3 things I HATE about my Rivian R1T after 10,000 miles -- JerryRigEverything

[Swilly]

I don't follow the air compressor solution? In theory blow air so hard it shoots back up out of that hole?

Seems like there could be a better design to
a) limit it from happening as much
b) as well as a better solution once it is in there.

Sorry for the snark, I admit I don’t have an R1T, but at least with my similarly designed vehicle, that channel opens on the ends and debris could be pushed out that way. It lands in the bumper and can be vacuumed or blown out.

My crappy original attitude aside, I do recommend the vacuum as well as taping the seams with wide painters tape. Then put a tarp down. Should have close to nothing to vacuum out. I went to this trouble with the LC before it was of drinking age.

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[scottf200]

Sorry for the snark, I admit I don’t have an R1T, but at least with my similarly designed vehicle, that channel opens on the ends and debris could be pushed out that way. It lands in the bumper and can be vacuumed or blown out.

My crappy original attitude aside, I do recommend the vacuum as well as taping the seams with wide painters tape. Then put a tarp down. Should have close to nothing to vacuum out. I went to this trouble when the LC before it was of drinking age.

No worries. You were cool, I was just confused. Your further explanation of having channels that let the debris out made good sense.

 

[RivAW]

I love Zack but I cringed when I saw him dumping all that ? into an open rivian bed. WTF.

Zack - I love you man, but for the love of god, use a tarp next time.

Exactly…it’s an easy, obvious and cheap fix if you put just an ounce of forethought into it. This is a user negligence problem more than a design problem…

 

[Swilly]

No worries. You were cool, I was just confused. Your further explanation of having channels that let the debris out made good sense.

I will add that this solution only came to me after one of my kids dumped a gallon of water out in the back and all the water came pouring out the bumper. I had the ah ha moment that it must have openings for water to drain or that would be a really bad design.

 

[Thedude]

Exactly…it’s an easy, obvious and cheap fix if you put just an ounce of forethought into it. This is a user negligence problem more than a design problem…

It’s a design flaw. If you come from a background of truck ownership and actually use the truck this is not a problem you would reasonably expect to have.

I’d guess the majority of Rivian owners will never use the bed for more than a suitcase or a bicycle so it’s not much of a problem for the main user base.

 

[SASSquatch]

It’s a design flaw. If you come from a background of truck ownership and actually use the truck this is not a problem you would reasonably expect to have.

I’d guess the majority of Rivian owners will never use the bed for more than a suitcase or a bicycle so it’s not much of a problem for the main user base.

I don't think Rivian is promoting this as a work truck - it's an adventure vehicle. That said, everyone is well within their right to use the truck how they want.

Work trucks, however, don't have wheel well storage in the bed, gooseneck hinges, outlets, air compressor access etc. like the Rivian does which have specific purposes that would not bode well with dumping a load of horse manure or gravel straight into the bed.

 

[emoore]

I don't think Rivian is promoting this as a work truck - it's an adventure vehicle. That said, everyone is well within their right to use the truck how they want.

Work trucks, however, don't have wheel well storage in the bed, gooseneck hinges, outlets, air compressor access etc. like the Rivian does which have specific purposes that would not bode well with dumping a load of horse manure or gravel straight into the bed.

Yep. It’s not a work truck meant for loose soil, manurer, etc. Most will have coolers, bins, camping gear, etc.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

The water in the door seems to have been fixed. I had the problem and they implemented a fix with no recurrence since then.

The debris in the gooseneck thing is valid, but pretty ticky tacky. Just put down a tarp before you dump anything like that in the bed and brush off the tailgate before you put it off. I've always put a tarp down in the bed before hauling mulch or fill dirt, it's not something that's unique to Rivian.

 

[scottf200]

The water in the door seems to have been fixed. I had the problem and they implemented a fix with no recurrence since then.

The debris in the gooseneck thing is valid, but pretty ticky tacky. Just put down a tarp before you dump anything like that in the bed and brush off the tailgate before you put it off. I've always put a tarp down in the bed before hauling mulch or fill dirt, it's not something that's unique to Rivian.

