Stolen tail light thread

[nate237]

I've decided that this week I'm going to take some JB Weld SteelStick, which is epoxy putty, and build up over the existing screws' washers and over the bolt head. That way I can give them a taper that will make it impossible to use a socket and very difficult to grab with pliers.

If I need to remove them in the future, I'll take a Dremel cutoff disc and cut a slot for a screw driver.

I ended up printing some hollow cones on my resin 3D printer, and used JBWeld SteelStick to "cement" them over the bolts. At least it would make it very difficult if not impossible to grab with vice grips. Not perfect, but might make it more trouble than it's worth to defeat.

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[Skit hjälm]

Interesting! How does he open the tailgate? The remote just locks and unlocks it, you still need the handle to open it.

Sorry I maybe worded that wrong.
Essentially, since the handle doesnt work, tailgate could be considered always locked.
One channel of his remote unlatches the tailgate.

 

[Big Blue]

Sorry I maybe worded that wrong.
Essentially, since the handle doesnt work, tailgate could be considered always locked.
One channel of his remote unlatches the tailgate.

In North America we do not have a tailgate release button on our remotes. Only lock and unlock buttons that lock and unlock the entire truck.

 

[ztbird]

It appears I'm the newest victim of this, didn't even know it was a thing.

Police took the report over the phone and gave me a report number for insurance. Progressive has been good so far dealing with the claim.

 

[Big Blue]

It appears I'm the newest victim of this, didn't even know it was a thing.

Police took the report over the phone and gave me a report number for insurance. Progressive has been good so far dealing with the claim.

Looks like they at least unplugged them and didn't cut your harnesses.

 

[ztbird]

Looks like they at least unplugged them and didn't cut your harnesses.

That was my thought, it also points be to this not being a crackhead or something.

The punch hole on the tailgate is small. I got some footage from my left neigbhor - they turned their lights off a couple houses down and then sat at my house for over a minute without getting out - then his motion-based camera cuts out. They knew what they were doing.

Got the video after posting originally, going to give it to the cops tomorrow so they can correlate this when they eventually DO find these guys and add +1 confirmed charge to make their sentence just that much longer.

This is the video he texted me, the original I'm sure is far higher quality. If the cops here actually bother to check this out he said he will go through the process of getting them the full quality video.

EDIT: Video upload keeps failing. Here's a YT unlisted link:

 

[HeatXfer]

I'm not a fan of the anti-theft screw method for tail light/tailgate security, but I really like OC4095's simple but brilliant tail light/tailgate theft deterrent, and in my usual fashion of over-thinking things, I built on his idea and came up with this 18ga plate that sandwiches between the tailgate handle and the lock mechanism. It spans the entire length of the tailgate handle. I don't know how OC4095 attached his, I thought about simply epoxying It to the inside of the tailgate skin, but I'm a big fan of mechanical fasteners so it's secured with the 2 torx screws that hold the lock mechanism & the handle together. It looks like hell, but It's a prototype that's seen a bit of massaging to work around the Huracan storage box I've got. An unmodified tailgate would use a simpler flat plate.

I did remove the locking dog from the key cylinder as OC4095 did with his. I had to file the underside of the lever arm that the handle actuates so it wouldn't rub on the blocking plate, and form (read 'hammer') part of the plate to clear the arm as well. Thinner metal could have been used but I wanted it to be stout, thyough it doesn't have to be 18ga.

I am really surprised no one has marketed this idea (as far as I know) but it would surely be adaptable to many makes of trucks/SUVs with similar lock mechanisms. SInce OC4095 put his idea on display, I'll do the same. If anybody wants a dxf or step file of this I'll be more than happy to post a link to download it from my Google Drive.

EDIT: Updated the drawings to reflect final mods for the unmodified tailgate version of my 'Gate-Plate'.

