Towing Screw-Eye, Can't get it to screw in

[Shock-On-T]

Rather than trying to repair I'd just tell your service centre about it. They will have to either fix or replace the part, particularly since it's a safety feature.

 

[CRASHER]

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.

Hmmm!! I could not find the hole in mine 2017 either. Maybe I have to look harder.

 

[RCWtristan]

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.

Thanks for all the input. No solutions yet, and have tried again to no avail. Male threads on tow-eye look good but female threads inside car housing v hard to see, but nothing obvious like obstruction, major mangling , rust, etc. I think Drewflux's and FlatSix's comments are the way to go. Sacrifice another tow-eye, grind down the first few threads and use as a die tool to get clean threads where now must be some burr or damage. Closest SC to me doing a home visit nxt week anyhow to address couple minor issues. I'll let them take the next step in case it doesn't go well.

 

[SMAlset]

Rather than trying to repair I'd just tell your service centre about it. They will have to either fix or replace the part, particularly since it's a safety feature.

And it could be a defective female part (not the toweye itself) that's not unique to just your car OP so letting them handle it would be a better way to go. Hopefully we'll get a chance to look at our car this weekend when it's not raining.

 

[RCWtristan]

So here's the end-note. Tesla rep checked it out today. Stuck in a tow eye and when it got stiff, right at the beginning, he just muscled it forward and it threaded on fine although he did have use a 14' screwdriver as a prybar to twist it all the way into its endpoint. He said some are stiffer than others but the bottom line is the first time they get screwed in, the new tow-eye which has a new coat of black paint, even on its threads, has to cut through all that paint. Good idea is to put it on and off 3 or 4 times, with a dab of oil each time, and keep wiping off the pulverized oily paint-gook on the threads. Gets easier each time. Then, you know your tow-eye is ready if ever needed, and the threads inside the car housing have a nice coat of oil on them. And you know how to remove the little plastic cover triangle, which as my initial positing noted is not how they suggest in the manual (Instead, use the pry slot on right hand edge, and try prying to the left, at least on my 2017 "S".)

 

[unbelievable]

Wow, that's a big screwdriver.

Glad you got it sorted.

 

[NickFie]

The other challenge is that curved front bumper and fascia made it hard for me to line up correctly with the hole. Had to step back to orient myself to the car. Kept perceiving the tow hook as angled with respect to the grille. We have 2017 Demo model, tow hook screwed in without leverage. Unfortunately, had to use it about a week after bringing the car home after an unfortunate curb encounter damaged a tire's sidewall. Got to practice everything in the dark - air pump, jack mode, tow mode as the car was winched onto the flatbed.

 

[Drewflux]

Good idea is to put it on and off 3 or 4 times, with a dab of oil each time, and keep wiping off the pulverized oily paint-gook on the threads. Gets easier each time.

Good to see this worked out in the end. I wouldnt use oil as a lubricant though. Oil tends to attract airborne dirt, which encapsulates moisture. I would a anti sieze type product, both whilst threads cut through the paint and periodic maintaince.

Had a quick look on the net, this is what we were using at pre-delivery on most equiptment that would see snow
https://m.autozone.com/miscellaneou...-1-oz-28-35-g-anti-seize-lubricant/526814_0_0

 

[chammerbeck]

So I gather if I can't find mine under the carpet in the frunk on my 2013 s85 they have to use the bars(thingys) by the wheel to tow?

 

[Brass Guy]

So I gather if I can't find mine under the carpet in the frunk on my 2013 s85 they have to use the bars(thingys) by the wheel to tow?

A long time ago, I seem to remember many cars (like mine) didn't come with a tow hook. Supposedly if you asked for one at a service center they'd have given you one. I never asked, so I may be out of luck now.

 

[SDRick]

Where do you all store your hook?

 

[chammerbeck]

A long time ago, I seem to remember many cars (like mine) didn't come with a tow hook. Supposedly if you asked for one at a service center they'd have given you one. I never asked, so I may be out of luck now.

If the hole is there and threaded then a could make one. I do have a service call coming up so I will also ask. Thanks!

 

[RCWtristan]

If the hole is there and threaded then a could make one. I do have a service call coming up so I will also ask. Thanks!

Concerning making one... It's just a 14" black one-piece Tesla item. I can't imagine cost of getting one from Tesla could be that much. As to making one yourself (ie getting matching reverse-threaded eyehook from another source), keep in mind that car has to go into neutral to physically pull it up onto the angled lift bed truck. If a toweye ever failed for some reason, 4,500lbs of car is now rolling backward. I can imagine what Tesla would say when told you got your tow eye at Joe's Hardware.

 

[chammerbeck]

Concerning making one... It's just a 14" black one-piece Tesla item. I can't imagine cost of getting one from Tesla could be that much. As to making one yourself (ie getting matching reverse-threaded eyehook from another source), keep in mind that car has to go into neutral to physically pull it up onto the angled lift bed truck. If a toweye ever failed for some reason, 4,500lbs of car is now rolling backward. I can imagine what Tesla would say when told you got your tow eye at Joe's Hardware.

Good points. Didn't know it was reverse thread.

 

[boaterva]

Where do you all store your hook?

There's a loop for it in the UMC bag. Mine just.... fits. I had to screw it in to the loop. Others put the tow-eye into bubble wrap and store that somewhere. I wish the refresh cars had the storage slot in the frunk floor!

BTW, as a trivia point, for anyone wondering why it's reverse threaded: If you take normal 'laid' line (rope for the non-sailors ), the three strand stuff, and use that for towing (not that you should), it will unravel/rotate as the load is put on it, and unscrew a tow-eye that has a clockwise thread. Hence, the counter-clockwise thread used to tighten these.

Tesla does occasionally think of a lot of details!

 

[EVCarGUy]

So I gather if I can't find mine under the carpet in the frunk on my 2013 s85 they have to use the bars(thingys) by the wheel to tow?

The towing hook has moved around. I believe that pre-dual motor frunks, the hook was just loose. I think when the smaller dual-motor frunk came along the hook was put under the carpet. Allegedly that's where it is on my March 2016 S85D, but I haven't yanked the carpet to prove it.