Catalytic Converter Theft

Yep and we see it everyday in public schools even at the elementary level. We have 2nd graders throwing chairs and desks. 3rd graders assaulting teachers (one kid laid in wait behind a corner and tackled a paraprofessional then wailed on her). Cops won't touch em because they're not 10 yet. Our radios all day long are buzzing about where campus administrators are needed from one trouble room to the next. Teachers are leaving education in droves.

 

Start attaching true jail time for not following documentation/verification/traceability rules. The have the discipline to follow through.

 

Kid whacked a female teacher in the head, multiples times, they other day in my kids school.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mani...er-shaftesbury-high-school-winnipeg-1.6431942

 

Our high school staff has been told to stand down when physical altercations occur. Should a staff member be in an altercation with a student, no other staff member may intervene.

 

Nope - not unless he is under my truck....

 

Terrible.

Good luck to the teacher when 3-4 or more students decide to all gang up on a single teacher.

Go for it. Let us now how it works out.

I'll stick with Cat covers of some sorts. Cheaper, safer, protects them from off-road and won't result in accident injury or lawsuit.

 

This is what I am hearing from the educators in our family.

There is no guidance and no one is willing to touch it. The kids are coming out of homes ruled by abuse, hunger, and addiction.

We cannot fix what we have already broken unfortunately, just deal with the fallout. But how to stop the bleeding ?

We shouldnt do this. This should really go to Off Topic.

… and we’ll need libations.

 

Haha I did the same thing.

 

Lots of them

 

Totally agree.

 

I do not plan to park in my employer's parking lot 1 single day without cat shields.
If I have to take a day off to install them the day I pick it up from the dealer, so be it..
I'm hoping I can pick it up on a Saturday.
That is, if my parts ever come in...

 

Use this. Make it out of cardboard or plywood like I did and fit up under with a jack. You can then decide if you want to modify. But a piece of metal and cut with an angle grinder.

 

Talons Garage

https://www.talonsgarage.com/produc...a-tundra-catalytic-converter-anti-theft-plate

 

who came first talon or vahella? Shield design looks identicle

 

Bingo...
If I remember correctly, Valhalla designed and put into production. One day one of his fabrication contractors stopped manufacturing for him. All of a sudden, this guy starts selling the same design.

 

Valhalla. I don't want to speak out of turn as I don't know all the details, but yeah I think Tyler mentioned on Facebook pages that the person who makes the Talon plates worked for him the stole the design, and just changed the logo.

I'm happy I bought from Tyler early on. Solid product, and he's clearly busting his ass, so I was happy to support him.

 

glad i bought valhella!!!!

 

So, just me thinking out loud... But, if insurance companies are paying out $6-$8k per theft incident, plus rental cars; instead of the consumer paying for insurance (through allstate, progressive or whatever) and paying for a theft deterrent product (as an additional insurance for the same product they are already insuring IE>> the truck). Wouldn't it be to the insurance companies' benefit to have our trucks protected from theft?? If so, they are in a much stronger position to lobby and negotiate w/vehicle manufactures, security device companies, etc. for ways to protect us more from theft than we are as individuals complaining on a forum about victim victimized and hoping for a change...

Please understand, that last sentence was not meant to be offensive to any one sharing their experiences here and hoping to help others, it's just that in spite of the efforts, that process really isn't fixing the problem.

... So, maybe we should start pressuring the vehicle manufacturers and our insurance companies to work toward some kind of resolution to securing these things on our vehicles. If this goes on too much longer without getting put into check by those that have the leverage and ability, it will soon become another line item our insurance policies... You want stereo coverage, it's extra; you want rental coverage, it's extra; you want personal belongs in your car covered, it's extra; you want your CATs covered, it's extra!!!

 

Your logic is very sound but overlooks one thing. Insurance companies don’t care about it. The will not pay the first plug nickel to protect our trucks for the simple fact they know we will because we do not want the inconvenience. I learned this straight from….my insurance company. I had a huge tree in my backyard that was half dead. I called to see if they would split the cost to take it out so it wouldn’t fall on my house. Makes sense….let’s each pony up $500 so we don’t have to pay thousands later. I was told…..nope. We aren’t spending any money on it because we know you will. Lesson learned.

 

I contacted my insurance at the start of the cat adoptions, they had no interest in the conversation. I asked about recommendations for protective plates/cages and it was crickets

 

Here's a question for y'all. Do you think people would pay for a dealer installed shield system, like they do tint, tires, etc? Talking to my wife about this BS and that scenario came up. I definitely would, provided I wasn't getting bent over on the price. I think $750 installed would be a fair price and I think the dealer would have trouble keeping them in stock. I'm not talking just Tundras, add the Prius to the list as well as any other vehicles (Honda Element for one) Thoughts?

