Cheap Tacoma tailgate theft deterrent! [Thanks, Robmotive!]

You’re hogging the high horse buddy!

 

It was posted in 3rd generations because those are the ones that come with rear camera on the tailgate. As such, these tailgates are very valuable to thieves which is why they are being stolen, more so in TX and CA, but still, they are being stolen. The hose clamp is a simple idea that provides a pretty big deterrent. Since most thefts would be at night, when a thief would try to open and then lift the tailgate off, he would not know what the problem is, and even if he realized it was a hose clamp, he most likely would not have tools with him to remove it. Remember, a thief doesn't want to spend a lot of time; he wants to snatch the tailgate and get the heck out of there. And yes, installing a popnlock and keeping the tailgate locked would certainly provide a deterrent and more security, but for less than $2, a hose clamp is a pretty good help.

 

Tailgate camera has been on the Tacoma since 2010 and didn’t get a tailgate lock until 2016, hence why this was a 2nd gen thing and not so much a 3rd.

 

My 2015 2nd gen didn’t have one.

 

It should have. Unless you had a base model or some weird config. My 2011 SR5 had one and so did my 2015 TRD Sport. First iteration had the display in the rear view mirror and then moved to the stereo screen later into the gen, think 2013, backup cameras have been a federal safety requirement for awhile now, I’d be hard pressed to believe your 2015 didn’t have one, pretty sure even the Sr trim did at that point.

 

Maybe we can get the expert 'robmotive' to weigh in here. Robmotive are you out there? Robmotive?

 

I don't know if they were on 2nd generation or not, but the tailgate thefts that were publicized on national TV as well as local tv here, said they were targeting the newer 3rd generation tacomas, hence, the reason why I posted in 3rd generation section. Any way you look at it, instead of worrying why it was posted where it was, the point of the post is what should have really been noted. hey, I was just trying to help people, like many in this group, have helped me...

 

No worries I was just correcting the statement about not being on prior gens, as the rear view camera has been on the tailgate prior to the 3rd gen. If you watch the 3rd gen release videos Mike Sweers mentions specifically the 3rd gen received a tailgate lock because of tailgate thefts. If you lock your tailgate this mod is sort of moot.

 

What size clamp did you use?

 

Asked same thing about 4 hours ago with no luck.

So,

What size clam did you use?

 

Sorry to say, a thief with a screwdriver can simply pry a hoseclamp up until it snaps in less than 10 seconds, less time it takes to simply unscrew it. Try it!

They are not a good theft deterrent and at least one member here lost a tailgate with a hose clamp on it.

If you want to use a hose clamp, at least put washers over the cable eye bolts so the cables are not easy to slip off. Put a nylon spacer behind the washer to let the cable eye rotate when you tighten the bolt.



But it’s going to take a hefty lock like a Sabellco to really keep a tailgate safe, especially an unlocked one.

 

I'd personally just get like a torx screw and round the outside of it. That way it literally can only be taken off with the right torx bit which not as many people have on them. Make it a little harder to get it off fast

 

Seems like a good idea, but a regular screwdriver will easily beat it. See posts #40 and #51.

 

That's great and all but wouldn't insurance replace a stolen tailgate?

 

Robmotive did NOT conjure up this solution. He doesn't have the mechanical aptitude, rather he films himself dribbling on about who knows what on a painful youtube channel.

 

Unless you have no deductible, else it’s you and your insurance company that replaces it.

 

I would say it is about a 2" clamp. I just looked at the right side of the tailgate where it fits into its "slot", and then went inside the hardware store and bought a clamp that I thought would fit. It cost me $1.89. Oh yeah, before I put it on, I painted it black just so I could say I did it before "robmotive" did!

 

I never said robmotive is the one who came up with the solution. I only said something to the effect that I got the idea from him, which I did. Hey, like everything else in life, we all have things we like that others don't. I actually like robmotive's videos, and I like the way he does them. He gets to the point and is pretty darn good at videoing how he does things. One example is just the way one goes about swapping out the OEM grill with the TRD grill. There are many videos out that showing how it is done, but robmotive's video is shorter than most and he just got to the point. I saw one video out there where the guy was showing how to swap the grill, and his video ran over 20 minutes! Way too long!

 

Again, we all know that things like a regular screwdriver could remove the hose clamp, just like we all know that a bolt cutter could do the same thing. The point is that a hose clamp is a DETERRENT. One has to think like a thief, and a thief who is going to steal a tailgate, wants to do it as quickly as possible because of the risk of getting caught, especially when trying to steal something so big. And I don't think most thieves who are trying to steal tailgates, will be bringing their toolbox! And also, regarding that fact that the tailgates on 3rd generations come with a lock, yes, but again, if you install a hose clamp, that deterrent will help in those times that you probably forget to lock the darn tailgate in the first place! And we all know that the ONE DAY you forget to lock the tailgate, that is the day a thief will try to steal it!

 

What size clamp?