StowAway Max rear luggage carrier - my experience

[Halcyon]

Isn't the 120 lbs limit reduced by the weight of the actual Stowaway box and bar? The box and swingaway bar weigh 94 lbs. Does that mean you can only put 26 pounds of gear into it before you hit the limit according to Tesla? Looks like you can save some weight by going to a fixed frame, but still.

• Standard Cargo Box - 47 lbs
• MAX Cargo Box - 52 lbs
• Fixed Frame - 18 lbs
• SwingAway Frame - 47 lbs

Tesla — Tow Package
"*Model X hitch is designed to support loading of up to 120 lbs. When carrying bicycles or other items on the Model X hitch, always check to ensure that the maximum weight is not exceeded. For additional information refer to Model X Owner’s Manual."

 

[Jrogville]

The lights seem just visible to me... But not the license plate. Here is ours with the optional license plate bracket... On the tow hitch

https://goo.gl/photos/4LkJTxBg4hMtLXm38

I actually took the photo to demonstrate that there in plenty of room to fit and charge at the Folsom paladio supercharger. It looks like front in superchargers are always fine and back in ones usually are.
Had no issues going to Tahoe from the peninsula and back in the snow last week.

Thanks for the photos. What about when backing up? Did enough right from the back-up light?

 

[Mike M]

I'm sorry, but again the 120lbs makes no sense, vertical limit or not. If you tow a 5,000 lb trailer, even though the weight is distributed between the trailer axle(s) and the Model X, you are still going to have far more than 120lbs of weight on the hitch, let alone the torsion force effect of the trailer going around corners, over hills, bumps, etc. The 500lb tongue weight still makes far more sense.

 

[cantdecide]

Thanks for the photos. What about when backing up? Did enough right from the back-up light?

I could barely see anything from the backup camera. I literally had to conservatively guess based on the size of the car soccer and get out of the car to check. It would have been easier if there was another Tesla charging to measure up against.
Also would be be good if Tesla placed their ev charging signs further back... Or hung them from the ceiling.

 

[Halcyon]

Anyone try this box instead? Looks to weigh just 55 lbs and can at least put 65 lbs worth of items before hitting 120.

Amazon.com : Thule 665C Transporter Combi Hitch-Mount Cargo Box : Bike Cargo Boxes : Sports & Outdoors

 

[Jrogville]

I could barely see anything from the backup camera. I literally had to conservatively guess based on the size of the car soccer and get out of the car to check. It would have been easier if there was another Tesla charging to measure up against.
Also would be be good if Tesla placed their ev charging signs further back... Or hung them from the ceiling.

I understand there wouldn't be much to see out the back camera. What I meant was how much light from the back-up lights actually got past the Stowaway to light up what was behind you. That supercharger sign, for instance.

 

[DriverOne]

Tesla followed up on my email inquiring about 120lbs vs 500lbs tongue weight. They explained that "tongue weight is a measure of force and not an actual weight that is on the hitch". That is why the tongue weight is larger than the max weight.

edit: I don't quite follow, but I can understand that over bumps the momentum of a heavy carrier and the torque it could place on the hitch would be far higher than the dead weight. 120lbs going over a bump could IMHO easily apply 500lbs of torque load.

 

[goneskiian]

I could barely see anything from the backup camera. I literally had to conservatively guess based on the size of the car soccer and get out of the car to check. It would have been easier if there was another Tesla charging to measure up against.
Also would be be good if Tesla placed their ev charging signs further back... Or hung them from the ceiling.

+1 to this! I was just at the Ellensburg Supercharger this weekend and one sign (oddly the one stall that is a head in stall) was broken off.

As to the 120 lb. weight limit Tesla says for carrying bikes and accessories on the hitch, they need to design a solid mount hitch receiver because this is ridiculous. Especially since I can't use a roof rack.

 

[vandacca]

Personally, I don't see the problem with the 120 lb limit. It just means that I *have* to buy that full carbon-fiber mountain bike that I've always wanted.

Seriously, who at Tesla thought that a 120 lb limit was suitable/useful on an SUV???

 

[AudubonB]

To the OP and others with similar carriers:

It seems to me that a magnificent use of Summon would be to back up your vehicle to a SpC cable, while you stand by ensuring all goes well. No relying on that blocked rear camera; no worries that the cargo carrier is going to implant itself in some retaining wall.

Has anyone tried this?

