Tesla adapter first time question

[fireroasted]

OMG, somehow I am a test subject. 1 mile from the grand canyon, I had massive hub bolt failure. I read about it here, and willpost a sepearte thread, but left front hub bolt backedout and started rubbing against half shaft casing. Crazy sound, called service, did tests, took videos, etc. Drive another mile and it stopped. Logistics from the south rim are a bit of a nightmare.

Can anyone comment from experience / knowledge that only one specific bolt comes lose or do they all come out? Should I have an expectation that all of them are trying to back out? Or those who had this there was one specific bolt not tightened or something?

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[dicion001]

So the above issue is an ongoing issue that is known about.

Good news: People have looked after its been posted in the past and found one bolt completely missing and suffered no consequences, the truck still drove fine for who knows how long without it. Although not recommended, people have driven with one missing for who knows how long.

Bad news: There's no way to know if it's just one or all of them, but at least you know where to look and inspect. Now that one has come out, if you HAVE to drive it, I'd inspect them ALL every time you drive/stop, on both sides. This means you got the bad batch that weren't torqued correctly from the supplier.

Worse news: This is going to take a service center visit, and a few weeks for them to fix, as they replace all of them as part of the service/recall bulletin.

Edit: If you want to retorque/check/tighten the rest of them in the short term to make sure none of the others come out, the torque spec is 105Nm for each of the bolts as per this document. The one that's out is likely unfixable due to the head being destroyed, but the rest should be accessible.

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/attachments/mc-11008362-0001-pdf.115725/

 

[R1TCntrlMaIzzy]

OmG.

Your new issue may match this thread.

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...lt-experience-and-tools-to-avoid-a-tow.35987/

Edit: Your original issue was mainly on you, like you stated, and partly on Riv and their new user guidance. Though some will say, "read the manual".

This second issue is 100% on Riv. Like dicion001 noted, "go to the SC" and pronto/soon.

 

[fireroasted]

I am fairly mechanical but it doesn’t look like you can access the bolts to reforge without taking the half shaft out.

can anyone confirm . I don’t mind buying a socket for it somewhere. I have a proper torque wrench with me as I always check the lugs on long trips from habit. Left over from my track days habits

my other cars would need the axle removed to fit a socket on there. But I did not read the posts yet. I’m still in travel mode on the phone

thanks for any comments

 

[DeafPug]

The previous reply included a link to how someone ground the begesus out of a wrench to fit in the hub without removing the half-shafts.

I’m all for making one-off tools like this. I have my good blind rivet puller and then I purchased a CHEAP one and ground away 40% of the nose on the tool to make it fit into close quarters. I have to be careful with it not falling apart on me because so much structure was removed, but it’s required at times. You can see the guts inside the tool, but it still works.

 

[dicion001]

I am fairly mechanical but it doesn’t look like you can access the bolts to reforge without taking the half shaft out.

You are correct. Official procedure has the half shaft bolt removed, and the half shaft pushed back to create clearance to access the hub bolts.

Once the hub bolts are tightened to spec (105Nm), then the half shaft is slid back in, and the half-shaft bolt REPLACED. it is not reusable.

The half shaft bolt is a M10-1.5x50 Class 10.9 Hex Flange Bolt

But their description mentions some sort of special lock washer? Not sure. Can't tell what it is without taking it out, and if you take it out, you need a new one.

The half shaft bolt also needs to be torqued in a specific manner:

When installing the halfshaft bolt:​

i. Use a new bolt.​

ii. Torque the bolt to 80 Nm.​

iii. Loosen the bolt 1 turn.​

iv. Torque the bolt to 128 Nm​

 

[fireroasted]

Dropped off at phoenix service center. Drove here without issue from Sedona. Let’s see how that goes tomorrow morning

 

[fireroasted]

Phoenix service center was great. They were prepared with parts and staff. I dropped off using night drop off, and the next morning got updates as they were working on it that day, finished just after lunch. So at least the 'emergency' fix while I was in route can theoretically work. So shout out to a service center for once in a thread.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, even those that were a bit critical of my prep and that it might scare others off from EV usage/ownership. My candid comments (including my mistakes) are to help folks out, and to make sure I wasn't being an EV or Rivian fanboy, because that happens, especially on these forums.

