Valhalla’s Shield theft deterrent/skid plates info and ordering post

Makes sense. I'll take a look some other day, I probably could have pushed the rear plate up further before tightening the bolt but there is only so much room before it would be pushed up against the transmission. If anyone else has the same side view of the rear plate at level view, I can take a look and compare in the event I have some adjustment to play with. Overall though 100% pleased

 

Not being combative here - - you're rightly worried about the underside of your truck and I believe minutiae are important too. The pics also show the gas tank and mufflers hanging below the plates. I think Tundra engineering presents more of a risk footprint for rock damage than Tyler engineering for that. As for chinks in the armor - the cat plates' benefits as skid plates are really peripheral to their intended task; but the only way to cover everything perfectly would be to weld plates across the full length of the frame. Some gaps have to be there in order to install via bolts. As to hitting something in reverse - I don't think there's any increased risk versus the truck without plates; but adding angles to the plates, considering where bolts have to happen, would probably force them down even lower than they are now.

I've thought of different engineering options on these as well, but none would really make them more effective at their primary task. I think they're as close to perfect as can be made, and they certainly beat the 5h!+ out of any other available solutions.

goodonya, sir.

 

"the gas tank and mufflers hanging below the plates" yeah, I thought that same thing after I replied lol. They were just thoughts I had when looking at the pics. I know most won't be doing serious offroading - I haven't, but would like to someday. I was just surprised to see it below the frame - I guess I assumed all along that it was flush or above it & it took me off-guard.

"the cat plates' benefits as skid plates are really peripheral to their intended task" Yes ++

"adding angles to the plates, considering where bolts have to happen, would probably force them down even lower than they are now" - yeah that makes sense after seeing that the rear bolts are right there. I was thinking maybe it could be cut where the solid line is (1st pic below), and then folded up where the dotted line is. But then I just weakened the entire rear support structure.

Or....maybe just the bottom of the rear plate (not the lip on the sides) could extend an inch or so beyond that bolt, then it could be folded up at an angle? Second pic. I'm not sure the potential gain is worth all that though. I suppose even with an angle on it, the brackets could still get bent if whacked good enough.






"I've thought of different engineering options on these as well, but none would really make them more effective at their primary task" Good point. I'll stop now.

 

Turns out now I'm getting an extra 4 mpg from the plates...

Just stirring the pot, obviously. It's still just sitting in the driveway. I know Tyler's sales would quadruple if that were the case!

 

I would love proof of that

 

So, if I can ever make time to spend modifying a rear cat plate, I will make V3… it will fix a lot of issues.

as for the suggestion about having another inch on the back and bending it up, I like it, but the cost will go up because of all the changes for the machinery. I have another solution that is very close to this.

 

Gaaaahhh. would love that v3 plate!!

 

Just 2 cents worth , but what about just a cutout where the trany plate is and bolting it up tight to frame? This is what I tried with the mesh , only haven't cut hole yet , wanted to see if being up tight on trany plate would affect anything , and so far after about 200 miles no problem, but am going to take angle grinder and cut out around trany plate anyway. Just a thought. Could be done with a solid plate as well as mesh, and still bolt up with brackets , instead of drilling holes.

 

This may serve as a deterrent, but much easier to cut as well.

 

Fed ex is still down… I may be forced to do some R&D tomorrow if it doesn’t come back up

 

Let's put a hold on that discussion we had via PM, then. At least a little bit.

Thank you sir!!

 

So, the 4x4 version really isn’t that hard, I need to just do it… I will throw a bare 1/8 steel plate on my truck tomorrow (I sold the plates off my truck to a customer who needed them more than me) and mark up the changes for a prototype to be made

 

[insert fav happy emoji]

 

Agree , but then it is 3/16 " thick, and in all reality just as easy to cut brackets holding plate, and someone commented on plates hanging down so far, Was just looking at ways to get it up against the frame , and doesn't need to be mesh , could be a plate , I just wanted a lot of air flow, Those cats get really hot. Only deterrents for all of us. LOOKS LIKE ALL STYLES ARE WORKING SO FAR. Just thoughts. THANKS.

 

Speaking of the cats getting hot, are the logo cutouts enough to allow airflow past the cats to get rid of the heat? I haven't thought about this before now.

 

for the v3 rear plate?

 

Reading this I'm having a hard time wondering why my 2014 has been at Rockwall Toyota for over 3 months?
I guess Lewisville stocked up on Tundra cats when they could.
Not only that, my insurance claim (the cats, parts, labor) is $6500 plus a $200 deductible, not including the rental.

