Catalytic Converter Anti-Theft DIY Ideas

[mesooohoppy]

2.) Cat Clamp

hollllly crap that stuff is expensive for glorifed metal wire. you could make something like that for ridiculously cheap. basically the cost of metal wire and a lock.

although now that i am looking at these again. most look 100% useless once you introduce a pair of bolt cutters to the wire. it would also be quieter than a sawzall.

Etching the cat skid plate of the cat probably isnt going to do anything. Painting it maybe.
I would image if they want to steal it they take the painted one too. :[

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i would think etching it would do more than painting. paint stripper will remove that in a minute or two. what is the thought behind painting a cat? i see zero reason why to paint it.

hell, even engraving your vin on it might not help. if there is a vin on the cat, do you think scrappers have access to DMV's system to check? i doubt it.


i have one helpful tip i heard may years ago:

weld rebar to the top (of possible) and bottom. i was told theives almost always use a battery operated sawzall and the rebar will really slow them down if you can get a couple of pieces of rebar on the pipe and cat.

 

[nobb]

although now that i am looking at these again. most look 100% useless once you introduce a pair of bolt cutters to the wire. it would also be quieter than a sawzall.


i would think etching it would do more than painting. paint stripper will remove that in a minute or two. what is the thought behind painting a cat? i see zero reason why to paint it.

hell, even engraving your vin on it might not help. if there is a vin on the cat, do you think scrappers have access to DMV's system to check? i doubt it.

I got the idea from a video I saw where one municipality had a rampant theft problem so they partnered with a shop to paint these for free for residents. They claim that this dropped the overall theft rates in the area.

The Cat Clamp would be the best solution, but it's not foolproof either. IMO I think anything that is an extra barrier for thieves is a good thing. Just like stealing a bike or breaking into a home, if a thief wants it bad enough he's going to eventually get it. But if he's going to have to buy paint stripper, grind off the VIN, take off the shield, or otherwise go through extra steps before giving it to the scrapper...we'll it's just easier for the guy to hop onto the next vehicle instead.

 

[brillo_76]

I got the idea from a video I saw where one municipality had a rampant theft problem so they partnered with a shop to paint these for free for residents. They claim that this dropped the overall theft rates in the area.

The Cat Clamp would be the best solution, but it's not foolproof either. IMO I think anything that is an extra barrier for thieves is a good thing. Just like stealing a bike or breaking into a home, if a thief wants it bad enough he's going to eventually get it. But if he's going to have to buy paint stripper, grind off the VIN, take off the shield, or otherwise go through extra steps before giving it to the scrapper...we'll it's just easier for the guy to hop onto the next vehicle instead.

You could be right. If we have areas that saw a drop by paiting them then that maybe the ticket. Scribing the cat plate and end grinder in 5 seconds is gone.

That is definitely the cheapest way to secure it.

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[lockedlex]

Why doesn't anyone just make some wide bars or panels that can wrap around the frame of the car, allowing for air to come in, and then uses some high-steel padlock to lock it in place.

Again, not to stop them (since where there's a will there's a way), but slow them enough to move on? Is it a heat thing? It's really got to be pretty much exposed and can't be enclosed in any way?

 

[BABYTOYODA]

I did the razor thing to my stereo in SF in the 90s found my car radio missing blood everywhere floor, dash, and carpet hmmm Aids in that blood? maybe lol it was a mess

 

[pluton]

If I was a maniac, I'd install scalpel-sharp, flat black anodized wire bunched in a dense random mass around the area of the cat and pipes in front and in back. It'd give a new meaning to expression 'pound of flesh'!

 

[HeelAndToe85]

Are there any available skid plates that cover the cat area?

 

[busmup808]

My belly skids covered the whole cat when it was IFS. I still have the trans/tcase belly skid that I will put on when I redo my exhaust. It covers the back half of the cat.

This is a picture of the drivers side, but the skids are frame to frame wide.


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[Manu1]

Are there any available skid plates that cover the cat area?

