I thought all 97 + f150's came with the tailgate lock. ?

 

Where there is a need someone will supply it. I lived 75 miles south of ny city had 2 vehicles stolen one at gunpoint. After I reported the second vehicle stolen as i left the police station a man said for 1000 dollars he would guarantee my next vehicle would be recovered in less than 48 hours after i reported it missing or stolen and I could decide the punishment of the theif. skeptical at first i checked into it. I agreed to the deal, a gps tracking device was mounted in my vehicle. 6 months later I got mugged as i approached my car by a young gang of theives, I placed the call and my vehicle was tracked, found and staked out As the thief was getting into the car a guy on a bicycle tagged him with a stun gun, the van rolls up pucks up the thief and i got my car back, The thief whom i recogonized as 1 of the gang that mugged me he kicked me in the ribs after another broke my nose with his fist. he was 17 had many priors, Long story short he did six months back breaking labor on a special farm in Louisiana and was not paid a cent. Another man 20 years old interfered with the sting operation, he was stunned also, turned out he had many priors one where the woman suffered a heart attack when he stole her purse another for stabbing a girl in a bakery over drugs. His sentence was not my doing, he was sold into slavery the 2k they got for him 1/2 went to victims relief fund.
the police all over are familiar with these vigalante operations. I guess thieves make me bitter, sorry maybe we should just Tar and Feater'em or kell haul'em..

 

If the law there allowed you to shoot and kill anyone who threatens you or your personal property, then there is a great chance you never would have been mugged or had your car stolen.

 

That was one fo the reasons I left NY and now i call Texas home...and if i cant go into a bar where they know I am packing i don't go. freedom ain't free you gotta be willing to fight for it now and always.

 

I don't know how many 97+ F150s have tailgate locks - the '03 I'm driving did not.

My '00 F250 didn't come with a tailgate lock, either. I took a hose clamp and ground off the portions of the screwdriver slot that would be used for removal. Then I installed it around the right side hinge.

Clearly, anyone with a couple of simple tools could remove it in a couple of minutes - but most tailgate thieves just pick the gate up and walk or drive away with it. There are so many around, they aren't interested in taking a couple minutes on one - too much chance of being caught when there will surely be an unlocked one around the next corner.

I ordered a new tailgate and mechanism. Curiously, the latch WITH a lock cost less than the latch WITHOUT the lock.

 

My 97 came with a lock on the tailgate. I think that I have used it twice. I have a snug top that fits over the top of the tail gate that has locks on both sides so I have not had to use it.

 

Nope. I have a 98 F-150 XL (4.6/man. shift TC/M5OD/man. windows/man. locks) without a gate lock.

 

yuo should be allowed to hang the thieves from the nearest lightpost.after 1 or 2 the the rest will get the hint.