To cat shield or not to cat shield?

Yeah, fair enough. I live in a fairly quiet neighborhood, and there's tons of targets a thief would have to pass before even approaching my area. Paranoia is my problem

 

That's where another member here had his stolen - but he was not in a sketchy motel. As I understand it, he was parked by the door. Heard his alarm go off and by the time he got to the truck they were already gone.

So far, I think I've only heard of one instance where thieves dropped a plate to steal cats. You can't deter everyone or every situation as someone else noted, but you can deter the majority of thieves who are just looking for an easy score. Let's face it, if they were looking to work hard and earn their money they wouldn't be under your truck with a sawzall in the first place.

 

I respect everyone's decision to either shield or not shield.

In fact, the more unprotected trucks out there only serve to increase the effectiveness of my cat shield. I'll take every easy target I can get surrounding my truck.

 

Yep! You called that right! That's why I said don't buy a shield and make everyone happy!

 

Very true. In that case, park close, yours will be by far the easier target than mine!

 

There was a guy in the local Tundra group that had his cats stolen in the Lowes parking lot during the day while he was inside shopping a few weeks ago. Thieves just DGAF.

 

Wait. So you're pitting actual, physical protection against your hypothetical spiderweb?

Bold move Cotton.

 

The instructions call for checking the tension on the mounting bolts every 500 miles. Have people actually found some coming loose over time?

 

Shielded cat is more expensive than unshielded cat and more difficult to install; it’s stiffer, making it less flexible. The shielded cat also has a larger diameter, taking up more space. Unshielded cat, on the other hand, actually provides faster transmissions in the absence of EMI. It’s less expensive to purchase, easier to install and has been the standard for many years, so it’s already in place in most existing installations.

Regardless of whether you choose unshielded or shielded cat, make sure to install high-quality cat. The better the quality of the cat, the more years of service you will get out of the installation, reducing long-term replacement and labor costs.



/S

 

I have recently just purchased a shield as well and it is being delivered today. It is not one that completely covers everything but will make it more difficult to get to the rear cats with a sawsall to be able to remove them and it was less than 350.00 on Amazon. It was made by TPFI. Painted black or you can get Basic Aluminum. I figure that for the price if it makes it more difficult for thieves to steal the cats off my truck then it's worth the cost. Plus as many have said that I won't be without my truck and have to pay thousands to have them replaced. Thieves want easy and quick targets to avoid getting caught and the one I got should help make that happen. All the reviews on it were good so I feel confident that it will help do just that.

 

Got my Catshield installed today. Looks pretty good and I am happy with the results. Took about an hour to install just because it's cold out and that made it difficult with dexterity. Will try and upload some pics

 

Some pics of the Cat Shield installed today.

 

That is INSANE!!! In the parking lot of a business? People just don't care when and where. So glad I bought a shield to at least help make it more difficult for thieves.

 

MY niece had the cats stolen off her Sequoia in a grocery store parking lot while she was inside shopping.

 

I was on vacation with my family in Austin, Texas, and the very last night the cats were stolen off of my 2020 tundra at the Embassy Suites. Was a crappy day. I had thought about a shield in the past but never took it seriously. Hindsight is 20/20.

 

I’m not shielding mine. They’ll just save me the hassle of doing it myself and give me an excuse for long tubes in the process.

Yes we have emissions where I live. Does not concern me.

 

My thought process was I'd much rather have it and not need it than the alternative.

My 2023 Tundra TRD Sport Crewmax is the most expensive vehicle I've ever owned. For me the shield provides peace of mind.

I will say I've purchased 2 plates from sellers on this site. The first was through Valhalla’s, and I did not have a positive experience. This person was extremely difficult to get ahold of for 4 weeks and receive any status updates on my order. I am trying to cancel... The second plate was purchased through Talon's tonight, and it ships in less than 24 hours.

Best of luck!

 

For those interested, Davenport Motors in Plano and possibly at the Colleyville location, has GetCatSecurity.com shields in stock ready for installation. You can call them at (972) 612-3377 for pricing.

https://www.davenportmotorco.com/

 

I have had my business trucks hit 3 times in 4 months and this is after landlord of the shop complex installed a fence with barbwire. Here in Portland they ARE WORTH IT. it is an epidemic here, quite common to see somebody under a vehicle at Home Depot in broad daylight, cops have had their hands tied on just about everything.

anyway, quick question I am hoping somebody can help answer, (for those with TRD Pro's and a lift) will this fit on the pro? is it just one plate? I am seeing both but after looking at Talons it mentions not to use if you have a lift. I am looking at the aluminum and want a single piece/plate.

Thoughts?

 

I'll probably B U Y a set pretty soon. Not sure who'll build 'em, but B U Y I N G them just seems like good sense to me.

 

Yeah. It's a good purchase for sure.

 

Thieves came through my neighbourhood awhile back. Stole the cats off of a few motorhomes. Left the pickups alone. About 8 trucks on my little street. 3 are Tundras. I have RCI shields now.

 

I have a TRD Pro with a lift and I was able to get my plate on. I think that the reason for saying that is that the one set of bolts were a little difficult to install. I managed to get them in with a little ingenuity. I may be wrong about that, but the plate I purchased fit well once I installed it. I have a pic in this post so you can see it.

 

thanks for the reply, what was the post number? would love to see. I figure even if it is not 100% it will slow them down and thieves always go the path of least resistance. I just don't want a half dozen plates under there, was hoping to find one to cover them. did you do the security bolts?

 

#73 is the post number. I did use the security bolts. It came with everything needed to install the shield. Good luck. The one reason I installed as well is to just make it more difficult for thieves. Seeing this will hopefully make them want to move on to a different target.

 

I was on vacation a few months ago and I noticed that a tundra was close to me in the parking lot a couple aisles down at our hotel, in the morning I saw him and I started talking to him about cat shields, that was the last thing on his mind, he said it depends on where you park, the fact that it takes about two or three minutes to take them off it doesn’t matter where you park, I just felt great that he had no cat shields and I had them and they would pick on his truck first

 

Perfect definition of schadenfreude right here...and for a fellow Tundra owner!

 

I hate thieves. Like a lot.

 

The only downside to these catsheilds is taking them off to do tranny service. People also forget that these are also some pretty damn good protection for offroading.

Anyone saying these can just be taken off by a thief clearly doesnt have a set or probably have even seen them in person. With security bolts (Actual uniquely keyed security bolts, not the crap you get at home depot that every mechanics tool set has the head to) and bolt head protectors there is simply no way anyone is going to stick around and try to get to your cats. Absolutely 0 chance. They would have to steal your truck, take it to a secure location and go to town on it. In that time, they could hit 100+ cars for their cats.

Before I put on the bolt head protectors, I sheared off the head of one of the security bolts while wheeling. I had to use and angle grinder and a dremel to cut the head off the bolt to put a new one in. It took me 20+ minutes, with the proper tools and knowing exactly what I was doing. Granted, I took my time so I wouldnt cut or damage the actual shield, but in order to get that plate off, a thief would have to cut the heads off of 4 bolts and their bolt head protectors. That would easily take them at least 10 minutes IF they had an angle grinder, which I am sure most of them dont since a sawzall would be way faster for cutting cats and would work for them a majority of the time.

 

I bet you’ve been waiting your whole life to use that word, glad to be so accommodating,
No cat shields were harmed in this scenario