Hey guys, just a reminder to keep your tailgates locked. I've got a brand new f-250 king ranch and my tailgate was stolen yesterday from a boat ramp in Naples fl. I had no idea the tailgate was such a hot commodity.

 

Sorry for the lost/stolen...


that is so 2013....

 

Sorry to hear about your "loss" But as the previous poster said, that has been known for some time. As a matter of fact, yes tailgates are a hot commodity since it can fit just about any super duty over the last 15 years or so. (yes I know there are some minor differences in the box's body lines.) The newer 08+ style seems to be a target. However, my friend's 94 has been a target too. He was at an Englishtown, NJ swap meet and caught two people trying to steal his tailgate! He rounded the truck, and caught trying to get the tailgate off. They took off running when they saw him and his son. He figured his tailgate was in great condition for the age of the vehicle.

The other day I had a customer at the shop to pick up some material. He was trying to get a tail gate down on his Chevy. It had a pop a lock on it. He had no idea what that was since he just bought it. Plus it was keyed. He said he had been driving trucks all his life and never had a locking tail gate. I told him about tailgate theft and he was amazed by it. I said certain vehicles are more targets than others.

 

You can try a hose clamp over the hinge or there are some locks that you can put over the hinge as well.

 

Master Lock makes a tailgate lock that goes around the lower right hinge area.

The Pop&Lock is to easy to over come if you have a 9vdc battery handy. It does keep the honest person honest but not a thief is he wants your tailgate.

 

The Scavengers here in SWFL well steal them for the scrap value not to put them on an other F250. they are heavy and to them it's easy money.
I keep mine locked all the time

 

So the tweakers are selling them for scrap value? Betcha whoever is buying them isn't actually scrapping them though.

What does a replacement tailgate cost? They don't come painted either right? Even so the truck owner eats his deductible of $500 or $1000 right there, I bet.

 

I hate thieves. I had a car stolen once upon a time, my first car I ever bought, I came to the point that I planned in my head to do a trap car just to beat the living crap of one of those *******s, but the consequences ran thru my head, so I left it to the authorities. They never found my car.But carma will get them
Thats why im not getting a new tailgate

 

Sorry to hear. I use one of these as a preventative measure. It is a McGard tailgate lock, cost no more the $25

 

Sorry for the loss. Thieves are scum.

I didn't realize this was such an issue either. I keep mine locked but will look into an aftermarket lock as well.

 

They sell them on Craigslist. I see them there all the time. There is a guy who sets up at the Turkey Run Car Show in Daytona every year. He always has a bunch of them I always wonder where he gets them. There seems to be a big demand for these Super Duty tailgates.

 

Especially if it has a stripper pole attached. It's probably the Chevy and Dodge guys, they have a shrine in their basements with the Ford tailgate as the center piece.

 

would not surprise me one bit.

 

Just sittin' there with a dozen or so late model tailgates? You kiddin' me? Now you know who the tweakers are getting their $20 from.

 

In an attempt to keep mine.... I installed a stainless steel heavy duty hose clamp in the hinge opening and a Pop-n-Lock electric tailgate lock. And keep my Roll-n-Lock bed cover closed and locked.

Hopefully it'll make the scum bags go look for an easier target.