I recently bottomed out my trailer on my tailgate and I have been looking for a replacement tailgate. Of course going through Craigslist has yielded a ton of "take offs" whatever that means. I was waiting for someone to say they got it as a gift and does not need it. Anyhow found a guy for 300 I could get a replacement tailgate with a camera and step for my super duty. Wrong color and mentioned I needed a gray one. A couple days later they happen to get one in...anyhow had me thinking about security. Anyone use the pop a lock with the actuator that locks when your doors do or the lock that goes on the bottom part of the tailgate and prevents it from being pulled out. I have a lock that I "try" to remember to lock, but as I age sometimes I forget when I'm using it. Anyone have any complaints or compliments on anything?
Stolen tailgate prevention
- Thread starter Kblock108
- Start date
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
When I got alarms on my other trucks the company would always put a hose clamp on the tailgate with the part you screww on the side that is hard to get to. You could not just 'slip off' the tailgate. By making it harder to remove it makes the thief have to take too much time to remove it so he moves on to an easier target. But you got to remember that ' Locks are for honest people".
pegmikef
Well-known member
My dealer had five tailgates stolen off his very well lit new car lot in one evening (he probably has fifty plus new trucks on the lot at any time). The next day two techs were in their golf cart with their tools and installing locks on all the tailgates (ergo, my F350 came with one). From what I can see, you won't get this off unless you have a master or duplicate key. I asked them about just using the tailgate lock and they said, the bad guys just break or take off the plastic and unlock it from the inside of the tailgate.
HornedToad
Well-known member
Two years ago I had the tailgate stolen off my F250 parked in front of my house while we were away for Thanksgiving. These were definitely amateur thieves, they cut the wiring to the back up camera about six inches above the plug.
I claimed it on my insurance and was shocked that the estimate was over $4,000, each part was listed separately with labor to assemble and paint. I found a tailgate with the step & camera on eBay for under $1,000 and told the adjuster to have the repair shop order that one to save money. The shop would not order parts off eBay because they did not come with a warranty. I asked to have the estimate adjusted to cover the eBay tailgate, and was told it could not be done that way.
I took my check for $4,000 less the deductible, bought the tailgate off eBay (when I picked it up the truck it came off of was sitting in the driveway with a Tommy Lift) and installed it myself (plugged in the back up camera).
I claimed it on my insurance and was shocked that the estimate was over $4,000, each part was listed separately with labor to assemble and paint. I found a tailgate with the step & camera on eBay for under $1,000 and told the adjuster to have the repair shop order that one to save money. The shop would not order parts off eBay because they did not come with a warranty. I asked to have the estimate adjusted to cover the eBay tailgate, and was told it could not be done that way.
I took my check for $4,000 less the deductible, bought the tailgate off eBay (when I picked it up the truck it came off of was sitting in the driveway with a Tommy Lift) and installed it myself (plugged in the back up camera).
porthole
Retired
I have the pop lock, works well.
I also have the tailgate lock that wraps around the hinge.
The Fords are very easy to bypass the locks though. Screwdriver punch through the drivers door lock, open it up, hit the unlock button and tail gate is unlocked.
There is a product called Jimmy Jammers that makes breaking in a bit more of a challenge.
http://www.jimmijammer.com/Product, JJ.htm
I also have the tailgate lock that wraps around the hinge.
The Fords are very easy to bypass the locks though. Screwdriver punch through the drivers door lock, open it up, hit the unlock button and tail gate is unlocked.
There is a product called Jimmy Jammers that makes breaking in a bit more of a challenge.
http://www.jimmijammer.com/Product, JJ.htm
Thanks guys for the info, glad to hear the factory bed lock is not suffcient. I ended buying a tailgate from a guy on craigslist, looked good and price was not bad. Took it home swapped out the locks and this one has the step, which I never had. Hooked it up and noticed the color is off...I should have driven my truck to get it, thought I would save gas and time (since it was getting an oil change and brakes). **** it...now I guess I need to paint it, as soon as I sell my old tailgate with a dent.
mobilcastle
Well-known member
This is what I use. No problem yet. http://www.xtremediesel.com/mcgardt...p5ioMcs6aOA27TGWSdTLHciXGeown2VArkacEx7Xw_wcB
pegmikef
Well-known member
Same with my Ford, but the other side of the tailgate is actually a plastic liner and the bad guys just break and tear enough off and unlock the lock from the inside. I seem to remember that the tailgates on my dodges were metal so it wouldn't be a problem.
travelin2
Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
My 2012 F350 has a locking tailgate with a camera and is metal all around (no built in fold out step) plus I had a spray in liner applied. Crooks would have to break out the latch and probably ruin the camera in the process unless they had the time and tools to drill out the lock.
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porthole
Retired
Ford has the weakest of door and tailgate locks. Do a youtube search of ford truck break ins.
"Jimmi Jammers" is a product to help slow down the thieves.
http://www.jimmijammer.com/
"Jimmi Jammers" is a product to help slow down the thieves.
http://www.jimmijammer.com/
Happy Campers
Well-known member
I won't say it has helped but I'm still using the same hose clamp since my truck was new.
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