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To cat protect, or not to cat protect.... That is the question

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by trucksareforgirls2, Mar 18, 2023.

  1. Mar 18, 2023 at 4:24 AM
    #1
    trucksareforgirls2

    trucksareforgirls2 [OP] New Member

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    I know there are a million threads on here about this, but I have ADHD and cannot sort through them all...

    I just accepted a new nursing job, and the hospital is relatively close, about a 16 miles, 30 minute drive, as compared to my previous nursing job, which was 40 plus miles and 50 minutes without traffic, with a parking garage that wouldn't even fit my Tundra :eek2:, hence the smaller commuter vehicle. Anywho, I am going to wait a few months, but I will probably ditch the commuter car since it is costing me money and it won't be worth it with my new glorious 16 mile commute, I am so happy about this part, and the fact that it's day shift and it doesn't involve lifting people (after 25 years in EMS by back is at the end of it's rope).

    Now to the point, the hospital is nice, and they do have security, but the city it is in is, well, not so nice with increasing crime rates that get worse every year. We don't have as many cat thefts as the southern states seem too, but they do exist, and I am wondering if the cat shields are worth the investment, and if so which one would you recommend? I have a 2020 TRD OR. She is paid off, but the commuter car is not, so getting rid of that 440 a month payment would be fabulous, but I do worry about bringing my truck into the big bad city. :confused:


    Thanks for any advice

    -T
     
  2. Mar 18, 2023 at 4:34 AM
    #2
    Retired...finally

    Retired...finally Utilizing that doctorate of procrastinatory arts

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    Custom bug spat pattern hood, grill & bumper. Dead Live Oak leaf collection under hood, cowl and lower fenders. Beach sand custom floor covering.
    Yes, you should protect. This guy can help @Classy63
     
  3. Mar 18, 2023 at 4:56 AM
    #3
    trucksareforgirls2

    trucksareforgirls2 [OP] New Member

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    OMG, your so funny I forgot to laugh.:eek:
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2023
    Kung and NewImprovedRon like this.
  4. Mar 18, 2023 at 5:00 AM
    #4
    WhiteTundra0013

    WhiteTundra0013 New Member

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    Trd rear sway bar, Rims, Goodyear wrangler tires,Topper, Nerf bars
    know this, if your cats get stolen it could take a long time to get oem replacements. Some people have gone aftermarket and done alright but some people have thrown codes with aftermarket. The cat shield I got from Taco Tunes cost less than my deductable but the problem I have is the rear passenger cat is not protected which I did not know when I bought if from them. So when I park at home in my carport I am going to rig up some concrete blocks that I will fasten together and place them together under my truck to protect my vunerable cat when the weather turns nice. I was thinking of removing it and getting another shield but I do not want to go through the hassel.
     
  5. Mar 18, 2023 at 8:12 AM
    #5
    yakeng

    yakeng Broke Member

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    ECGS Bushing; GCS Cooler Firestone AB; Fox 2.0
    My 2020 Tundra driver side cat was stolen. The main issue is the OEM ones have a huge backlog which can mean months of being without your vehicle. Like mentioned in the previous post, aftermarket ones are problematic. My buddies Magnaflow replacements (cats stolen) throw codes.

    Our company parking garage is in a nice area and six Tundras and two Prius had their cats stolen in a matter of one hour. My coworker waited 8 months to get his repaired, got it repaired and didn’t install a shield, then had his cats stolen again 2 weeks later.

    I installed a shield on my wife’s Sequoia a week after that happened and when we were at church, two cars had their cats stolen. I looked under our Sequoia and the far edge of the plate was bent away from the frame. I checked my dash cam which had parking mode on and you could see movement on the SUV. Someone tried to pry it off. I guess it frustrated the thief and they decided to steal the cats off a Jeep Grand Cherokee parked right next to us instead. That shield was a Miller Catshield and is a testament that they do work.

    We are in the Houston area and it’s really bad for cat theft, but I would and have installed shields on both our cars to avoid the headache.
     
