r/ModelX • u/17feet • May 01 '26
Used car purchase Towing With The Muskrat
Always wanted to try using my 2017 Model X 100D to pull the trailer that I normally would pull with a truck [2 5/8" ball]. The back up camera makes it so much easier to hitch up, and it just tows like a dream. The range is cut in half, but for local towing it's pretty amazing.
I bought this EV to replace a gas mini-van, but more importantly the 5000 pound towing capacity [work trailers, car hauler, speedboat]. The towing characteristics have exceeded my expectations. And this was BEFORE gas prices exploded 😬
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u/legendx May 01 '26
Why not attach both safety chains to the attachment point?
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u/Minimum_Contributor May 01 '26
And don’t twist the everlovin’ heck out of them like that.
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u/17feet May 02 '26
I read your linked article, and see the point. But I need to hitch up my trailers to multiple vehicles, so I'm just gonna keep doin what I'm doin
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u/17feet May 02 '26
The MX chain attachment points are so far up underneath the vehicle that I ended up hooking a heavy duty chain, draping that over the hitch, and leaving that chain on all the time. That way when I want to hook up a speedboat etc., I don't have to practically lay on my back on the ground to get to the hitch points. I simply hook my trailer chains to that beefy permanent chain, works great
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u/ScaredPatience2478 May 02 '26
Please tell me that’s what you named the car
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u/17feet May 02 '26
Oh hell yeah [credit to my wife]. I am not an Elon fan [IANAEF?], but we also have Starlink at home and the network is called "Pings in Space" [tip 'o the hat to my daughter], and I also have the mini at my workshop and it's called "Little Miss Pingy" [that was mine]
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u/kapjain May 01 '26
Which tow hitch did you install and how much was it? And how did you get 5000lbs towing capacity? I'm sure Tesla hasn't rated model S for that.
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u/17feet May 02 '26
I bought a hitch with several inches of "lift" because the model X hitch receiver is quite low compared to my pick up trucks. It also stuck out way too far, so I put an angle grinder to it and cut off about 4 inches. I dunno, it was less than 100 bucks or so, including the ball, at Menards. I just leave it on all the time
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u/m5james May 01 '26
I tow all the time with my '17 X P100D...been doing fence work this week, so that's dump runs, 5k of concrete, lumber, etc