Tailgate open sensor/alert?

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Oh shit, sorry man! Don't know anything about tailgate alarm, but we've all done our share of dumb-ass things, I know I have a good list of those moments. Freakin unbelievable how fast the thieves move on the prey.

 

In the boating industry we have magnetic micro switches on the rod box tied to a led light. When the rod box is opened, the light comes on. They are very small switches and are hardly noticeable when installed. Sort of like this.

$15 Directed Electronics 8600 Micro Magnetic Switch

http://www.amazon.com/Directed-Elec...1458295&sr=8-2&keywords=magnetic+micro+switch

 

door jam plunger switch.

Wire it to the noise maker.

http://www.autozone.com/collision-body-parts-and-hardware/door-jamb-switch


http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-...t-Door-Jamb-Switches/zgbs/automotive/15734201

 

Put a sticky note on the dash to close the tailgate

 

After this incident, I feel like it'd be pretty hard to forget to close it.

 

Here you go.

 

Or look in the mirror.

 

I would install a magnetic microswitch like daddy_o suggested. But Tap it into the factory hood pin switch so it will show you right on the instrument cluster(it will say hood is open..but you'll get the idea)

 

I took the front door switch on my access cab and installed it in the tail gate surround. Pulled out one of the rubber bump stops from the tail gate surround and it made for a perfect hole. Wired it up to a small blue led that I installed into one of the switch blank plates to the left of the steering wheel. I learned that I cant see that my tail gate is down when my bed cover is on. Lost a brand new cordless drill kit.

 

Or, pause in reverse when shifting from Park to Drive and look at the screen. If you see the ground rather than what's behind you then it's a clue the tailgate is open.

 

Lost a basket full of dirty laundry leaving the tailgate down. In for some ideas.

 

I don't know that I'd bother worrying about it now. It's kind of like bike people driving into the garage with bikes on top of the car. Damn near everyone i know has done it, but only once. You only do it once because for years after everytime you get close to an open garage door you think long and hard about where your bikes are. The sound of a few grand worth of bike going through the all glass roof of your wife's car is a hard one to forget...

 

I'd also put a kill switch for the alarm in case you need to haul larger items that require the tailgate down. I'd imagine the noise would get annoying after the first few feet.

 

I have a 100% free suggestion. Your backup camera. If the tailgate is down your backup camera display is black.

If you pull forward into a spot I doubt you'll forget this instance and just check it. More people than you know have lost loads while driving. I'll never forget losing a matress 15 years ago going just 35mph. I've never failed to double and triple check my loads since then.

Shit happens. Good luck with your claim. That sucks to lose expensive tools aND people wit no integrity steal it.