Cats stolen, replaced, and shield installed ... 2016

Unfortunately my cats were stolen a couple of weeks ago from my 2016 TRD Pro while it was parked in my driveway. I've had it parked there since 2017 with no issues but my luck finally ran out. Thankfully the replacements were installed quickly and my truck was back to me within one week.

I opted to use a MillerCat shield to protect the newly installed cats and feel much better with a guard, although, I do know that nothing is 100% effective. I wanted to share my installation experience with the shield in case anyone wants to go that route. (writeup and photos included)

The Millercat shield consists of 3 pieces, a main shield with 2 side shields bolted on. I preferred not to take the entire skid plate off and therefore had to make a slight modification to the shield. After doing the mod, it was a breeze to install. Note: I did not need the rear shields (which Millercat also sells) as the newly installed cats do not have resonators.

What I had to do was change the skid plate bolt holes on the catshield to open slots. Therefore I enlarged the holes (removed the countersink) and then created slots with an air cut-off tool. (see photos below)

I had to go this route because I could not remove the rear skid plate bolts. They are the captive type with a rubber sleeve and would not drop out.

Once the shield was ready to install, I followed the Millercat procedure but found out that leaving the side shields off until the end greatly simplified the installation. The procedure was simply to do this:

1. Install the rivnuts. I highly recommend buying 2 of their rivnut tools. It is a one use tool IMO, and I tried to use it twice and ended up snapping a bolt off which ended up being a pain in the butt to remove. In my case I had to remove the rivnut and start over. Please get two to avoid this. It is well worth the extra cost.

2. Loosen the rear skid plate bolts until a 1/4 inch gap is achieved.

3. Install the main shield without the side shields. It is light enough to handle and slides right in between the skid plate and frame. Do not tighten bolts.

4. Push or hammer the shield forward to get it positioned.

FWIW, I used blue loctite on all the installed bolts.

5. Install the button head tamper proof bolts, through the shield holes and into the rivnuts. Do not tighten yet.

6. Install the two tamper proof bolts at the rear of the shield. Do not tighten.

7. When all bolts are in, tighten the button heads first and then do the outer rear bolts.

8. Tighten the skid plate bolts. With the side shields off, this task is much easier.

9. Install the side shields. At this point all bolts should be secured and tight. Job complete.

Anyway, I just wanted to provide this information for people that have questions about cat shields and their installation.

 

I have shields on my '16 from CatSecurity and added the TRD skidplate after. Found I'm going to need to cut those same slots in the front of my cat shields, but it's easy enough to do.

What's going to really simplify things is adding the captive nut plate from Valhalla I purchased for $30. Right now, the two rear bolts on my TRD skidplate just aren't installed because I couldn't figure out at the time this solution, and it was cold and snowing. I'm unafraid that those two missing points on the skidplate are going to be an issue until spring, where I'll repeat similar steps to yours.

I plan on buying a real rivnut tool and replacing the brass rivnuts with stainless ones too. Not wild about how one of them installed, though it works still.

Cheers on sharing your solutions, I hope the captive nut plate works out the way I hope it will with the TRD skidplate after cutting the slots!

 

I assume aftermarket cats? Get ready for a CEL soon. These trucks do not like aftermarket cats.

 

Yes.

Are you saying ALL aftermarket cats sold for Tundra's result in a CEL?

 

At some point they will. Shop won't tell you that because they want the business.

 

Oh yeah, thanks guys for the heads up on this. All of the work has a good warranty. If it gets nasty, I will just go back to Toyota OEM. I plan to drive the truck into the grave. Paid cash back in 17 so no big deal to pay for gas or maintenance going forward.

 

Just for future reference of someone reading this post:
Those TRD Pro skid plate rear bolts do loosen and come out.
They have a washer on the threads above the angled wedges that hold them in place
Remove the nut, then you just need to get a pair of needle-nosed pliers to grab that washer, then turn them out..

You actually don't need to remove them, if your cat plate has bolt slots in it, you can just loosen them and slide the cat plate under the skid plate.
But since I already had the security bolts and the nut plate, I swapped them out.



As @MedCityMoto stated, Valhalla's nut plate is a Godsend when reinstalling those bolts with a cat plate.
I didn't even put the angled shims back in, the nut plate is plenty strong.
I don't know if his nut plate is the same size nuts as OEM, I used his Pentagon security bolts.



As well the @Classy63 Vahalla plate already has slots in it, as do some other cat plates.

 

Aha .... that is good to know. Thanks!

Nice install, great info!

 

Nice write up, i have a 2016 Tundra with similar situation and have a question.
I have a front TRD skid plate like the one in the pics youve shown, and I have a cat protector that I will be cutting slots in the front so it can slide between the back of the TRD front skid plate and the crossmember brace (like shown in your pic). But my question is , with both plates on there is no way to reach up on top of that cross member to hold the nut as you tighten the long 4" bolt that goes through both skid plates and frame.
Are you guys instead installing those rivnuts (or nutserts) into that frame crossmember piece, then using much shorter bolt like 1.5" , so theres no nut to hold up top?

If thats the case, what size nutserts (outside dia) do you use for the 2 existing holes , and I assume you have a choice on the female thread pitch for the new shorter bolt?

 

I had no issues installing nuts with long bolts on my Desert Eagle plate with RCI engine skid plate but being aircraft maintenance and a jet engine mechanic helped with that.

 

I did a moch up, and with both the TRD skidplate and the cat protector I have and there is no way for my hands, fingers or tools up there to reach the top of that crossmember to hold the nut from spinning. The location Im refering to is the rear of the front skid plate and the front of the cat protector that share the same 2 bolt mounting location
I want to persue the rivnut/nutsert method, but dont know what size to get to fit into those existing holes on the frame crossmember