 

[goneskiian]

To the OP and others with similar carriers:

It seems to me that a magnificent use of Summon would be to back up your vehicle to a SpC cable, while you stand by ensuring all goes well. No relying on that blocked rear camera; no worries that the cargo carrier is going to implant itself in some retaining wall.

Has anyone tried this?

Summon may not work so well when the rear sensors are being blocked. I have found that sometimes I can't change lanes with AP1 because my rear sensors see my bike(s) on the back as an obstacle. I'm pretty sure Summon works with the sensors.

Although, I don't know if these carries set off the rear sensors like my bikes do.

 

[BigMskiman]

Personally, I don't see the problem with the 120 lb limit. It just means that I *have* to buy that full carbon-fiber mountain bike that I've always wanted.

Seriously, who at Tesla thought that a 120 lb limit was suitable/useful on an SUV???

I've had the full carbon Specialized 29" Camber Expert ahead of my MX investments, so I was forward thinking..... ;-)) ?

 

[scottf200]

I emailed Tesla and got a reply that 120lbs is "the maximum vertical loading weight" for any Model X hitch, regardless of whether you have the accessory hitch or towing package.
I had also asked how this can differ from the tongue weight of 500lbs, but I didn't get an answer to that question. I'm going to stay within the 120lb limit.

I have a stow-a-way2 as well but have not used it on my X yet.

Most references to vertical loading weight talk about it and tongue weight being the same. ie.


Stowaway2 site: StowAway Cargo Carriers - Versatility in Action.

Vehicle Hitch Tongue Weight Capacity - To determine which StowAway Cargo Carrier will work with your vehicle, the first trailer hitch basics point to consider is hitch Tongue Weight Capacity (TWC). What is tongue weight capacity? It refers to the maximum vertical weight that a vehicle's frame can support in a normal driving environment.
- Shorter, lighter vehicles tend to have a lower TWC while larger, heavier vehicles tend to a have higher TWC. The best way to determine your vehicle's hitch Tongue Weight Capacity is to read your owner's manual. The owner's manual will provide detailed instructions and hitch tongue weight limitations, usually accompanied by tips for safe towing. Compare the owner's manual information with the certification plate on your driver's door sill.
- A quick way to calculate hitch Tongue Weight Capacity is to multiply your vehicle's Gross Trailer Weight (GTWR) by 10% (tongue weight = GTWR x 10%).
- Once you have identified your vehicle's TWC, subtract the weight of the carrier and frame to determine how much gear you can safely carry. For example, if you want to use a hitch bike rack and your vehicle has 1,500 lbs GTWR, then you have 150 lbs tongue capacity (1,500 x .10 = 150). If the weight of the bike rack is 40 lbs, you have 110 lbs leftover for the weight of your bikes.

WA law -- WAC 204-70-040: Definitions.
(5) "Maximum vertical load on hitch (tongue weight)" means the vertical downward static force exerted on the hitch by the coupling at the point of connection of coupling and hitch, with weight distribution features or devices, if any, deactivated. Tongue weight is measured at the trailer coupling, with the trailer on a level surface (detached from the hitch), and with trailer consumables and cargo in maximum loaded conditions.

 

[Jrogville]

I have a stow-a-way2 as well but have not used it on my X yet.

Most references to vertical loading weight talk about it and tongue weight being the same. ie.


Stowaway2 site: StowAway Cargo Carriers - Versatility in Action.



WA law -- WAC 204-70-040: Definitions.
(5) "Maximum vertical load on hitch (tongue weight)" means the vertical downward static force exerted on the hitch by the coupling at the point of connection of coupling and hitch, with weight distribution features or devices, if any, deactivated. Tongue weight is measured at the trailer coupling, with the trailer on a level surface (detached from the hitch), and with trailer consumables and cargo in maximum loaded conditions.

I’ve mentioned this before. As you can see in the WA law definition, the tongue weight is referring the VERTICAL load on the hitch, which is what you get when you attach a trailer because there is another support on the trailer wheels.

With rack mounts, or the Stowaways, you not only have vertical weight, but also torque stress due to the rack mount being cantilevered off of the hitch. It’s this additional stress that causes the rating to be reduced below the 10%, or 500 lbs, amount.

 

[scottf200]

I’ve mentioned this before. As you can see in the WA law definition, the tongue weight is referring the VERTICAL load on the hitch, which is what you get when you attach a trailer because there is another support on the trailer wheels.