 

I asked a local dealer about it specifically. I said, I cannot believe it isn’t standard equipment on a vehicle. They didn’t seem to care. I think the reasoning is similar to the insurance discussions except it is in their best interest that the cats get stolen as many go back to them for the repair.

 

Hmmmm, that could present a good opportunity for a side hustle, mobile cat shield/cable/whatever installs for those interested. Get in good with the F&I guys and have them pass your information on to the customer.

 

Here is what I did. It isn't perfect, doesn't look nice, but is a major upgrade over 'nothing', and can be done NOW and fairly cheaply.

This is quick, dirty, cheap. If you want your truck to look like it is ready for SEMA then this isn't for you.

Grab a spool of stainless wire rope (

$55 TICONN 1/8" Black Stainless Steel Deck Railing Cable 300ft with Cutter, Premium Wire Rope for DIY Deck or Stair Cabling Project

TICONN 1/8" Deck Railing Cable 300ft with Cutter, Premium Stainless Steel Wire Rope Aircraft Cable 7x7 Strands Construction, Perfect for DIY Deck or Stair Cabling Project (300ft): Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement)

Grab about 14-15 stainless u bolt style exhaust clamps.

$6 Walker 35337 Exhaust Clamp for Ford F-150

Amazon.com: Walker 35337 Hardware Clamp : Automotive

Grab a pack of hose clamps

$12 LOKMAN 2.5" Stainless Steel Duct Clamp Worm Gear Adjustable 46-70mm Hose Clamp, Pack of 10 (2.5")

Amazon.com: LOKMAN 2.5 Inch Stainless Steel Duct Clamp Worm Gear Adjustable 46-70mm Hose Clamp, Pack of 10 (2.5 Inch) : Industrial & Scientific

Rough total for supplies are about $150-165 and Amazon delivered within a few days.

Basically wrap the associated sections of the exhaust pipe, in between cats, upstream, and downstream, with the wire rope. (hint--wrap multiple times and leave one of those passes a bit loose as it is a PITA to cut a loose wire rope.)
Cinch things down with the exhaust clamps. Add additional clamps such that they are major barriers to getting a recip saw into place, as well as a mechanical barrier.
To facilitate, use the hose clamps to pin one end of a long stretch of wire rope. Then add the exhaust clamps later.
Then if you desire take remaining hose clamps and place them elsewhere along the now wrapped pipe.
As and added impediment I took a few extra loops and ran them through an eyelet on the passenger side of transfer case; and likewise on the driver side but through the transmission cross member.

This is an inexpensive, and fast, mechanical impediment to stealing the converters.
It is also a visual intimidation--the potential thieves will see the contraption and 90% will likely move on. The remaining 10% will likely get only started before getting frustrated then move on. Lastly even if a committed thief with alot of time and blades were to defeat this, they will have a devil of a time trying to remove the cut sections from the truck.

My time investment was about 4-5 hours.

Haven't had any drivability issues, noise, or melting issues. Most exhaust pipes are stainless so there should be negligible galvanic issues. The exhaust did burn off hand prints and the slight lubricant sheen that comes with the cable and clamps.

 

Haha. That was my first thought too. But I priced it all out and really, unless you have an in for raw materials those like Valhalla really aren’t making much on them. I lucked into a piece of stainless that was the perfect size to whittle one out. So I bet they aren’t clearing $100 or so on their shields. If you can sell enough then that could be good if you have nothing else.

 

Dammit, now I feel like I need to send Tyler another hundred bucks….

 

I keep searching for cat shields for my first gen, but all I ever find are shields for second gen. Are first gen cats just not as desirable or what?

 

You ask a good question. My guess is that if the vehicle is high enough off of the ground for an adult to crawl under, it’s going to be a target.

I ran over to the 1st Gen forum after you asked that, and I just don’t see the volume of narrative that you see in the Gen 2 forums. Maybe there just aren’t as many of the Gen 1’s being parked/driven where these thefts are occurring (for example, urban sprawl areas with a mixed density of residential and businesses with large unsecured lots, and somewhat tucked-away street parking).

However, the one thread I turned up did mention cat protection plates.

 

That's too bad that we approach problems like this these days. A real good case of "detainment" can be a great deterrent.

 

So basically a catstrap and also at a similar price?