Stolen Tail Lights

[husky10101]

My tail lights were stolen. Dealer replacement parts are $5000. Or there’s eBay for $1400, clearly stolen from somebody else. Anyone gone the eBay route? Sounds like I’ll still have to get the sensors calibrated at the dealer and another module replaced on the driver side for $1500.

You can buy them on Amazon for $702.99 without sensors. I broke one of mine and these fit perfect.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GD5PQ34H

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[bc1]

Bummer. I reported on that last October apparently on another thread. Big theft ring from Austin, San Antonio, and Houston if you google it. I found out when the Riverwalk hotel valet told me they would need an extra half hour to bring it from a downtown building where it would be stored because of the taillights on late model ford pickups. Their nearby lot was only protected by a chain link fence which didn't stop thieves. I've got all the one way safety screws and metal covers now. Maybe all for naught if they can break in and open the tail gate without a key.

 

[The Weatherman]

You can buy them on Amazon for $702.99 without sensors. I broke one of mine and these fit perfect.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GD5PQ34H

Wonder where those came from?

 

[TwentyTwentyThree]

Wonder where those came from?

Bro’s truck, obviously.

 

[bmwhitetx]

Wonder where those came from?

Looks to be one of the many China suppliers that has cloned the part. Kinda like the cheaper rotary shifter knockoffs and hundreds of other parts you'll find on eBay, AliExpress, etc.

 

[husky10101]

Yes from China but fit perfect. When compared to OEM light, do not see any difference. Most on E Bay are Chinese also. Bought from Amazon knowing I could return it if it was not what they described. Better then almost $2,000.00 at ford. Not Prime member but free shipping and it arrived in 3 days.
















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[NW Ontario Ford Lightning]

I wonder about some epoxy - for the tail-light pins and the screws - If I need to remove the tail light it will be because it is broken. If a thief is trying to remove it, it better be attached in a way they break it = makes it pointless to steal?

 

[Ted23Lightning]

Yes from China but fit perfect. When compared to OEM light, do not see any difference. Most on E Bay are Chinese also. Bought from Amazon knowing I could return it if it was not what they described. Better then almost $2,000.00 at ford. Not Prime member but free shipping and it arrived in 3 days.

Where did u source the BSW module from?
I’m assuming the Taiwan made tail lamp doesn’t come with a programmable module.















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[husky10101]

I reused original sensor which did not need programing. When tail light was broken I taped it up and applied silicone to make sure sensor did not get wet until new light arrived.

 

[rockfish]

I wonder about some epoxy - for the tail-light pins and the screws - If I need to remove the tail light it will be because it is broken. If a thief is trying to remove it, it better be attached in a way they break it = makes it pointless to steal?

Exactly !!! I put the anti theft screws in and then filled them in with epoxy Like you said if they ever need to be removed its because there damaged.

 

[Lightning Rod]

As a result of this and other threads I decided to piss into the wind and bought these screws. After much video-watching and thread-reading I agree with most contributors that they likely won't deter a prepared or determined thief, but for $8, might as well give them a try.

One small modification I did which may help is that I filled-in the screw heads with a bit of Bondo that I had from another project. Thieves will need to grind of the entire head to get the taillights now, whereas in the daylight with a small drill bit I could probably clean the heads well enough in 10 or 15 minutes, a task thieves would likely not the take time to do. Only did one screw head of each pair.

If this are Torx screws, all the theif needs is a Torx driver. I guess is still better than regular screws tho. Thanks.

 

[Athrun88]

I've been looking at something like this: https://gateguardproducts.com/products/base-kit-1

Having a 3D printer, I think I could probably draw something up on CAD to copy the latch-guard part and print out in ABS-CF or something to deter any would-be thieves, but can't find the time to get around to it.

 

[Phineas Magliozzi]

If this are Torx screws, all the theif needs is a Torx driver. I guess is still better than regular screws tho. Thanks.

Its just the Torx with the center pin. The Bondo is probably the most thief-resistant part of the assembly, might slow them down a bit. Nothing a battery-powered grinder couldn't handle.

 

[bc1]

I've been looking at something like this: https://gateguardproducts.com/products/base-kit-1

Having a 3D printer, I think I could probably draw something up on CAD to copy the latch-guard part and print out in ABS-CF or something to deter any would-be thieves, but can't find the time to get around to it.

I went down to the metal supply, the Yard in Wichita, and got a piece of approx 3/16" or so aluminum 4x4 square tubing about 13" long for around 15 bux. Cut off a couple inches which was enough to make 4 of those tail gate latch covers. Hand to cut and grind to fit and the sides against the bed are narrower due to bump outs. I spray painted mine with a few coats of black automotive type spray paint for aluminum and then a few coats of spray clear coat. Put the tailgate on manual opening and closing on the vehicle settings.

Had to mark a line on the bed with a straight edge across the tailgate to locate where it ends so I could measure where to drill the roughly 1/2" or less hole. Take a magic marker and mark around where the current latch pin is located. Measure from the pin to the front of the bed edge and from some mark you make above the pin for future reference. Measure how far the pin sticks out from the bed. Remove the latch pin with with a torx socket as they are tight. Once loose the inside receiving thread piece can move around for adjustment which is why it is marked first.

Remove the washer on the pin and the plastic spacer. Cut off enough of the spacer to allow for the thickness of the aluminum. Then I had to grind off enough of the shoulder on the pin to match so the washer will slide on to the spacer. If you don't do this then the pin will stick out to far and catch the edge of the tailgate and jam up or else hit the tailgate past the opening. Check the previous distance that you measured how far the pin stuck out from the bed to make sure you ground off enough.

The tighten it pin back up just snug enough you can move it by hand according to your measurements so when you close the tailgate manually it can move if needed. Check to see if the pin is vertically in the latch area like it was before. Check to see that the tailgate part of the bracket is vertical. Then tighten down. Test back on automatic close to make sure it works ok or if you need more adjustment. If the back of the bracket is too tight you can give a few taps with a hammer to bend it back a little or the other way if too loose.

Will the brackets stop a thief with a chisel and hammer, I don't know but it will help the ones assuming they only needed a flat screwdriver and hex driver.

The remaining piece of square tubing would make about 4 screw covers for the tail light screws. Need about 9 to 10" long and 2" or so on one side for the bed and then around a quarter to half inch on the other side (I forget exactly). The 2" side has to be ground out in places where the bed has bumpouts. The short side fits in the gap between the bed and the tail light. Because of the tail light curve down below more of the short side had to ground off down there to fit flat. Then measure and drill a roughly 1/2" hole of less for the stationary pin that holds the tailgate cable end. It uses a different size torx bit. This pin doesn't require any grinding modification for the thickness of the plate. It was painted like the other brackets.

I had already installed some round head anti theft screws found on Amazon. Main thing is to cover the screw heads so someone can't come along with a hammer and chisel and just knock the heads off with the chisel in the gap between the tailgate and bed.

I'm a DIYer cheapskate. You can buy the one brackets for the roughly 150 bux and these other plates were available for a few hundred bux. I saw some of those latch pin brackets for sale that were made to screw in with security screws but I'm not sure a hammer and chisel won't defeat those.

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