cybertruk panels - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2025, 08:47:23 pm
content: So the glitch car has been recalled because they glued panels on the thing. I guess they don't learn much from problems the space shuttle had with its own tileshttps://www.carscoops.com/2025/03/tesla-recalls-every-single-cybertruck-over-stainless-steel-trims-falling-off/And the solution involves changing the type of glue and adding some studs. Which should in itself be interesting because then you have the whole glued AND bolted (and welded, but that is OK to weld on a stud, then its considered pretty much a bolt) thing going on. I don't know how that works out exactly, but I read a bit about bolting AND welding, and apparently its quite tricky (at least structurally) to attach the same part with a mixture of welds and bolts. I think they should just weld it, just bolt it, just rivet it or just glue it.https://www.jflf.org/v/vspfiles/assets/pdf/design_file201.pdf

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2025, 09:40:22 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on March 20, 2025, 08:47:23 pmI think you missed what they will do with the studs, the stud will be welded onto the sheet panel like a PEM. Then they use that stud to bolt to the vehicle, so the panel will never fall off, even if the glue fails again. Presumably they had some backup mounting points or they managed to get lucky with the existing frame design.They should have done this originally but the cost was probably incredibly high (to do the welds and still have a clean finish on the opposite side of the panel).From the video in the first link, it appears to affect the larger panels as well, though not as drastically. Its interesting that the glue face looks smooth, almost the same as the finished side. You'd think a roughed up surface would be required for glue to adhere?

author: UnijunctionTransistor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2025, 09:49:44 pm
content: Only adds another obstacle to Tesla’s current woes.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2025, 10:19:18 pm
content: Quote from: UnijunctionTransistor on March 20, 2025, 09:49:44 pmLets try to focus on the technical discussion.Or financial if you want to go there, though its not interesting at all: 46,000 units, material and labor cost might be $400? 20 million dollars. Not much, <0.3% of 2024 income.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 12:26:39 am
content: The thing is, that it is very difficult to separate out the costs, the technology & the effects on Tesla as a business.If people have to return their car & be without it while the manufacturers do what they should have done to start with, it really does affect any decision to buy that brand again.De Loreans had many problems, but at least their stainless steel panels didn't fall off!

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 12:43:10 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on March 20, 2025, 09:40:22 pmBut in this case what is the glue doing?So if the bolt loosens then you have the glue getting sudden extra strain from the panel bending back. Or you glue it then bolt it then its just putting extra compression on the glue and the glue has some minimum bond line which is at odds with the bolt tensionI assume it might just be so that when the glue breaks the panel is flapping around on a bolt and its hoped that someone will get it re-glued before it ends up falling off ? I don't think they like work together, that bolt needs to be stretched tight to be doing its jobseriously, that epoxy or whatever needs a bond line, they put particles in some of them to ensure it does not get too squished IIRC (they make it flow much less so it takes alot of force to get it too thin), the bolt would just be crushing the glue. Wood glue seems to be a exception to the rule some howand if you cure it first your bolting a peanut butter sandwich, its like soft. that glue better not flow when its cured at all. I think it will, and then the bolt will loose tightnessI think in practice it might be a 'dangler' feature that makes it dangle and later fall off. Depends on if its someone that drives around with their muffler hanging low making occasional sparks or if they get shit fixed in a reasonable amount of time

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 01:25:05 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on March 21, 2025, 12:43:10 amThe glue holds the edges down, helps with any vibrations, etc. If you just have bolts with no glue, the edges can be lifted or bent out fairly easily, as shown in the video.Bolts on all edges would be too expensive and might not fit the frame, easier to have 3 or 4 bolts in the middle somewhere, that can handle the 3kg or whatever the panel weighs on their own in case of failure.This isn't really the same, but, you can see use of glue, rivets, and welds all together:

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 01:34:16 am
content: so they are just going to 'caulk' the perimeter while the bolts do most of the work now? Kind of like a gasket.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 02:02:01 am
content: Shoulda used mansory glue

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 09:18:22 pm
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on March 21, 2025, 01:34:16 amI believe that would be the intent.Maybe I'm blind but I can't find the other panels like the front bumper fascia on their site:https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybertruck/ServiceManual/en-us/GUID-D33D78C9-9BCD-46CB-885C-52B4F482852C.htmlhttps://epc.tesla.com/en-US/catalogs/b685e77a-0f90-4a81-a1a5-3f3417542754/categories/18b8b689-5e5e-4d87-b759-afad9e0beded/subcategories/9993375a-7ee3-4f7b-bd0f-2f5051cb83b9There is one video showing bumper glue failing and it falling off but I'm thinking its fake. Looking at this video you can see nuts on the bottom:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXbi7MWylQQI would like to see this glue compared to 3M VHB, probably VHB is more expensive though given the large area required.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2025, 10:16:28 pm
content: I can't tell for sure but some of those holes seem really big compared to the threaded bitwhat are the corresponding chassis holes that you think those bumper bolts would bolt into? it makes me think of it being used for glue alignment indexing but the photo quality is low and the geometry is complex so i can't telli.e. the hole under that guys hand is huge. and there does not seem to be even close to the same amount of holes as you would need to seat all those bolts.ok there is a series of holes that are lower in the video that look like they match but then its weird that its only bolted at the bottom not near the middle

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2025, 09:44:11 pm
content: Yeah I don't know how to explain those bolts, I don't know if they even attach to the front stainless panel. From what I'm seeing all the stainless panels are flat sheet only. They don't have curved ends to hook on or studs or anything.Someone posted the likely list of adhesive used here:https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/1jggsnz/anybody_know_what_adhesive_tesla_is_using_on/- BETAMATE 2098 Crash Durable Structural Adhesive- Fusor 2098 Crash Durable Structural Adhesive (Slow)- Impact Resistant Structural Adhesive (3M 07333)But the 3M for example, implies its for backup where welds and rivets already exist:"Impact Resistant Structural Adhesive has excellent adhesion to a wide variety of properly prepared metal substrates, is intended for “true” structural bonding applications when specified by Automotive OEM’s, and is recommended for all weld-bonded and rivet-bonded joints."and another mentioned was 3M 08115:https://www.3mcanada.ca/3M/en_CA/p/d/v000056367/"In certain conditions, you can use it for bumper cover repair."