Toyota Tundra is gonna pull the space shuttle?

[vash]

dang..

i dont care if it is publicity stunt..or that there are alot of better tow vehicle choices..toyota is gonna get some mileage from this stunt.

true?

A commercial Endeavour for Toyota - latimes.com

[vash]

that is going to be one heck of a weight distributing hitch!

[kaisen]

True. I read the specifics of how they planned on accomplishing the feat about two months ago. Really, any truck could do it. It should be decent press for them. It don't think it will make a difference in Tundra sales, unfortunately.

[ronster]

What happened to Guts-Glory-Ram?

[kaisen]

Toyota's press release:

Toyota Tundra to Tow Space Shuttle Endeavour on Last Leg of Journey to the California Science Center
Tundra Entrusted With Historic Transportation of Endeavour Through California Science Center Partnership to Promote Education and Space Awareness

TORRANCE, Calif. (September 12, 2012) – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) announced today that the Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck is slated to tow the space shuttle Endeavour during its final journey to the California Science Center on October 13, 2012, where it will go on permanent display. The Endeavour will travel a total of 12 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on city streets to the Science Center, with the Tundra towing the last quarter mile.

Tested extensively prior to the announcement, the 2012 Tundra is slated to safely tow the 300,000 pound historic artifact down Bill Robertson Lane in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles, on the final leg of its journey. Endeavour will be towed using a stock 2012 Tundra CrewMax 1/2–ton pickup, identical to models currently found in Toyota dealerships, with no additional modifications made to increase towing capacity or generate more power. The Tundra CrewMax is equipped with Toyota's powerful 5.7L V8 engine, producing a maximum tow capacity of 10,000 pounds. TMS has done extensive testing and worked with The Sarens Group, a heavy lifting and engineered transport company, to develop a dolly specifically for hauling the Endeavour.

"There is no larger or more recognizable icon of the U.S. space program's success than the shuttle, and to have it towed by the Toyota Tundra is not only an incredible example of the capabilities of the truck, but an honor to be part of history," said Ed Laukes, TMS vice president of marketing communications. "The entire journey is something the world will be watching, and gives us a chance to prove that the 'overbuilt' Tundra is built to do any job – even tow the space shuttle."

Participation in the transportation of the shuttle is part of an ongoing partnership between TMS and the Science Center in an effort to provide support and awareness of the space program and continuing education of the public through exhibits and programs. Toyota currently has a Tundra truck on display in a Science Center exhibit demonstrating the physics of leverage. The tow Tundra will replace the existing Tundra and will be on display after the Endeavour exhibit opens on October 30, 2012.

At the end of the Endeavour's 12 mile journey from LAX to the Science Center, a "finish-line" celebration at Exposition Park is planned for the evening of October 13, as the shuttle arrives at the Science Center, allowing the public to witness the finale of this historic voyage.

The tow program was developed in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi LA (SSLA), the agency of record for TMS, and the Science Center, and serves as a unique way to demonstrate Tundra's capabilities and towing capacity. In collaboration with SSLA and Science Center, TMS has developed a host of online resources and activities that provide behind-the-scenes videos, photos, activities for children and information about the Tundra Endeavour project and can be found at The Tundra Endeavour beginning September 17th. Visitors can share content, sign up for email alerts and participate in re-Tweeting information that will help contribute money to the California Science Center for further development of exhibits and displays.

[Zeke]

The shuttle is to be moved on computer-controlled modular transporters. According to other L.A. Times articles, Toyota is overstating the weight. Either way, I don't think any pick up truck will pull the shuttle unassisted.

Endeavour's final trek will be a 2 mph crawl through L.A. - latimes.com

[pete3799]

I'm with Milt.....no way unassisted, unless it's headed down grade, in which case a 5000lbs. pick-up is not going to be able to stop it.

[theFONZ]

I'm not sure how much the shuttle weighs, but cargo aircraft have been pulled by a single person. I would beleive a 381hp truck could do it.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by theFONZ

I'm not sure how much the shuttle weighs....

150,000 pounds

[Hugh R]

Silly me, you'd think that they'd do an American vehicle. NASA doesn't do as well as Disney on promotional tie-ins.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by theFONZ

I'm not sure how much the shuttle weighs, but cargo aircraft have been pulled by a single person. I would beleive a 381hp truck could do it.

There was a guy pulling a KC-135 tanker at the local air show last weekend. Pulling a heavy object on wheels is significantly easier than lifting said heavy object, it becomes a function of friction/rolling resistance.

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Silly me, you'd think that they'd do an American vehicle. NASA doesn't do as well as Disney on promotional tie-ins.

I believe the Tundra is made in San Antonio.

[911-32]

Originally Posted by kaisen

True. I read the specifics of how they planned on accomplishing the feat about two months ago. Really, any truck could do it.

So what are the specifics? Whats the trick?

[kaisen]

The Tundra and Sequoia are in free-fall saleswise. Toyota is desperate to boost sales.

So far this year they've sold less than 75K Tundras in the US, and just over 9K Sequoias, for total platform sales of 86K units YTD

Ford has sold 464K F150s and 32K Expeditions/Navigators, for 492K units YTD
GM has sold 410K full-size pickups and 150K full-size SUVs, for 560K units YTD

In other words, Ford and GM are selling six times as many full size trucks
Tundra now has less than 6% share of the full size pickup segment
When the then-new 2007 model launched Toyota lauded plant capacities of nearly 400K units
They'll utilize less than 25% of that capacity this year

What happened to the Tundra/Sequoia?

[javadog]

From the press release:

"The Endeavour will travel a total of 12 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on city streets to the Science Center, with the Tundra towing the last quarter mile."

So what's towing it the other 11 3/4 miles? Why change to the Toyota when the finish line is in sight?

Sems stupid to me. Would not endear me to Toyota...

JR

[URY914]

Originally Posted by 911-32

So what are the specifics? Whats the trick?

Rear axle ratio.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by 911-32

So what are the specifics? Whats the trick?

No real trick. It's just like putting your Porsche on wheel dollies and pushing it around the garage. It's just a small initial resistance, but pretty easy once it's slowly rolling. Any truck could do it.

Kudos to Toyota for securing the opportunity with NASA

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by URY914

Rear axle ratio.

No, they're using standard gearing. Standard everything.

[widebody911]

My 1956 VW pickup could probably do that.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by javadog

So what's towing it the other 11 3/4 miles? Why change to the Toyota when the finish line is in sight?

A remote controlled articulating dolly will carry it the first 11.75 miles.
The final .25 miles by Tundra is simply a (good) marketing ploy, and then that Tundra will be in the museum as well.

[javadog]

PT Barnum would be proud. I look at it as a pointless, additional complexity. It also seems to imply that the truck couldn't have pulled it the entire distance. Whether or not that is true, the implication is there.

JR