protecting my Catalytic Converters HELP

for anyone still following this thread i finally locked down everything on my 2006 TRD Sport Taco. AND i built a "cage" that uses the mounting holes for a mid-body skid plate that covers almost all access to the Catalytic Converters. the cage is expanded steel to allow maximum air flow and it doesn't make any noise on or off road (rattles and such). i don't have pictures yet but if anyone is interested i'll post some. But there ya have it. unless the bastards have cutting torches or a lot of free time they won't get the Cats off this truck.

 

aww cutie wouldn't hurt a fly! Looks like cesars dog, daddy.

 

Of course we'd like to see it! Sounds interesting. Please?

 

Yes. Please post pictures. I'm very interested to see your solution. Thanks.

 

The vin etching might cause them not to take the cats to the recycler but I wonder if the theifs would spend the time to look over the cats for the etching before cutting them off the truck in the first place? I had a cat theif protection plate fabbed up and installed... once they're underneth and see that they wouldn't bother wasting their time.
What's the "theft protection device" the PD and local dealer are installing??

 

so after Loosing the camera , finding the camera, loosing the camera, (kids) i finally got the pictures of my "cage". to explain, i did almost go the Cat Clamp route, which i think is a good one, but at the last second deided to try this idea. not knowing if it would work. ie. make noise, rattle, be to flimsy to provide a real deterrent, or be a real pain in the ass to make. (it was a little bit of a pain).
i'm trying to figure out how to upload the image, hopefully this'll work. by the way it's bolted into the skid plate mounts mostly and the bolt heads are filled with silicon. (that more or less makes them "security bolts" cause it takes quite a bit of effort to clean 'em out before removing them.

 

Nice work.

 

douchbaggery at its finest, not everyone has one of those and they arent cheap. Any other mods that might be cheaper on the wallet, warren buffet?

 

That should certainly keep anyone from reaching the catalytic converters. How difficult would it be to remove when you need to do transmission service?

My cats protect themselves.

 

Agreed. But it WOULD seem a bit of work if you need to work on something under that.

My work doesn't have one of those either. I don't think they would supply one for 250 employees.

 

nope,i just cut holes in the Cage for easy access to the drain plugs. and if ya know your going in for a service you can just spend a little time working the silicon back out and take the cage off. it's not a perfect system but it's better than loosing even 1 Cat. they are freakin expensive!
OH, and yeaaah for the Concord police trying the VIN or ID number on the CAts, that's the only real way to stop this problem. In Berkeley the automotive shops are telling me they do an average of 4- 6 a week. that's about 18 per week with the shops i am directly involved with!- who knows about all the others.

 

Semi-full under body plates would also increase gas mileage by reducing drag. Two birds with one stone!

 

x2

 

Just took the first step to preventing someone from stealing my cat. I have a 2012 Tacoma Access cab. I bought 3/8" tool steel from a local steel supply house. 1/2" might be better but the muffler shop will have to do some bending either way and the 3/8" is easier to bend. Tool steel is very hard and prevents the tube cutters from getting around the tube, and dulls the saw blades. Theives here use a tube cutter (quieter) or a "Saws All" (sp?). He welded 2 rods on each of the exhaust pipes going to and from the cats. He also added a few more rods in various areas. He tacked a weld on the bolts to keep them from being undone. $35 for the tool steel rods (come in 3 foot lengths) and $50 for the welding job at Wade's Muffler in Mesa, AZ.

 

Good idea! And cheap for those of us with welders!

 

OOOOoo! Do you have pics?

 

Pics please!!

 

+2 on the pics, please please !!!

I have the Bud Builts and they do not cover enough to prevent cat theft, BTW.

 

Have a wire run the length of the exhaust pipes that's connected to some c4. Then if they cut the pipe, they'll also cut the wire causing the truck to explode.

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I up loaded pics of the rods welded on the cat pipes. Not sure where they are (newbie) but they are on the site someplace!