Timberline Gas Tank Skid Plate Coverage

[Hillsndale]

After seeing recent news stories and forum posts about thieves drilling holes in gas tanks to steal gas, I am wondering if the Timberline has a skid plate that would prevent that. Can any Timberline owners verify that?

 

[jsgoofn]

The description says it has steel skid plates from front to rear but I'll check in the morning. I can't imagine why it wouldn't since that's a pretty important item to not get crunched from off road activities.

 

[jsgoofn]

I wasn't able to get completely under the vehicle but there is a skid plate on the gas tank. It doesn't wrap around - just protects the bottom - but could be enough of a deterrent.

I was at my local Ford parts place today and asked about the locking gas filler plug and they mentioned that Ford is not really interested in offering one due to the issues it may cause with the sensors and errors it may cause. But that's just one parts guy's opinion.

 

[Hillsndale]

Thank you for checking under there!
I'm almost thinking having no locking cap would be better so they are less likely to drill, but who knows?

 

[jsgoofn]

So true. Actually, I was thinking of getting one of those gas cap things from Autozone and put it there just to see what happens. It probably won't fit or even lock for that matter but but if a bad guy looks and sees something that looks like it is a lock, they will move on to some other vehicle.

 

[J_C]

Thank you for checking under there!
I'm almost thinking having no locking cap would be better so they are less likely to drill, but who knows?

I doubt it. If they brought a drill with them, they are probably planning to have to drill the tank anyway, while the locking cap would deter those who thought they'd just be able to siphon through the filler tube, or didn't think it through well since many filler tubes now have an anti-siphon block in them.

Skid plates though... yeah they aren't full coverage, probably to keep the weight reduced. It wouldn't be a big deal to drill a tank with a factory skid plate on "most* vehicles... mostly depends on how long a drill bit (and/or extension) they brought.

 

[jsgoofn]

Also depends on how determined the creep is to get it!