Its true, I should have prepared more to avoid the charging issue, but then its a discussion about just the notion that you need to prepare WELL, and properly. Some of you were having that discussion. The short answer is Yes, you still have to prepare.

I have 2 EVs, track cars, and a couple daily ICE cars I wrench on, so I am mechanically empathetic to equipment, maintenance, and details. I am also a software provider, with engineering background. If I had a failure, its reasonable the "parents" won't be able to make to the Grand Canyon or the like. An Ice car simply takes no preparation and that was a bummer for me live out with family along.

I love the R1S, and it even did a little stint in the Devils Bridge 4x4 trail, which was legit off road stuff. and showed off its capability on this trip, but it also showed a weakness in charging. My next EV will be 400mi minimum as a requirement. It would have changed everything.

The big take away for anyone reading this and actually hoping for useful information:

Make sure you understand the filters in the Rivian app, mostly in the car UI. Select "Incompatible" and understand it will skip the chargers that won't work no matter if you have the adapter.

The correct Tesla supercharger worked great, as I topped off in Riverside somewhere. Just plugged it in and it was working. No issues, and nothing different than a RAN station from a user standpoint.

 

[Paul Hackett]

Yes, this. use the Rivian app and in car navigation interfaces. Learn how to properly filter the compatible locations, and if you have an adapter, make sure to select that option.

Here's a screenshot from the app, under the trip planning area. You can select specific charging networks, the speed and these options.

Longer trips with any EV involves better trip planning.

I'm a new EV owner as well, but stoked about it and learning about. As it relates to "road-tripping" my understanding is that if "I" want to use any of the above commercial charging networks I have to download the phone app, set up an account in the app, choose a plan, provide a credit card and then best practice add the application payment method to my "wallet" in my phone so that I can in a best case scenario find a charging station on my Rivian App route plan, show up on the trip, and assuming the station has an available place to charge basically connect and pay through the appropriate vendor's application. Is this pretty much the process?

 

[SwampNut]

Most non-Tesla charge stations have a display and card reader, so you don't HAVE to have the app for most of them. RAN stations bill to your Rivian account and card in the Rivian app, without any interaction. Tesla Superchargers do that too, but you can also use the Tesla app to subscribe to a discount plan, then charge via the app. The discount makes sense above around 150k of charging, I think. I did the math long ago. I've heard that some other brands can also do plug-and-charge without interaction now, but haven't done it.

 

[fireroasted]

I charged several different vendors, and just swiped a CC at the charger. You obviously pay a bit more, but I think the accounts are to get you into a plan. If its a one off it was pretty easy.

I found that RAN and Tesla stations never had me wait. Always something open. The vendors or cluster of vendors seemed to be impacted, with a line or with people just parked and charging done.

 

[SwampNut]

Another good use for the apps is that many EA stations have broken screens, buttons, and/or card readers. You can't always count on that. I have all of the charge apps, why not.

 

[VGA]

Might not be right thread for this question….but why does the Tesla supercharger slow down the speed by a lot after the 8-9 minute mark? Happened to me twice today…had to switch stations and then it went back to max speed….and I was no where close to being 100% SOC….both times was below 50%…..any ideas or just a one off…..

Charged last night for 45 minutes no issue….

 

[dicion001]

Might not be right thread for this question….but why does the Tesla supercharger slow down the speed by a lot after the 8-9 minute mark? Happened to me twice today…had to switch stations and then it went back to max speed….and I was no where close to being 100% SOC….both times was below 50%…..any ideas or just a one off…..

Charged last night for 45 minutes no issue….

Tesla superchargers will slow charging based on the temperature of the NACS connector. If it gets hot, it slows down.

That's why people were attempting to 'cheat the heat' by wrapping the handle & adapter in a wet towel or something to cool out down to prevent derating in the past.

The easiest thing you can do it just somehow keep it in the shade instead of direct sun if possible.

 

[VGA]

Tesla superchargers will slow charging based on the temperature of the NACS connector. If it gets hot, it slows down.

That's why people were attempting to 'cheat the heat' by wrapping the handle & adapter in a wet towel or something to cool out down to prevent derating in the past.

The easiest thing you can do it just somehow keep it in the shade instead of direct sun if possible.

Thank you very much for the response….that makes total sense.

But in this case I removed the adapter twice (not hot at all…not even warm) changed the Tesla charger and it was back to business at the high speed…I’ll see if it happens again and report back.

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