I was thinking in buying the cat clamp but it looks ugly as hell and I feel the cable could eventually cause rattling.

I just found this other possible solution from talons garage and I feel it works not just as a cat protection but also as a skid plate, price is higher than the cat clamp but I thing is a much better option and if you pay with paypal credit you can pay it interest free in 4-6 installments.

2009-2019 Toyota four runner Catalytic protection plate | Talons Garage

 

[Ted02]

I was thinking in buying the cat clamp but it looks ugly as hell and I feel the cable could eventually cause rattling.

I just found this other possible solution from talons garage and I feel it works not just as a cat protection but also as a skid plate, price is higher than the cat clamp but I thing is a much better option and if you pay with paypal credit you can pay it interest free in 4-6 installments.

2009-2019 Toyota four runner Catalytic protection plate | Talons Garage

Doesn't fit our 3rd gen's.

 

[repo]

There's not really a way to prevent it you just have to make it so slow and annoying to steal they will pick another car. They want to be done in 30 seconds. I had one stolen off my 5th gen. I decided to get a URD Y-pipe and just delete the secondary cats (there's 4 cats) but can't get it to line up with the studs, URD says the stock headers can warp but I dunno. Maybe I can bend it slightly with a torch. Was $100 to ship it to me. The primary cats on the 5th gen are too far up to steal easily. Not sure what to do about the 3rd gen but it's in the garage most of the time.

 

[busmup808]

Someone tried to steal my brothers cats off his 2002 4runner back home on Oahu. This is what he did. HPD stands for Honolulu Police Department.
In the picture below you can see the cut marks on the pipe. His alarm went off in 2 in the morning

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[srq-dalton]

Paint it a bright color like yellow, and inscribe you VIN # into it Worked on my buddies Prius so far

 

[wtfdissux2]

work in the exhaust business and have seen the issue more than a few times so far best thing have come accross is a rebar cage welded from just ahead of the cat all the way to the muffler flange. however the one I saw was charged an extra $250 to replace due to the cage needing to be cut off first

 

[busmup808]

work in the exhaust business and have seen the issue more than a few times so far best thing have come accross is a rebar cage welded from just ahead of the cat all the way to the muffler flange. however the one I saw was charged an extra $250 to replace due to the cage needing to be cut off first

shit 10 minutes with the cutting wheel and i would of saved me $250.


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[pluton]

New Idea???

While reading this thread and another on ih8mud, it occurred to me that a partial-length skid plate might offer enough protection to prevent cat theft.
In order to steal the cat, two cuts must be made: One ahead of, and one behind the cat.
A partial-length skid that covers the cat plus exhaust pipe---either cat plus front pipe OR cat plus rear pipe--- would prevent theft by the common sawzall method, right?

 

[bmason8159]

Mine was super simple. I bought a 99ltd then I noticed that the catalytic converter was already taken out, no catalytic converter to steal

 

[gamefreakgc]

While reading this thread and another on ih8mud, it occurred to me that a partial-length skid plate might offer enough protection to prevent cat theft.
In order to steal the cat, two cuts must be made: One ahead of, and one behind the cat.
A partial-length skid that covers the cat plus exhaust pipe---either cat plus front pipe OR cat plus rear pipe--- would prevent theft by the common sawzall method, right?

That could work. I've also seen people weld rebar directly to the pipe leading to and from the cat, usually 2-3 pieces on each section of pipe. Turns a simple sawzall cut into a very long, loud and potentially unfruitful cut.

Parking it in a private garage or enclosure is still the best way to protect it. It still baffles me that in my neighborhood people will park their $30,000 worth of vehicles on the driveway and store their useless garbage and old furniture in their garage.

 

[pluton]

New Product against cat theft?

Just came across this; no idea if it'll be realized, but this is something like what I've been wanting. Somewhat large investment, since you gotta buy their trans and transfer skid to make it all happen.
TA-0005: Toyota 4Runner Catalytic Converter Guards (1996-2002) COMING | Skid Row Offroad

 

[96RedRunner]

Skid Row looks good, make one similar mounts to frame rail.