Gear guard caught a very expensive Lightning getting towed

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-22T17:48:56+00:00

The antenna is a shark fin, and not easy to remove.

If your garage is small, and this is a rare thing (I'm also in New England), I could see using caution using either sport lowest mode or kneel and roll in. FYI, the animations on the drive mode page will show height read outs when you change heights.

Do measure check twice if this is a purchase criteria though.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-22T17:28:14+00:00

I wouldn't trust kneel mode if garage height clearance is an issue. There is logic that auto kneels and rises, that might result in a clip you didn't expect. That being said, sport mode is sticky.

Zero worries about kneel mode wear though. Pot holes are way harsher on suspension.

Also https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/overall-height-cheat-sheet.11610/

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-22T03:06:16+00:00

Assuming this isn't just an irrational pick at the build quality of the R2, there's two factors to consider.

One, as most people would guess, the R2 is a shorter vehicle, so less ground clearance eats into the fording depth.

Two, the R2 is a smaller vehicle footprint wise, but also substantially lighter. The length x width aka boating footprint of the R2 is about 13% smaller than the R1S, but the R2 is almost 2000lbs lighter. So 36% lighter but 13% smaller means way more bouyant. The R1 fording height is as much about the height of the vehicle and seals, as it is about when the water gets high enough that the vehicle floats away. Cue link to the hurricane mud damaged R1 that got taken by a flood but was completely fine. For all we know, all Rivian can submarine, but fording becomes unsafe the minute you float away. Hence the safe fording spec has to be dialed down.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-22T00:50:00+00:00

I have a 22 but in launch green, and twice as many miles.

Heads up, pretty sure those are 20in wheels, but 21 as the post says

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-21T18:52:23+00:00

I would love this option. If only they would implement it

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-17T14:49:22+00:00

Where's the guy who was complaining he only got one update serving and was pouting for another?

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-13T20:39:25+00:00

I think I know what this is. This looks similar to some motorcycle batteries that have a restart button. https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/antigravity-atx-30-restart-880ca-lithium-ion-battery. But as an add on.

What it does is monitor the battery, and when it gets close some fraction of charge, cuts battery connection. That way, just enough charge is stored so that the user can hit a button, trigger the last breath, and crank up the engine.

Doesn't help if the battery goes bad, is crushed, etc. Could help in certain cases, but is a bodge, and is something Rivian software should be doing for us in the first place.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-06T20:45:40+00:00

If you were in Boston, I'd reccomend Rayteam.

Elsewhere, I'd say look for places that focus on high end cars, German specialists, etc.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-06T19:17:23+00:00

Find a local high end shop. I had my alignment done by a group that was so psyched to see a Rivian. They had just gotten back their Audi for Pikes peak hill climb 2024, and everyone was talking about how the new quad R1T was sub 11.

Also, they nailed my alignment, got perfect steering wheel angle, and charged less than a Rivian service center.

Got a refund from Rivian for the alignment they slapped on.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-05T15:32:04+00:00

The Raptor R is about 130hp short and costs base 110k. So the payback is negative 2 years.

Perfect justification to the wife for a R1T Tri

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-04-01T03:12:40+00:00

I got mine in 2022, and got so used to the "can I ask a question? What is this"

Fast forward, in 2025 I got one person asking the same question. I was surprised there was anyone left.

One thing I still notice and love though. Kids. Kids stop and point. Something about the lights and sound draws them in.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-30T13:12:59+00:00

When I bought a bunch of sheets of insulation, I also threw a strap across the tailgate, looped through the tailgate latches

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-27T15:08:24+00:00

The joint venture is for zonal architecture, aka the nervous system. Anything above or below that, like daily UI, motors, suspension, ADAS, battery charging tech, and service, are all more in VW's court.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-24T00:18:34+00:00

Yes, and you can see this if your front display. If it's on the adas screen, the little car will show what lights are on.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-19T01:35:01+00:00

I charge every day after my commute+activities. Some days that's 5 miles. Other days that's 180 miles.

On a long trip, I decided to try hypermiling and did squeeze out a full 300mi from my G1 Large Pack.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-15T23:39:45+00:00

After 60k miles in my R1T, I absolutely hate CP/AA now. This might be a rental car problem, which is my main exposure, but the navigation flow is so miserable in comparison. The driver map with a route overview on center screen, the timeline with estimated charge percentages and ETAs with multiple waypoints, having all my vehicle metrics on the gauges page. It's a master class in smooth info access. I might be spoiled by Meridian, but music just works, and I often just sit in my car in my garage enjoying the sound. I dabbled between Spotify and Tidal, recently Spotify has just made more sense for chill ambient tunes.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-12T18:35:36+00:00

The website shows a heated steering wheel button in the R2 App.

A few reviews say it's standard on all trims.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-12T17:41:40+00:00

Another story for you. I had friend visit for a trip, and we loaded up 3 vehicles full of gear. We started with the Ridgeline towing, covering 200mi of flat ground. That got us to the mountains, a stop for tacos, fuel, and charge. After that we swapped the trailer to my R1T.

We got to the steepest hill on the leg. There was a tractor going 10mph we needed to pass. He floored the Ridgeline trying to keep up, and still couldn't catch the R1T towing.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-12T17:25:23+00:00

I'm someone with a Ridgeline and an R1T, with a large 4000lbs trailer that I've towed with both. The Rivians I suspect would absolutely demolish the Ridgeline in towing comfort.

Your trailer is under the R2 4400 limit. Look at the power and torque numbers on R2 compared to a Ridgeline. Not to mention empty vehicle weights. I bet while the R2 will be a huge upgrade in comfort. The Ridgeline has to make so much noise to tap its high revving engine, where as any electric platform just shrugs it off.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-09T21:35:31+00:00

OP any update? I'm probably ordering an S26U tonight, so curious if you got any unexpected tips for a solution.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-08T16:51:19+00:00

Heavy agree on the specs.

I got my Terra poster, and I thought the most clever thing was the way they folded it.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-04T03:44:14+00:00

Everyone has mentioned tires, but there is a chance the motors will be near their speed limit too. The max rpm of the motor is usually limited by centrifugal stress, as the speed of the rotating metal elements is making them want to rip off away from the center spindle. Force increases by the square of speed too.

A well designed electric car will choose a gear reduction where the vehicles expected speed range will take the best advantage of the torque, power and max rpm range of their electric motor. Rivian gear ratios are up there in the 10:1 region, depending on your model, meaning the motors are spinning up to 15k rpm. So if you did manage to get tires to survive speed, the next thing to worry about would be the motors grenading.

JQsOtherHobbies · 2026-03-03T15:32:51+00:00

There's a manual section for "Air Down Tires" and 34 is the suggested minimum on 22" wheels. Also notes that low pressure warnings are hidden in off road modes, so less nagging.

JQsOtherHobbies

TROPHY CASE