Cheap way to secure your tailgate
#11
03-29-2009 | 05:29 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Virginia Beach
No, it's not so easy. You place the head facing down towards the ground, then get a long handled screw driver and tighten it up from the bottom. No crook is going to take the time (or probably even know what to do) to crawl underneath the truck to undo a screw and as far as springing it....you can't because there is not enough room to maneuver a screw driver. Anyway I hope this helps some of you guys that don't have a negative attitude about everything that is posted here.
Dodgewasp
Dodgewasp
I thought it was a great idea.
#12
03-29-2009 | 06:51 PM
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From: NY
#13
03-29-2009 | 07:15 PM
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From: Virginia Beach
If anything, this is exactly why the clamp is a good idea. I almost dropped my old truck's tailgate by closing it the wrong way.
#14
03-29-2009 | 09:12 PM
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From: Land O Lakes, Florida
Came up with a way to secure your tailgate. Use a stainless steel hose clamp and rap it around the ball mount on the bottom right side of the tailgate(having a hard time describing the mount). The gate now can't be removed without going to some trouble and I don't think a crook will take the time or have the tools to remove it. You can cut the excess ban off and bend over the remaining end and then the band will not thread back through the screw. Left mine where I can get it off if I need to. So even if a crook breaks the lock he still will have hell getting off the tailgate. BTW the clamp touches nothing when opening or closing the gate. Hope this helps some of you to avoid a tailgate theft.
Dodgewasp
Dodgewasp
#15
03-29-2009 | 09:15 PM
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From: Virginia Beach
#16
03-29-2009 | 09:34 PM
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From: Round Rock, TX
#17
03-29-2009 | 11:06 PM
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From: Rio Grande Valley, Texas
sarguy01 thanks for the great idea, I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow. What size clamp did you use? I'm from south Texas and tailgates are stolen all the time. Shirtaday.com lives in the Austin area where most people drive Honda's and BMW's. As for the rest of the State, from Dallas to Houston to Corpus, crooks will steal just about anything they can rip off from your truck. Around my area, the latest trend is to steal the side mirrors and light pods. I have also seen them go after spare tires, hub caps, and even the emblems. That's just the stuff on the outside, in 10 minutes an experienced thief can have my truck in Mexico. I work to damn hard for my stuff, so if someone starts making some James Bond booby traps from my Ram, I'll be the first to buy one!! I personally had a 1999 Suburban stolen while my wife and kids were shopping at the local mall. Believe me if this happens to you, you'll have a totally different outlook. But if your cool with being ripped off and just paying your insurance deductible, then good for you.
#18
03-30-2009 | 07:43 AM
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From: Virginia Beach
sarguy01 thanks for the great idea, I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow. What size clamp did you use? I'm from south Texas and tailgates are stolen all the time. Shirtaday.com lives in the Austin area where most people drive Honda's and BMW's. As for the rest of the State, from Dallas to Houston to Corpus, crooks will steal just about anything they can rip off from your truck. Around my area, the latest trend is to steal the side mirrors and light pods. I have also seen them go after spare tires, hub caps, and even the emblems. That's just the stuff on the outside, in 10 minutes an experienced thief can have my truck in Mexico. I work to damn hard for my stuff, so if someone starts making some James Bond booby traps from my Ram, I'll be the first to buy one!! I personally had a 1999 Suburban stolen while my wife and kids were shopping at the local mall. Believe me if this happens to you, you'll have a totally different outlook. But if your cool with being ripped off and just paying your insurance deductible, then good for you.
I'd imagine it was 2"?
#19
03-30-2009 | 07:45 AM
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From: Virginia Beach
2. You must not hear a lot. People get their tailgates stolen all around this truck country.
3. 50$ deductible is great, but I would rather have a higher one with a lower insurance rate.