I went up to Rockwall Toyota this past Saturday to physically check on my truck.
Everything is in order, the service guy is hoping my right cat comes in by the end of the month.
The left one came in mid-December.

When I dropped off my Tundra on 11/16/2021, they had 7 Tundras on the lot waiting on cats.
As of Saturday, 2/19/2022, they have 22 Tundras and 5 Sequoias on the lot waiting for cats to come in.
I saw all of them parked on the back row with my truck.

The only saving grace I have is that Toyota is paying for my rental/loaner Tacoma, minus what the insurance pays.
My insurance for a rental car caps out at $1500 per claim, at $40 a day (my rental agreement), that lasted 37.5 days.
We are on day 98, roughly estimated is $2440 on my end for the rental SO FAR if Toyota was not covering it....

I asked my service guy if they gave everyone a rental/loaner.
He said they ran out of them and are getting customers Enterprise rentals, and paying for whatever the insurance doesn't cover.
Gotta give Toyota credit for that..

As much as I want my truck back, I'm kinda hoping that I don't get it back until my Valhalla plates are delivered.
If it is ready before then, I'm having Toyota install their own shield that I really don't want.
I cannot drive my truck to work (where they were stolen) one day without some kind of protection.
I'll replace whatever they put on it with my Valhalla plates.

I've stated this before, if anyone reading this is on the fence, do it and do it now.

I thought for a long time "this won't happen to me"..
Until the day I got off work, 11/15/2021, remote started my truck, and heard the loudest noise ever.
I thought "whose truck is that?", but it was mine.
I knew 3 seconds in what happened and I'm still pissed...

 

Dude! I cannot imagine just how pissed off you must be! I'll say it again. Your story is exactly why I've ordered the Valhalla Shields and am a bit nervous until I receive them and get them installed. I'm a bit touchy about where I'm willing to take my truck right now. I'm kinda spooked by your story.
I hope you get your truck back soon with the Valhalla Shields installed. I also hope the douche nozzles that did this to you and your truck get their day in court and prison. Very uncool of them just for a quick buck.
Godspeed to you, my friend. I truly feel for you!

 

I’m in the DFW as well, and it’s insane how cat theft has skyrocketed around our area. Someone posted their cats were stolen in Denton. That’s another area that seems to be getting hammered. Until I receive my plates, I leave my Tundra in the garage. With the cat shortage, cost to replace, and inconvenience of having truck in the shop for who knows how long, I’ve settled on driving my Camry.

Good thing about living in Texas is you just never know who’s going to be packing heat when they encounter someone under their truck cutting the cats off…some things just aren’t worth risking your life over.

 

For some, it is worth risking it until you get caught.....

 

I wonder what the issue is w/FedEx? I am in Cali, and have had no problem. Sucks for you, that really ties your hands. I can't believe that haven't fixed this yet, must be a regional thing.

 

So, Fed Ex is still not working and I can’t get through to technical services.

Good news though, I designed the V3 rear cat plate for the 4x4. It will have an access door for the transfer case for fluid changes, it will also have the option of a 1” spine to be welded in across the plate from bend to bend to increase strength. Last but not least, the option for gusseted Z brackets. I am having my cut guy draw it out for me and I will hopefully have a prototype to test on my truck and send to 1794

 

Just... Effing... Yay!

Thank you very much sir!!

 

So, if one owns a 4x4 currently, what's the drawback to the current plate - just that the whole plate'll have to be remove for transfer case fluid changes?

 

Yes

 

Well, I'll likely have the dealer or a mechanic do that, so it's easy for me to hand 'em the adapter for the security bolts and say "Knock yourself out." LOL

 

From what I've read on the glorious internet, it isn't so much they are stolen to sell to local scrap yards.
I've read they are stolen, sold to a network, and shipped out of the country in a shipping container.
Then they arrive where ever and the platinum and other good stuff are extracted.

Not sure how much truth there is to that, but it is what I've read.

 

Here is what I get from fed ex… app and website

 

Have you cleared your cache and history? Rebooted?

Sorry, that’s happening.

Also, thanks for the shelf, brackets & new TRD PRO Skid Plate nut plate!

 

I finally got a hold of them… I have good news and bad news… the app, which I use exclusively to ship with is in fact not able to make shipments… the website is working, sort of… I was able to ship the package I packed up Sunday at least, I am going to see what I can do, but the website version slows me down quite a bit