 

[2020XLT]

I not a fan of the anti-theft screw method for tail light/tailgate security, but I really like OC4095's simple but brilliant tail light/tailgate theft deterrent, and in my usual fashion of over-thinking things, I built on his idea and came up with this 18ga plate that sandwiches between the tailgate handle and the lock mechanism. It spans the entire length of the tailgate handle. I don't know how OC4095 attached his, I thought about simply epoxying It to the inside of the tailgate skin, but I'm a big fan of mechanical fasteners so it's secured with the 2 torx screws that hold the lock mechanism & the handle together. It looks like hell, but It's a prototype that's seen a bit of massaging to work around the Huracan storage box I've got. An unmodified tailgate would use a simpler flat plate.

I did remove the locking dog from the key cylinder as OC4095 did with his. I had to file the underside of the lever arm that the handle actuates so it wouldn't rub on the blocking plate, and form (read 'hammer') part of the plate to clear the arm as well. Thinner metal could have been used but I wanted it to be stout, thyough it doesn't have to be 18ga.

I am really surprised no one has marketed this idea (as far as I know) but it would surely be adaptable to many makes of trucks/SUVs with similar lock mechanisms. SInce OC4095 put his idea on display, I'll do the same. If anybody wants a dxf or step file of this I'll be more than happy to post a link to download it from my Google Drive.

View attachment 210226 View attachment 210227

I am interested in a copy.

 

[HeatXfer]

I'm updating the drawings to reflect the 'as-built' adjustments I had to make. You will have to make some of your own adjustments when you install, but any laser-cutting shop will be able to make a plate from the step file (2D for sheet metal).

 

[OC4095]

I'm not a fan of the anti-theft screw method for tail light/tailgate security, but I really like OC4095's simple but brilliant tail light/tailgate theft deterrent, and in my usual fashion of over-thinking things, I built on his idea and came up with this 18ga plate that sandwiches between the tailgate handle and the lock mechanism. It spans the entire length of the tailgate handle. I don't know how OC4095 attached his, I thought about simply epoxying It to the inside of the tailgate skin, but I'm a big fan of mechanical fasteners so it's secured with the 2 torx screws that hold the lock mechanism & the handle together. It looks like hell, but It's a prototype that's seen a bit of massaging to work around the Huracan storage box I've got. An unmodified tailgate would use a simpler flat plate.

I did remove the locking dog from the key cylinder as OC4095 did with his. I had to file the underside of the lever arm that the handle actuates so it wouldn't rub on the blocking plate, and form (read 'hammer') part of the plate to clear the arm as well. Thinner metal could have been used but I wanted it to be stout, thyough it doesn't have to be 18ga.

I am really surprised no one has marketed this idea (as far as I know) but it would surely be adaptable to many makes of trucks/SUVs with similar lock mechanisms. SInce OC4095 put his idea on display, I'll do the same. If anybody wants a dxf or step file of this I'll be more than happy to post a link to download it from my Google Drive.

EDIT: Updated the drawings to reflect final mods for the unmodified tailgate version of my 'Gate-Plate'.

I'm humbled. Thank You.

I dont remember how i attached it. Maybe liquid nail or RTV, not sure.

 

[bwmatz]

For this to work I need to delete the arm on the key unlock.

Those pads on either side of the lock/handle mechanism reminded me of Kevlar. What about using epoxy to surround the entire area with sheets of Kevlar to prevent someone from jabbing a screwdriver or other sharp implement in there to jimmy the lock open? I suppose you could also epoxy in a sheet of it on the outside so it's a visible deterent. Thoughts?

 

[RedDakooter05]

Man thieves suck..

 

[HenryMac]

Well, more Rangers on the road than we may realize. 2nd best mid-size seller for a while, and the lights are over 1k each for XLT/Lariat. I'm gonna remove my inner tailgate skin and epoxy a steel plate right to the backside of the outer skin at the latch to slow this thieving ass-hat process down.

Hard to stop a thief. They'll just get pissed and bash in the tail light.

 

[Langwilliams]

If you have to park outside looks like a possible way to slow this down is to back up against a fence or wall so there isn't room to lower the tail gate.

 

[navct]

Would be nice if someone could figure out a way to sound a very loud alarm before the tailgate damage is done. ?

Loud alarm may be OK, but I am more for a stored charge capacitor with a couple of touch pads on the inside of the handle.

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