hitch. Nothing about tongue weight recommendations, weight distribution bars, max towing weight allowed, or brake controllers. And it doesn’t show all the steps needed to insert the removable hitch receiver into the Bosal.

Also you do not necessarily need to go into the center display controls and put the X into Tow Mode as shown in the video. When I connect the electrical cable from my 2,000 lb camper trailer to the plug next to the X hitch the car automatically goes into Tow Mode. If it doesn’t then I know that I haven’t properly plugged in that cable.

And I agree with @idoco, the hitch ball shown in the video appears to violate the specs of the Bosal hitch: the top of the ball is too low.

Tesla needs to find a trailer towing expert and re-shoot that video. I’m going to try to contact someone at Tesla who can do something about that.

 

[ohmman]

That’s not much of a drop, it puts the ball height centerline towards the bottom of their recommended range, at least as I read it.

The diagram from Bosal shows that the base of the ball cannot drop below the bottom of the shank. In Tesla’s video, it does.

My opinion - they should find another hitch and abandon the Bosal removable solution.

 

[ecarfan]

Clearly a port of some kind of Euro thing, what with the 0,75” instead of 0.75”.

Bosal is a large company with a global presence that makes many more products than just hitches. It is headquartered in Belgium.

I agree with @ohmman that Tesla should ditch the Bosal hitch, for a number of reasons. He changed to a DrawTite.

The way I interpret the label on the Bosal hitch, the center of the ball cannot be below the inner upper surface of the hitch receiver. In the video the ball is clearly well below that level, maybe as much an 1 inch.

That video appears to be more of a simplistic piece of marketing material, not an instructional video. I understand the needs of marketing, but when it contains grossly inaccurate information that impacts towing safety, it needs to be corrected.

 

[dskid]

Bosal is a large company with a global presence that makes many more products than just hitches. It is headquartered in Belgium.

I agree with @ohmman that Tesla should ditch the Bosal hitch, for a number of reasons. He changed to a DrawTite.

The way I interpret the label on the Bosal hitch, the center of the ball cannot be below the inner upper surface of the hitch receiver. In the video the ball is clearly well below that level, maybe as much an 1 inch.

That video appears to be more of a simplistic piece of marketing material, not an instructional video. I understand the needs of marketing, but when it contains grossly inaccurate information that impacts towing safety, it needs to be corrected.

Especially since they also "forgot" to attach the chains. (Well they did attach them, just it wasn't a step in the process.)