My tailgate walked off recently. Got a replacement and not looking to have a repeat. Fabbed up a bracket out of thick plate steel and spayed it with touch up paint I had laying around.

There are some similar designs that can be ordered online but not nearly as thick.

 

Looks good! Tamper resistant bolts would be a good addition.

 

This is what I used on the one I made. If they're eager they will get your tailgate at all costs. Don't make it easy for them. A milwaukee tool will make quick work of the fastener you used. Red loctite will make it that much harder, plus they need the tamper proof torx which most don't carry.

 

Yeah totally putting some tamper resistant stuff on there, those were what I had around this weekend and the place I get stuff like that is M-F.

Got some torx and hex like your photo and also breakaway nuts. Was considering loctite as well. Guess I'm not completely crazy thinking that as well. Every layer makes it that much more difficult.

And I've never taken my tailgate off since I've owned my truck so no worries there either.

Here's some of the hardware I got, should have time to get them on tomorrow.

 

Great idea on the break away nut. Funny I never knew those existed.

 

It’s insane to me that someone would steal a tailgate. I maybe it’s good mine is well used and dented….😂

 

My original was stolen in 2010 and I was pissed. They are so easy to remove and there is a market out there.

I found a 2008 in the exact color for 400.00. It was not going to happen again.

 

Never thought my tailgate would disappear either. It had a nice dent right in the middle from dropping it directly on the trailer coupler actuator while hitching up last year. Never done that before, momentary lapse in judgement I guess.
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Got the hardware finished up today. Those breakaway nuts are pretty cool, I topped them off with some nylocks and loctite just for a little more overkill.

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I hadn't seen the breakaway nuts before, but they look almost exactly like a fastener we use in Aircraft called a Hi-Lok.
I suspect they are the same only cheaper than the aviation certified version.