Can't find any other comments on this so I gather is not a universal problem. But here goes. Fairly new S owner. Just watched YouTube by Bjorn the Asian Norweign guy and decided to check out my tow-eye arrangement in a controlled setting rather than in the cold and ice storm as he was doing. Got the triangular cover off OK, but try as I may I cannot get the tow eye to screw in. YES - I know it is reverse threaded! Even put a little oil on it. Just barely starts to thread and immediately freezes. Don't want to start a cross-threading or gum up any threads, so have stopped trying to force it. With flashlight, I can see the threaded hole in there, and alignment doesn't seem to be an issue. Any ideas?
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Towing Screw-Eye, Can't get it to screw in
- Thread starter RCWtristan
- Start date
Very smart of you to try it out. We haven't as of yet. Had car for about 9 months and just asked my spouse if he has tried out the rear seat heating or other cold weather features we paid for, which he hasn't. Guess we should add another item to that list. We'll soon be scheduling our yearly maintenance so should have a checklist of items for them at that time.
Definitely something to bring to the attention of service.
Definitely something to bring to the attention of service.
f-stop
Active Member
Here’s a thought, no idea if it will help...
I know that older Model S have tow hooks that are 12” long, and newer ones have ones that are about 14” long. Tow Hook Storage?
I wonder if the thread changed on the tow hook when the switched to a different length? And maybe somehow you have the older tow hook? Perhaps quickly check the length, or try screwing same hook into another (older) car.
I know that older Model S have tow hooks that are 12” long, and newer ones have ones that are about 14” long. Tow Hook Storage?
I wonder if the thread changed on the tow hook when the switched to a different length? And maybe somehow you have the older tow hook? Perhaps quickly check the length, or try screwing same hook into another (older) car.
Yes. Is reverse threaded. Must turn counterclockwise. Which is what I was doing.
Just
Just measured mine. It's 14" long. And my S has a November 2017 mnfr date on door pillar decal. Seems like must be the correct toweye.
BTW, anyone deciding to try out their own tow-eye (sorry if I started something),
(1) I found the little plastic trim cover triangle to be rather tricky to remove. Glad I wasn't doing this in the rain or snow. Manual says pry down from the top. Actually, on my age tesla, there is a little slot on the right side, and the cover wouldn't come off until I used that slot and pushed the plastic cover to the left, toward the license plate.
And (2), if looking in the hole with a flashlight, you will NOT see the threaded receptacle for your tow-eye. There's a plastic springloaded flap in front of it (maybe to keep dirt out?) and when you push the tow-eye toward its destination, this flap moves out of the way. Or you can move the flap with a screwdriver if you just want to see down the channel with the flashlight.
Just measured mine. It's 14" long. And my S has a November 2017 mnfr date on door pillar decal. Seems like must be the correct toweye.
BTW, anyone deciding to try out their own tow-eye (sorry if I started something),
(1) I found the little plastic trim cover triangle to be rather tricky to remove. Glad I wasn't doing this in the rain or snow. Manual says pry down from the top. Actually, on my age tesla, there is a little slot on the right side, and the cover wouldn't come off until I used that slot and pushed the plastic cover to the left, toward the license plate.
And (2), if looking in the hole with a flashlight, you will NOT see the threaded receptacle for your tow-eye. There's a plastic springloaded flap in front of it (maybe to keep dirt out?) and when you push the tow-eye toward its destination, this flap moves out of the way. Or you can move the flap with a screwdriver if you just want to see down the channel with the flashlight.
Shock-On-T
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
Fully aware of that. Addressed above repeatedly.
Shock-On-T
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
My apologies, didn’t read thoroughly.
I should really try mine ina controlled environment too.
Were you able to visually confirm the thread direction? Possibly yours is normally threaded for some reason?
Didn't mean to be short. Yes, looked at my tow-eye closely. Is definitely reverse threaded. And tried screwing in the clockwise, traditional, way just because Why Not? Inside the car chassis/frame area, can't get good enough visual on the "female" side of things to see if somehow that end of things was standard threading but seems like a really, really slim manfactrng fluke for that to occur.
Shock-On-T
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
No offence taken
I vaguely recall a youtube video where someone had to push hard to engage the thread at the start, but I may be mistaken.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
I
It is reverse threads. Not going to work!Use a tap/die set to clean the threads on both the screw and the receiver ... problem solved.
Whilst they do make LH thread taps and dies. Getting one in this size is not going to laying on the shelf at the hardware store.
From OP's comments, I think flatsix is on to something, it sounds like the car side (female thread) has a burr blocking rhe tow eye from going in. I doubt the SC has a tap on hand either. I would try body shop or get a second hand eye and make a tap out of it.
From OP's comments, I think flatsix is on to something, it sounds like the car side (female thread) has a burr blocking rhe tow eye from going in. I doubt the SC has a tap on hand either. I would try body shop or get a second hand eye and make a tap out of it.
Hookemhorns
Member
Interesting, my 2016 MS refresh nose came with a tow eye, but nowhere I can find to screw it in. SC says yes, mine doesn’t used the tow eye, they don’t know why I got one with the car. It’s towed with straps looped over the lower suspension arm.