With rack mounts, or the Stowaways, you not only have vertical weight, but also torque stress due to the rack mount being cantilevered off of the hitch. It’s this additional stress that causes the rating to be reduced below the 10%, or 500 lbs, amount.

You still will have a VERTICAL load on the ball/hitch if you pull a trailer. It still will bounce up and down on bump roads and put weight on your ball/hitch.

Put two propane tanks in your stow-a-way or two propane tanks on the front of your trailer near the hitch and it is virtually the same. yes, if they were farther back then the load is distributed to the trailer tires.

We are questioning 120 lbs vs 500 lbs. Hope that helps explain. (p.s. yes, I've pulled campers behind my previous Ford Expedition as well as added a hit to the back of my camper for bikes and understand that bouncing around adds VERTICAL weight ... I've had to beef up that camper hitch for the bikes).

BELOW is NOT my camper but just an example:

 

[Jrogville]

The issue is not the distribution of the weight, but that the load is only being supported at only one point with the racks and the Stowaway, where with a trailer the load is supported by the wheels as well. To your point, yes, you can overload the tongue capacity with a trailer if you put too much weight toward the front of the trailer and you have to plan for that.

My point was that you're putting on a different kind of stress on the hitch if you're hanging something from it as opposed to pulling a trailer, and therefore reducing the tongue capacity. The weight on the hitch from a trailer is simply the portion of the weight that ends up being supported by the hitch. With a mounted rack, it's the weight of the rack multiplied by the distance behind the hitch that the load is placed. That 120 lbs from the rack creates a higher stress on the hitch because it's trying to rotate down because it's cantilevered out.

A real world example is to think about holding up one end of a 2x4 level while someone else holds the other end. Now try holding up a 2x4 that's half the length, but you have to hold it only from your end. It's the same about of weight that you were holding up before, but now it's a lot more difficult to hold up. The difference is that now you're dealing with a weight on a cantilever.

As much as I love my Stowaway, those folks are wrong to calculate the cargo weight for their product by subtracting the dead weight of the carrier from your tongue weight rating. It's disappointing that the folks that build the Tesla receiver hitch are reducing the tongue weight capacity by 75% if you're hanging the load of the hitch, but that has to do with how the receiver hitch is constructed and attached to the car. If the hitch weren't designed to be removable, that hanging weight limit would probably be higher. The receiver hitch on my GMC Yukon is welded to the frame of the vehicle. I'm sure it can take a lot more torque and therefore would loose less of it's tongue weight capacity for a hanging load.

Hopefully, Tesla won't try this silly removable hitch with their pickup truck. I wonder how much drag would really increase if the hitch were permanently mounted and was just sticking out of the bumper.

 

[puritan]

Just installed the stowaway today. A breeze compared to other nightmarish setups.

Was surprised to see that it fit comfortably in the supercharger spot.

Going on a 2000 mile trip this Thanksgiving with 2 dogs and 3 other passengers. Hoping it holds up.

Thank you to everyone on this thread for posting your respective experience with this box.

 

[MikeYoungRE]

Hello Everyone! Did you get the StowAway Standard or MAX? I'm wondering if the standard allows use of the rear camera? I'm virtually certain that the MAX won't allow that

 

[ruchirpatel]

Just installed the stowaway today. A breeze compared to other nightmarish setups.

Was surprised to see that it fit comfortably in the supercharger spot.

Going on a 2000 mile trip this Thanksgiving with 2 dogs and 3 other passengers. Hoping it holds up.

Thank you to everyone on this thread for posting your respective experience with this box.

View attachment 350761 View attachment 350762

Hi Puritan,

How did your trip went and how much weight did you carry in your stowaway in your trip? there is concern around weight capacity and what kind of weight is ok/allowed. I did a trip from NJ to FL in my MX and with all the people (6) and luggage it was not pleasant so just looking around that could help with luggage.

Thanks

 

[puritan]

Hi Puritan,

How did your trip went and how much weight did you carry in your stowaway in your trip? there is concern around weight capacity and what kind of weight is ok/allowed. I did a trip from NJ to FL in my MX and with all the people (6) and luggage it was not pleasant so just looking around that could help with luggage.

Thanks

Around 2018 Thanksgiving, I did SFO --> LAX --> DIA --> LAS --> SFO with 4 passengers and 2 dogs. Each of the passengers had one 30lb bag and a bunch of blankets, pillows and food items. The Stowaway gulped it all up and didn't need a mid-trip adjustment either.

I still have it on my car, no issues.