While cars and trucks have gotten harder to steal over the years, that hasn’t prevented thieves from figuring out different ways to profit off what you’ve got parked outside. One of the latest trends sweeping the nation affecting truck owners is thieves stealing tailgates. This ingenious hack I found browsing Reddit’s /r/truck subreddit is well worth the money and time if you’ve got someone who owns a truck (specifically an F-series Ford.) Check out the details on the hack and the video below!
It’s a hose clamp! That’s pretty much it. The same $1 hose clamps that you use to secure your coolant pipes and other fittings under the hood can be used to secure an exposed hinge area at the bottom of late model Ford F-series tailgates. This tip might work on other truck models but with F-series Ford’s being the most popular, I have a feeling this tip will go a long way being shared. By taking the time to install the hose clamp at an angle that’s hard for someone to insert a screwdriver or flathead to uninstall it, it’s an effective deterrent to stop a thief who wants to make a quick buck.
According to the L.A. Times, tailgate thefts have jumped a whopping 33 percent since 2012. The number one place is Texas with the second being California and Arizona at third. Although the number of claims was small compared to more serious claims at a little over 1,000 claims a year, it’s still significant enough to be of concern for truck owners.
And at $2,000- $3,000 a pop for a brand new tailgate, not to mention paint, it would behoove any truck owner to head on over to their local hardware store for a set of hose clamps.
In addition to this hack, the aforementioned article mentions other common sense tips like parking in a garage or backing into spaces so it’s hard for thieves to wiggle their way in to steal that expensive tailgate.
So if you know someone who can benefit from this tip, let them know!
