jaeh9481

Where I just bought my truck at they said they didn't have the tail gate, it was stolen off of the truck. Still bought the truck without it, but now trying to get a tail gate. Any ideas of where to get one at a good price? Also, is it going to be hard to get one to go on to the truck?

farmerboy3

junk yard and they are easy to put on just put the gate on the pins and conect the cables

jaeh9481

This is my first truck, sorry if my question seems silly. The pins, are they going to be on the tail gate itself. So when I find a tail gate at a junk yard, hopefully, the pins will be there to switch it from the junk yard truck to my truck? Do you think it will be hard to find a tail gate at a junk yard? Would I need to get a tail gate from the same year truck, or any older f150?

driver444

Any tailgate from 1997 through 2003 (or 2004 Heritage body style) will fit your truck.

If you buy a tailgate from a junk yard, it will likely be complete, but probably not the same color. When tailgates get stolen, (very common, that's why they have locks now), the rest of the hardware stays on the truck.

Basically, you just tip the tailgate back about 45 degrees, set it on the hinge pins, and connect the cables. If it takes you more than 30 seconds, something is wrong. Its a little easier with 2 people, but 1 can do it.

Definitely start at the junk yards because complete new ones I'd guess are around $900.

chad085

97-03 f150's, '04 heritage f150's, and 99-04 f250's and 350's all used the same gate. There's millions of those tailgates out there. Be patient and wait until you find a good, clean, straight one. I found one on ebay that was the same color as my truck, and the guy only lived 20 minutes away. I paid him $350 for it in pristine condition.

Get a gate with a lock for sure. your tailgate can be stolen in about 10 seconds and there's no vin # or i.d. stamped on them to ever prove it was yours. That's probly why i was able to buy mine so cheap!!!

driver444

CHAD085

Interesting you should say that. I saw a 1999 F350 just today with a different color tailgate and it had an F150 Emblem on it. I didn't realize they fit too.