Watch a Cybertruck float over snow and consume steering and suspension components!
YouTube creator @supercar_ron wasted no time after taking ownership of a new Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup by using it as a mountain bike ramp and as a target for airborne slushy beverages in various demonstrations. Now, his wedge-shaped EV has taken on a new life as a snowmobile, trading its wheels and tires for a set of herculean snow tracks with the help of Sparks Motors out in the wild lands of Utah.
SparksMotors + Cybertruck = Cybertrax
It seems easy enough at first glance—replace the wheels and tires with tracks and hit the backcountry, but this over-the-snow technology required a bit more custom work than originally expected. Dave “Heavy D” Sparks and Diesel Dave, the beards and brains behind the hit show Diesel Brothers and SparksMotors took on the project and brought their maniacal work ethic and expertise in the world of all things large and powerful.
The crew is known for its impressive fabrication, off-road recovery with large pieces of military equipment, and general zaniness in the dirt. They’re no strangers to snow tracks, either, as their recent work showcases a side-by-side, Jeep Gladiator, and even a lifted school bus, all riding on track systems.
Helltraxx Is Snow Joke
Helltraxx is far from a gimmick. While some track conversions are good for little more than a boost in traction on packed snow surfaces, a vehicle with Helltraxx is equipped to float on top of deep powder. This recipe for flotation requires, among other things, a couple key ingredients: power and surface area. The Cybertruck is not lacking for power or torque with more than 600 hp and three motors onboard to spin its axles. Further, each track is about 2.5 feet wide creating an enormous contact patch with the snow, enough so that the vehicle can stay on top of the snow rather than sinking into it.
Can The Cybertruck Handle Snow Tracks?
With floatation handled by the Helltraxx system, the challenge became affixing them to the Cybertruck. In a perfect world, the track system is said to install within one hour. But, can the vehicle handle the added stresses of tracks at each corner?
Will The Helltraxx Munch Body Panels?
With a set of wheel spacers at each corner the Helltraxx were able to stay clear of the Cybertruck’s body panels even when steering. However, the tracks and those spacers might have doomed other components.
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Interestingly, the Cybertruck’s factory upper control arms weren’t engineered to handle the additional stresses large snow tracks can leverage on suspension components. Initial test driving quickly disfigured the driver-side stock upper control arm and the Cybertruck went back to the lab. In its place went a custom-fabricated upper arm beefed up to handle the tracks. Fox coilovers replaced the factory dampers and a considerable amount of bracing went into the body to prevent a failure there.
Can Cybertruck Rear-Steer Aim Snow Tracks?
While rear-steer is a useful feature for street tires, when tasked with aiming the massive rear tracks, the crew discovered its shortcomings. Turns out, the stress of the tracks sheared straight through one of the rear-steer tie rod bolts. Disabling the rear-steer and adding brawnier links and connections appeared to remedy this issue.
When it came time for the final bout of snow testing, the Cybertruck was fit with a custom front bumper, armored rocker panels, more than $6,000 of LED lights, and a camo-pattern vinyl wrap.
Floating on the snow was no problem and the EV’s instant power delivery seemingly had no problem accelerating the track to about 40 mph.
Spindle Failure
The final failure came as the Cybertruck descended from a slope onto flat ground, a scenario that commonly tests how far a vehicle’s suspension can articulate. Leverage from the tracks and wheel spacers appeared to fold the stock (and unmodified) spindle inward.
What’s Next?
SparksMotors appears to be determined to make Cybertrax as formidable as possible and its owner, @supercar_ron is all in favor of the plans. What more must be done to this truck to make it unstoppable in the snow and how do snow tracks affect the battery life of this electric truck?
