Catalytic Converter Anti-Theft Barrier

After the theft of both catalytic converters on my 2002 Tacoma TRD a few months back, I decided to make something to hopefully prevent a repeat.
I couldn't find anything already made for a 1st Generation, so I started with a 24" x 60" piece of expanded steel I got for free and ordered a 12' stainless hose clamp kit for $12.00.
I used a pair of 18" bolt cutters to cut the steel and bent the sections by clamping a board to either side and using a 2-pound short sledge to bang it over a little at a time. There are probably better ways to do this, but it worked OK.

When I was happy enough with the fit, I sprayed it with high-temp black spray paint. $8.
I used the hose clamp kit to anchor at 6 points. I was worried about it rattling, but with everything cinched down it didn't make a sound.



$20 in materials and about 5 total hours labor. The whole thing can be removed with a nut driver and a cordless if work needs to be done on the truck, but it will take between 5 and 10 minutes as opposed to the minute or less the original thieves spent making 3 cuts with a cordless saw. I'm hoping they just take one look and move on to easier pickings.

 

Good idea but highly doubt that will slow thieves down a bit from stealing your replacement cat. The hose clamp are easy to cut off with a sawzall and the expanded metal can be force down by using some leg muscle.

My buddy welded a 3/8" steal cable from the top cat to the rear cat flange and thieves cut it off without issue. My coworker weld on some 3/8 rebar and his cat still got cut.

 

These People are Pros in most cases your protection will add another 60 seconds. Then they might just decide to take the whole Truck

It does look like a nice job.

 

Good thinking and effort to be proactive, but like others said, I don't think this will even slow the thieves down much. I've seen plenty of photos where thieves have cut through re bar cages that people had welded around their cats. Just curious, are you in california?

 

I live in north Phoenix, so it's not as bad as in some places.
I know they also are passing some new laws that should help some.
No guaranties.

 

It might be just enough of a pain to cut to make them move to the next one. That light material can be kind of a pain to sawzall if it wiggles enough - the blade just catches and doesn’t cut.

 

Sometimes any deterrent is enough. If someone is willing to go to the trouble of building a cage, what other surprises are there? Cameras, etc?

 

A garage is the only guaranteed protection over night...

 

How about adding a conduit pipe that is filled with grounded pepper. When they cut through it, they hopefully will get a nice whiff of pepper in their eyes and noses.

 

My neighbor had his cat cut off while he was working out at the gym.

 

Your friend work out over night at the gym?

 

Good ole Long Beach 24 hour.

 

Since it looks like you have a lot of time on your hands, how about wrapping the cage with barb wire. Can also run a random cable found in the house thru it and place an electric fence sign.

 

I used to go to one in Denver that was only open 7am-9pm but they charged the same membership fee

 

Am I living in the cloud or something? How is everyone getting their parts stolen? Tailgates, taillights, cats... What next? Siphoning blinker fluid?

 

Lol CAT-5 ethernet cable.

 

it all comes down to where one lives.

I pulled my Truck outside Got a phone call completely forgot the truck was outside running for hours.

 

They used an angle grinder on mine, probably diamond blade. No stopping that. My wife saw them from upstairs window. They know what they are doing, the guy was on foot with the getaway car waiting half a block away. I assume so victims cannot see license plate, make of car.

There was a story in my local paper recently where a woman had a flat tire at night, left the car parked on the side of the street. Came back the next morning to get it and there was a body under the car. A guy was stealing the cat and his jack failed crushing him.

 

What a shame,,,,