Cat Anti-Theft: What are my options?

I'm doing this thread with the intent of it being stickied. It seems there are round about arguments which just which form of anti-theft is most effective. I will ATTEMPT to squash this debate.

From what I have read, researched, and argued there are two predominant methods to make your catalytic converter (cat) increasingly difficult to steal. Notice I did NOT say IMPOSSIBLE to steal. There is a saying I picked up from my old Honda community (which could be universally applied) that goes along the lines of: "if a thief really wants something bad enough he or she WILL take it". Moving on...


OPTION A: The Cat Clamp
*You need to google the site. Hyperlinking not allowed*

For the cat clamp you have two options. ~$150 for the Base model, and ~$320 for the deluxe.

Pros:
--This product is specifically geared as an anti theft deterrent.
--The intricate design makes your cat very difficult to steal without sophisticated tools.
Cons:
--Looks (This is subjective)
--For vehicles meant for crawling, the potential to get tangled in nature.
--Pending on which model you purchase, difficulty in re-accessing your cat should it need to be replaced.

OPTION B: An Aftermarket Skid Plate/Belly Pan http://www.budbuilt.com/new/tacoma.html

For Aftermarket skid plates/belly pans I'm just going off major brands. But you're looking at ~$200 for Allpro, and ~$270 for Budbuilt.

Pros:
--Overall added protection to your trucks under body.
--Appearance.
--Price. Pending on knowledge/capability of fabrication, you pay just for materials.
Cons:
--Added labor to any and all work for your under body.

OPTION C:(Not a True Option IMO) Aftermarket Alarm
*this is self explanatory*

For Alarms prices are regionally based. Last quote I had for an alarm on my truck was about ~$200. (CA)

Pros:
--Alerts you when your vehicle is being, or has been tampered with.
--Power locks?
Cons:
--No physical protection whatsoever.
--Situation pending, with increasing alarm sophistication, the potential to jolt kill switches while off-roading.


Which Option is Right for you?
This is where most of our internal debate resides. In all honesty there is no right answer.

For a lot of the guys who either jump or crawl their truck an aftermarket skid plate/belly pan is the most logical choice. However what about the guy who does primarily city driving and has no knowledge of fabrication? (Yes, these type of Tacoma drivers exist!) Are you willing to pay almost $300 for a skid plate when the base model cat clamp is only $150?

Another thing to consider is the immediate reason why catalytic converters are stolen: A Quick Buck. Raised Trucks are easy targets, especially Toyotas. Some protection is better than No protection. This is why I don't consider alarms as a major deterrent as far as cat anti theft. I believe the time to take an unprotected cat from pre runner is less than 2 minutes? Having either a skid plate or the Cat Clamp would exponentially increase that time.

Let's imagine for a moment there are 4 trucks in a parking lot option a, b, c, and none of the above. Which is more likely to be victimized? That's the logic behind anti-theft, no?

That's all I can think of ATM. LMK if I missed anything.

 

Strap a fake block of C-4 and a red blinking LED under there. That should keep away the casual thieves...! (Think "Mad Max")

 

Don't park in the ghetto!

 

I like this lmao

 

Let 'em take it....... buy a new one.

Whatever you put on it to 'prevent' theft, they'll just hack the shit out of the rest of your exhaust system regardless of whatever you put on there to prevent it.

 

Only in the peoples republic of California do I ever hear of this stuff

 

Old thread, know, but just became a household with a tacoma. What exactly does your comment mean? Are you referring to the get out of the ghetto comment? Are you referring to the anti-theft options? Not sure what point you were trying to get across.
Thanks

 

And here I thought this was a throw away thread of mine...

I believe he's referring to the outlandish stereo type that everyone in CA is a bunch of hippies and the state is a communist state, and only people in CA would ever think to steal of a Catalytic converter, let alone devise a contraption to prevent it from being stolen.

did I miss anything?

 

If you dont want it stolen just take it off and pipe it

 

I am planning a trip to see a nephew in kalli, and this is a major concern. He lives where he can afford to live, I'll half to park where I can. I just want to do something to slow or discourage a thief. Don't want to piss them off so much they do wanton damage to my truck.

 

Oh.
Thanks.