So.... ever forget to pull your zipper up? Same thing.

 

Thanks Tru ...
I would say NO it's not the same thing as forgetting to pull up your zipper.
BUT you can go with that theory yourself if you must .....

 

Another good reason to put a hose clamp on the "open" part of the tailgate hinge.

 

I saw in one of my magazines a while back this little setup where you can rig your tailgate up to an actuator and you can open and close it with a remote. It will also open slightly when you're at X MPH to reduce win resistance and increase MPG and close again once you've slowed down. Not neccessary if you've got a tonneau and rediculasly expensive if I remember correctly but it was still kinda cool to see and that way if you thought you may have left it open you could just hit the remote as you were driving and it would close right up.

 

Of course the cheap and easy soultion would be to anchor some type of "indicator" like a short rod so you could see it from the cab.

 

Thanks to all; but jimmy k's idea of an indicaor is what I will try. Thanks again!

 

im waiting for radio shack to open so i can get a door jamb switch, ive already got a blinking red LED and im going to go that route, ill get some pics when im done

 

I put a 1" X 1" piece of 3M reflective red tape on the upper driver's side corner of the tailgate. I can see it from my rear view mirror if the tailgate is closed. I now can tell weather my tailgate is up or down. If this does not work out (if I forget to look) I will install a flashing l.e.d. Thanks for the tip!

 

Most retail autoparts places carry them, cheaper than Rat Shack.
Chris

 

cut a 2x4 the widith of the box..place on the bottom of the box, near tail gate opening lose items will not full out when tail gate is down, as long as you don't put lose stuff on the tail gate.

 

chris i checked my local autoparts stores with no luck, not even radio shack...

 

If your truck has reverse sensing, then when your tailgate is down and you put 'er in reverse there is a constant beep from the sensor.

 

That's not right, what are you telling them you want? You don't ask for a door jamb switch for a 2004 F-150 as nobody carries that. You want a switch for an alarm system. Anyone from Best Buy Circuit City, Autozone,
Pep sell the switches for alarm. We used to carry them in 'MotorMite' brand, or the red Help packages you see a lot. They were also in the Dorman collection.
Another place is any cheap alarm installer.

Although as cheap as I have become, I would stop by a pickapart and yank one out of door. That's the 2.00 solution. Especially if I wanted a pocket full of them...
They are way too pricy on e-bay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=50459

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33595

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=10076


Again, accent on alarm switch. You can also use a cheap trembler type switch.
Chris



This is what the one left over from my last alarm job looks like.

 

yeah i used to work at autozone, the HELP section (motormite) is the first place i checked. did you say that one is a spare? care to sell it?

 

*lmao* i have that same problem!!!