  6. Mar 18, 2023 at 8:16 AM
    #6
    trucksareforgirls2

    trucksareforgirls2 [OP] New Member

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    Thank you for your helpful reply. Just curious what you paid for the install, assuming you had someone else do it. Also does it affect the mechanics doing routine maintenance?
     
  7. Mar 18, 2023 at 8:16 AM
    #7
    jrquist

    jrquist Canon Shooter

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    I would put in your order now and keep the commuter car until you get them on the truck. Plan on it taking 2-3 months to get them if ordered today. I sort of ruined my summer fishing season last year just because I was nervous about leaving the truck for hours at a time. Not this year!!
     
  8. Mar 18, 2023 at 8:25 AM
    #8
    JediMedic86

    JediMedic86 New Member

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    Rough Country rear bumper, AJT interior products, TufSkinz interior products, BakFlip bed cover, BedRug full bed liner, Rough Country 2” strut leveling kit with rear N3 shocks.
    @trucksareforgirls2 congrats on the new job! I recently purchased cat guards through RCI metal works. I believe they still have the special of getting free cat guards if you purchase a transmission skid plate. So far I’ve been completely satisfied with my purchase.

    D08AEFD4-D718-4D46-9012-3783ACEC57A0.jpg
    4D9D92F9-EDCB-4408-92FC-A62D7886CB80.jpg
    ABC8BFD6-D60A-45C1-8F6A-7380C30AD319.jpg
     
  9. Mar 18, 2023 at 8:29 AM
    #9
    yakeng

    yakeng Broke Member

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    I installed them myself, so I don’t know. The Millercat one needed a rivet nut gun and was pretty easy to install myself with a floor jack.

    As far as maintenance, it blocks some transmission components, some of the drive shaft, O2 sensors, and so on. Most routine maintenance items are not blocked.
     
  10. Mar 18, 2023 at 8:38 AM
    #10
    nhw544

    nhw544 Food fight!

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  11. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:02 AM
    #11
    PomDad

    PomDad we having snacks?

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    Conrad
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    Most cat/engine shields have a cutout for the oil filter, so it shouldn't affect that sort of routine maintenance. If you have to do a transmission flush/front diff flush then you will likely need to have the plates removed prior to doing the work (I'd imagine the mechanics would charge you a lot more than it's worth to remove/reinstall them).
     
  12. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:14 AM
    #12
    MTAZ

    MTAZ New Member

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    Many
    I went with this plate...Easy to install, has ample venting holes & has an access port to service the transfer case fluid.

    Cat Plate 3.jpg
     
  13. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:25 AM
    #13
    NewImprovedRon

    NewImprovedRon New Old Guy

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  14. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:39 AM
    #14
    27bluenote

    27bluenote New Member

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    Another vote Talon Shields, ordered on a Monday and had them by Thursday. They also have the option to cover all 4 cats.
     
  15. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:45 AM
    #15
    Retired...finally

    Retired...finally Utilizing that doctorate of procrastinatory arts

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    Sorry. I didn't realize he had fallen from grace on the forum. Last I heard his shields seemed to be the preferred one. Reading another thread gives me the impression he may be having issues delivering promptly.
     
  16. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:48 AM
    #16
    Booney

    Booney New Member

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    Just do it. I can't imagine not doing it with all the news about cats being stolen.
     
  17. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:49 AM
    #17
    1UP

    1UP Truck Gang

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    I was wondering why the snarky comment. I too had thought Valhalla was the best option out there. Loved the red paint they offered.
     
  18. Mar 18, 2023 at 9:51 AM
    #18
    saybng

    saybng Just a member.

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    I would protect them regardless where you leave or work. Talon Shields is the way to go..received my order in a few days!
     
  19. Mar 18, 2023 at 10:01 AM
    #19
    1UP

    1UP Truck Gang

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  20. Mar 18, 2023 at 10:16 AM
    #20
    Randy Morton

    Randy Morton Life takes its toll, please have exact change.

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    Definitely protect. Even after insurance paid off (they won't pay for factory cats, only the cheapest thing on the market at the time) I was out several thousand in other expenses.

