hello, i heard today (and its a new one on me ) that one o f the reasons they came up with locking tailgates ( all truck companies) is to curb the theft of tailgates off of trucks. maybe i've been out of it lately but this morning i locked it.
lock your tailgates
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Our tundys are too new and not involved in many accidents yet, so chop shops aren't interested in their parts most likely. No need to lock the tailgate for quite a while...there's no market for them.
BUT do watch out for your spare tire. We have full-sized spares, and those are worth some money...you can get the spare tire lock or just chain it to the frame (I've dipped a chain in Plasti-Dip and chained the spare to my Taco's frame. The Plasti-Dip keeps the chain from rattling and corroding, and you can find it at Home Depot or Lowes...usually in the Tool Coral...it comes in a long, somewhat slender can with a plastic lid.
BUT do watch out for your spare tire. We have full-sized spares, and those are worth some money...you can get the spare tire lock or just chain it to the frame (I've dipped a chain in Plasti-Dip and chained the spare to my Taco's frame. The Plasti-Dip keeps the chain from rattling and corroding, and you can find it at Home Depot or Lowes...usually in the Tool Coral...it comes in a long, somewhat slender can with a plastic lid.
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I'd keep it locked for the simple fact that if you have a back-up camera installed, that would be a highly pilferable item anyone would want to have.
I would too! That would be a target item if you ask me.
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not to be argumentative
...but I don't think that it would be that great of a target for a random thief. It's heavy and huge...your average jo-blo on the street would have a considerable time lugging it away...especially if all he was going to do with it was turn it into a big-azz coffee table.
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Yall have no idea unless your town is infested with Meth as if they all are not !! We lead the nation in a lotta stuff and Larceny in Abq is outta control. If you have a blinking alram they will pass on ya but if you leave anything of value on a seat and no alarm . BINGO busted window, you can see the windows laying next to the car in the mornings and ya know you have had visitors during the night! On the way to work ya notice it all the time, and it's just not my Neighborhood!!:td: I have been hit at home at night and broad daylight in Lowes parking lot and this is one of the first questions tax people ask ya, have any insurance deductables to claim!! If they want something they will get it and a tailgate or chain will not stop the Meth Head:td: :td:
. BINGO busted window, you can see the windows laying next to the car in the mornings and ya know you have had visitors during the night! On the way to work ya notice it all the time, and it's just not my Neighborhood!!:td: I have been hit at home at night and broad daylight in Lowes parking lot and this is one of the first questions tax people ask ya, have any insurance deductables to claim!! If they want something they will get it and a tailgate or chain will not stop the Meth Head:td: :td:I am an independent insurance adjuster.
You would be surprised at how many tailgates are stolen every year. Not only are most tailgates fairly high, you add in all of the hardware (hinges, bushings, handle, rods, decals, paint, etc., etc,) and it is really expensive to replace and easy to make off with.
You would be surprised at how many tailgates are stolen every year. Not only are most tailgates fairly high, you add in all of the hardware (hinges, bushings, handle, rods, decals, paint, etc., etc,) and it is really expensive to replace and easy to make off with.
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Sure, it's a good idea to use the lock. After all, that's what it's for, but...I have to say the average garden variety thug in my neck of the woods ain't into tailgates. I mean, really. Over there you have an unlocked car with a stereo or perhaps a woman's purse on the seat, and then over here you have an unlocked tailgate. I'm thinking he'll go for the unlocked car.
You can't take a tailgate into a pawn shop, and there just aren't that many chop shops around, let alone one with connections to common street thugs.
GGnot to be argumentative
I didn't mean they wanted the tailgate. I meant that someone would probably steal the TG to get the camera. As shaneshot mentioned, you'd be suprised at the amount of TGs i've seen stolen.
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I was a "vic" in Albuquerque. I had my little 1984 325e BMW (locked tight as a drum) parked in a stall underneath my apartment. Came outside in the morning only to find my car looked like it was slanting . . . and it was. They took stole both rims and tires on the passanger side (didn't even leave it on blocks). Then, I noticed my rear window delicately placed on the trunk of the beemer. The thieves also used a tool (screw driver?) to shove in and remove the driver's side door lock. They stole my BMW original radio, ashtray, shifter knob, . . They were stripping my car "in place!"Yall have no idea unless your town is infested with Meth as if they all are not !! We lead the nation in a lotta stuff and Larceny in Abq is outta control. If you have a blinking alram they will pass on ya but if you leave anything of value on a seat and no alarm
And they left the very nice and expensive seat covers. They could not break into the trunk from the outside; but did some minor damage to my rear seat trying to get into the trunk - all they would have found was a one text book on Criminal Law!I remember the tow truck crew having a difficult time getting the flat jack underneath the front axle to lift my baby up. After getting her fixed I added a viper alarm that chirped even if someone came too close (1 foot) to my beemer. That little feature paid for the viper alarm at least 2X over :tu: where I heard the "step back" chirp and actually busted the theiving bast**ds doing that short sprint to their [stolen?] vehicle and taking off. I was single then . . . married now . . . and my wife now drives that same beemer.
What the heck, lock that tailgate - it can't hurt.Another good reason to lock your tailgate is so people can't steal the cleats on our Tundra bed rail system. If you lock the tailgate there isn't enough room for the cleat to fully come out. Older model Tacomas/Tundras have plastic cleats and the newer '07 alloy cleats are very desireable. My local dealership informed me of this problem.
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I hate to burst your bubble, but they could take them right out the back even when the gate is shut and locked. I thought the same thing at first then tried it. Mine stay in the cab, now.
lol ya its not hard to break the lock on the older model tundras at least and im sure its the same for the newer ones. bed covers are nice mainly because people cant see what they are trying to steal but pretty much anything out of any vehicle can be stolen if the person knows what they are doing.
The reason I started locking my tailgate was because I caught my 6 year little girl fiddling with the latch. The TG on the '06 comes down like 2 tons of bricks and it would've broken her neck. I got lucky this time - won't be another opportunity. The '07 has that really nice hydraulic assist though...hmmmm.
Ironic this thread was brought up because on the way home from work today I seen the local homeless guy with an 07 Tundra tailgate in his shopping cart. Black tailgate too, so if you are missing one PM me and I'll give you the last known whereabouts.
Unless, it was off Goodcops missing CrewMax?
Unless, it was off Goodcops missing CrewMax?
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