Good news on the water in the door problem.

If you do a google search of tailgates down you certainly see there they have a crack BUT the Rivian has a 3"x5" opening with ribbed channels that point to it and go down into an *enclosed* "cavern" area. That seems very very different than normal pickup truck tailgate down situations IMO.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tailgate+down+pickup

It is not the end of the world if there are initial flaws as long as companies work toward better solutions and design. This is pretty normal especially for a company trying new unique design (ie. extend tailgate lever).

 

[thealkemistik]

I was also wondering about issue #2. I use the truck to go surf, I usually change and rinse my wetsuit inside the bed and there's always tons of sand and water that gets in those hinge openings. Haven't checked if the water eventually makes it way out but had the assumption it does ? Not sure now that I've seen this video.

 

[CrazyOne]

I love Zack but I cringed when I saw him dumping all that ? into an open rivian bed. WTF.

Zack - I love you man, but for the love of god, use a tarp next time.

Agree. I wouldn't put anything that can plug up drain holes in the bed without a tarp.

 

[scottf200]

I was also wondering about issue #2. I use the truck to go surf, I usually change and rinse my wetsuit inside the bed and there's always tons of sand and water that gets in those hinge openings. Haven't checked if the water eventually makes it way out but had the assumption it does ? Not sure now that I've seen this video.

Aside: here is what people are seeing related to water in the version for the CyberTruck
... trough with a drains in it.

 

[PhatDaddy]

Better design ideas?

Don't you think they could design it better so less falls straight in
AND
has a access panel from below to empty it OR better yet a slot for it to AUTOmatically fall out?

Better design idea? Give me the two-way drop-down/swing-out tailgate on my Ridgeline any day! Waiting years now for my Max Pack R1T, and this is probably still my biggest concern. Having the ability to swing the tailgate out allows GREAT and easy (bend at the waist and reach in) access to the nearly full bed width deep Ridgeline bed trunk located at the very rear of the bed; easy access to the spare which slides out into the trunk space when needed, but leaves the full trunk area clear when stowed; and allows for easy clearing of tailgate gap (granted, due to no gooseneck mechanism or cover) while still providing plenty of extended support with the tailgate in the fold-down configuration.

As others have said, having a spare in a compartment below the bed will always have the downside of requiring mostly emptying the bed to get to the spare (and requires the same to use my Ridgeline bed trunk or access the spare), but access to a clean and topside spare tire works a lot better for me than climbing under a truck with the spare suspended from below.

IF there was a BEV Ridgeline… WITH a gear tunnel… it would be no contest for me.

 

[scottf200]

Better design idea? Give me the two-way drop-down/swing-out tailgate on my Ridgeline any day! Waiting years now for my Max Pack R1T, and this is probably still my biggest concern. Having the ability to swing the tailgate out allows GREAT and easy (bend at the waist and reach in) access to the nearly full bed width deep Ridgeline bed trunk located at the very rear of the bed; easy access to the spare which slides out into the trunk space when needed, but leaves the full trunk area clear when stowed; and allows for easy clearing of tailgate gap (granted, due to no gooseneck mechanism or cover) while still providing plenty of extended support with the tailgate in the fold-down configuration.

As others have said, having a spare in a compartment below the bed will always have the downside of requiring mostly emptying the bed to get to the spare (and requires the same to use my Ridgeline bed trunk or access the spare), but access to a clean and topside spare tire works a lot better for me than climbing under a truck with the spare suspended from below.

IF there was a BEV Ridgeline… WITH a gear tunnel… it would be no contest for me.

That is impressive. I found a video showing the features:

 

[Zoidz]

My 2001 Land Cruiser has the same problem every time I get soil, rock or mulch, solution is often referred to as a vacuum. Air from an onboard compressor might work as well. Hey, don’t Rivians have an onboard compressor? The simple solution is often the best solution.

It’s a high pressure low volume inflator built in to the Rivian, not a compressor, even though Rivian calls it a compressor. There is no storage tank, and it does not develop enough air volume to be effective at blowing debris clear.

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