    I'll add another vote for https://www.getcatsecurity.com/ Mine were here in about a week. They sat here for 4 months waiting for factory cats before I gave up and went with Magnaflow cats. So far, no problems. If you go with getcatsecurity, be sure to get the premium package so that everything is covered. Here are some pictures in case you're curious about how they look and what they protect.




     
  21. Mar 18, 2023 at 10:43 AM
    #21
    panicman

    panicman Everyone remain calm.

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    Disappointed to see that Tyler never got organized enough to be effective. I too bought from him when he was essentially the gold standard and the sole option. What he did deliver (aside from agonizing wait times) was really nice work in my experience.

    Yes, get a good shield. You have several options named here in this thread.

    If you have a handy friend, get them beer or dinner or a few bucks and have them install (you can watch and learn!) It’s not hard if you have tools, and the Tundra sits high enough you don’t need to raise it.

    I ran a skilled nursing center in SE Portland where cat thefts were common. We could see the thieves drive in, roll under the vehicle, and roll out with the parts in about 5-7 minutes.

    Our trucks sit high off the ground and have 4 catalytic converters each. Without a plate, they are low hanging gold mines for these assholes.
     
  22. Mar 18, 2023 at 11:07 AM
    #22
    batman900

    batman900 Yep

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    Just reiterating what others have said. Grab the Talons and if you don't want to mess with it, have a local shop install them. Shouldn't be more than 2 hours labor so I'm guessing $260 for the install. I've been seeing these things getting stolen in the most random places, even small safe neighborhoods by thieves passing through from other cities / states.
     
  23. Mar 18, 2023 at 12:54 PM
    #23
    ThatGuyTheCooler

    ThatGuyTheCooler New Member

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    I went with RCI and so far am very happy. Install was easy too.

    Now, I am looking for a set for my 4runner. I read some terrible reviews of the Talon shield
     
  24. Mar 18, 2023 at 4:47 PM
    #24
    DirkS

    DirkS New Member

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    Just bought the Talons for my Tundra. Wife said if you get a truck, it gets shields. With the problems around, I didn’t argue. Had them within days, and a friend of mine and I put them on in my driveway in a couple of hours. If I did it again, it would be even faster now that I know how it all goes together.

    (Tried Valhalla BTW, but couldn’t even get a reply to my first question to them, so…yeah).
     
  25. Mar 18, 2023 at 6:05 PM
    #25
    NewImprovedRon

    NewImprovedRon New Old Guy

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    What was the gist of the Talon shield reviews? I've not seen any negative reviews.
     
  26. Mar 19, 2023 at 4:23 AM
    #26
    ThatGuyTheCooler

    ThatGuyTheCooler New Member

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    On the 4runners forum a member did an extensive review of several cat plates for 4runners. The Talon had rough cuts with jagged edges. Every bend had cracks from stressing the aluminum (post 25). Talon replied saying he is a small shop and it is what it is (post 33). I would not buy the Talon after seeing those pics and the response.

    https://www.4runners.com/threads/cat-theft-deterrent-skid-shield-options.25957/


    DirkS - how does your Talon shield look?
     
  27. Mar 19, 2023 at 5:35 AM
    #27
    AAA96

    AAA96 New Member

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    Anyone have any insight about which guard is the most quality as well as easiest install? I’ve seen threads about the talon being very tight next to one of the cats (clearance issue).

    also, which (if any) will work with lifting the truck if we decide to in the future?
     
  28. Mar 19, 2023 at 5:42 AM
    #28
    shawn474

    shawn474 Lego connoisseur

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    I just ordered the rci transmission plates and cat guards this morning. Figured I have waited long enough and didn’t want to roll the dice on having mine stole especially since this is my daily driver into DC every day
     
  29. Mar 19, 2023 at 5:44 AM
    #29
    AAA96

    AAA96 New Member

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    I’m going either RCI (skid plate and cat guards) or Catsecurity Ultimate. Just need some info on future lifting.
     
  30. Mar 19, 2023 at 5:46 AM
    #30
    shawn474

    shawn474 Lego connoisseur

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    Yeah I waffled between talon and others; figured might as well get rci with the deal they have going on. Anyone who has the RCI installed I would be interested to hear your thoughts…..thanks in advance
     

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