What is good location for an Airtag on the DCSB?

I have a link-up in Apple Support forums where experts can tell me about AirTags as truck GPS trackers. I will report back any disappointing news they have.

 

They really aren’t GPS trackers per say, they just tell someone’s iphone to transmit its location and are useless without an iPhone around. Real GPS trackers actually have GPS built inside them and can either store their position for later retrieval or can transmit their position using a built in transmitter over cellular or other radio frequencies.

 

Under the headliner with double sided tape.

 

By the time they find it, it will be too late for them.

 

Now I’ll have to find a new hiding spot!

 

I had a guy put his tracker on the under side of the oil cap.

 

You all recognize that I cannot trust even a single one of you to use your suggestion ... imagine an "almost stock" Taco in your hands!

 

the truck has built in gps

 

Inside the shark fin

 

Couple wraps of electrical tape to conceal it, wrapped around the plastic snake looking wire covers under the seat. No one is going to look for an air tag or gps unit to begin with but even if they did, they won't find it if it's not visible.

Air tags are Bluetooth. Technically "Bluetooth Low Energy" and only have to be within a few hundred meters of a newer iPhone for it's location to get transmitted. It's essentially a daisy chain/piggy back GPS using internet/location data of nearby iphones to record it's location.

The trucks do have built in GPS but require a police report first, then they can respond when it's your turn in line, possibly days if you try on a weekend. Air tags are a great option when you consider there's no monthly fees. Samsung makes one for newer androids as well. Every new vehicle from 2020 on has a MAC address tied to it, meaning it's essentially a moving cell phone and can be tracked. Just have to jump through a ton of hoops for them to turn that information over to anyone.

 

Somewhere that is easy to grab it to replace the battery.

I put mine in the catalytic converter… if it or the truck gets stolen it will be easy to track.

 

One of the best outcomes I can think of; hide it somewhere it gets good connectivity, but requires them to dig. Hopefully they’ll discover it’s somewhere, takes too long to find, stop, and run. If not, hope they burn the whole truck or dump it in the river, and buy a new one.
Welcome to the new world revolution.

 

As others have said, place it wherever you think it won't be easily found. Keep in mind that the battery needs replacing every year so be sure that you can get to it.

Also as mentioned, generally speaking anywhere there is an iPhone nearby you can track the Air Tag, meaning almost anywhere in the world. Even if a thief has an iPhone and is notified that there's an Air Tag following him (or her) that doesn't change anything. As long as the Air Tag is well hidden the vehicle (or anything else for that matter) can still be tracked. Thieves aren't generally too bright but if they figure it out they'll just leave it parked somewhere.

All of our vehicles have had Air Tags hidden on them for a few years now. Just sold one and I was able to track it while it was in an enclosed auto carrier all the way from Oregon to Arizona. Worked exactly as it was supposed to. The buyer was happy to get daily location updates.

We have them on the collars of both of our dogs as well. It tracks them within feet of where they are.

Moving? Put one in a box and track the moving van!

Highly recommended.

 

You can get these adhesive waterproof cases..

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C2C3SS6C?ie=UTF8

Put an air tag in it and stick it to the underside of the pickup bed. Since its plastic it shouldn't interfere with the signal and i would think be in a location they wouldn't look. And if needed you could change the battery at the same time you are greasing the u joints ....


Or how about behind the tail light assembly ?

And reading back the inside of the tailgate is excellent . If they steal the truck you can track it and if you are a victim of tailgate theft you can also track it


Was just out looking around inside for other possible locations and there is a wide enough slit in the bottom of the rear headrest to stuff one in there.


Heck, get a 4 pack and hide them all over the truck... Will seriously F them up when and if they find one and think thats it...

 

Best suggestions I’ve seen on here are inside the tailgate and behind the tail light

 

Of course if by chance you hide it in your tailgate and they steal the tailgate they will very quickly know where its is. So combine hiding it in the tailgate with the excellent theft prevention bracket by Christian06

 

I have a 2022 that comes with tracking via the phone app. I've loaned my truck out before and always enjoy being able to know where it is.

Other vehicles I use the Air tag modified to no longer play sounds. I wont say where on the vehicle, but there are plenty of places to put these.

My honest concern is that a thief get the alert on his phone, will realize he's being tracked, and then vandalize the vehicle looking for the airtag or just out of spite.

 

Agree, a tailgate lock is a no-brainer. Silencing the Air Tag is a must as well

I’ve thought about the tracking notification before and arrived at a different conclusion. I’d argue that a bad guy with an iPhone being notified that they’re being tracked is a big plus. They’ve no idea how long they’ve been tracked. It’s very possible (even likely?) that someone is about to intercept them any second. No time to look for the Air Tag, no wasting time to do anything but abandon the vehicle and get away ASAP. Of course bad guys aren’t known for smarts, but if they have even a little common sense it seems like a good thing IMHO.

 

under the tire