CATALYTIC CONVERTER SHIELD FITS 2016 - 2023 TACOMA

They arrived today and I installed them. The install went smoothly without any issues. I was even able to install the Riverside without removing the bracket.

The driverside definitely touches the Cat. There isn't a vibration heard while moving forward, however, while backing up into the driveway there's most definitely an obnoxious vibration coming from the shield. This just isn't acceptable to me and I'm very disappointed. There is plenty of room to bend the shield so it's not touching the Cat. I'm really hoping for a correction/direction from @CaliRaisedLed. I have not installed any additional washers to try and alleviate the noise as of yet.

That said, they do look great installed and will hopefully deter and would be thieves.

 

That's a bit disappointing. I think another problem would be is figuring how many washers it needs to create a large enough gap so it doesn't rattle. I would imagine as the cat gets hot, it would expand and also transmit some of that heat to the shield, somewhat narrowing the gap. Or is it better to eliminate the "additional" washer spacing all together, and just have the cat be in contact with the shield so it can't rattle?

 

1/4" stack of washers made it worse. I'm removing the driver side shield and waiting to hear back from CaliraisedLeds engineering troubleshooting department that I was directed to immediately by CS.

The vibration noise happens initially when driving forward, in reverse, in reverse with wheel turned or not turned. It's too annoying for me, especially on a brand new truck.

 

Sounds like a high temp silicone/nylon washer/gasket might be better to intentionally connect the shield and cat together to eliminate the rattles. Hopefully that will survive the heat and not melt/burn.

 

Not trying to be a smart ass but did you put them between the frame and shield?

 

Quick follow-up on my earlier post... and thanks @MTBTACORN for your feedback as well.

I drove it about 25 miles today - side streets, over a couple of railroad crossings and on the freeway. So far I haven't heard anything. Not sure if that's good or bad.

IMHO the cat should not be touching the shield for a number of reasons I posted earlier. Since others have had mixed results trying to remedy theirs, I think I'll hold off on doing anything for now... if it ain't broke and all.

I think the this should be resolved by @CaliRaisedLed and the resolution should be a replacement shield for the driver's side. It just needs to be reengineered slightly. Adding some additional material so that it can be angled a little further down and away from the cat would seem to be the best way to address it now and going forward.

My biggest concern isn't so much noise (although that would drive me batty), it's overheating the catalytic converter. I had a digital temperature gun but it died a while back. Maybe I'll pick up another one and do a comparison between the shield and the cat itself to see how much heat transfer is going on. Since the passenger side shield isn't touching the cat it would be a good baseline.

 

I did, yes.

 

Good points. I hope they do send everyone a new drivers side one. like you said the solution is a simple design change which I can't figure out why they haven't done that yet.....

 

Thanks for all your posts and write-up. I'm 100% with you, but seeing as how @CaliRaisedLed isn't responding at all to the issues, I'm doubtful that we will be getting any sort of replacement. It does seems like such a simple fix.. add more material and increase the space between the cat.

Question, is the only part of the shield touching the cat the Caliraised emblem section? I was wondering if cutting that section out would be a solution. I know it would create a big open spot and not look good, but it's under the truck.

 

Agreed... I wouldn't hold out hope that they'd fix our issue. Also agree that going forward all they need to do is tweak the design a little.

I can't really tell if the shield is touching other parts of the cat since it's too tight to get a look at it. I just went by feel and the fact that it's clearly touching where the logo is cut out. Hadn't thought about cutting out that area further. I do have a sawzall but other than cutting the random pipe I'm not proficient with it. Might be worth a try I suppose.

 

anyone suggest any other brand of catalytic shields??.....I was going to buy that the CaliRaised led but reading what clearance problems people are having not to mention i found out it dont fit a manual trans......that puts me back to researching....

 

Can anyone without a rattle take a look and see if the Driver side grommet is touching or not touching? After many different configurations with washers, aluminum plate spacer, tightening certain bolts first, etc..., it seems like the issue has more to do with the shield not being secure/solid in place. If you look at my passenger side, the grommet is touching and the shield is solid and doesn't move. My driver side, the grommet isn't touching, and there shield has room to move and vibrate at the grommet area.

@FamousTaco @TRDRed

 

Here's a video:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Bu21gWSE1_E

 

Best example yet of the design flaw. I wished @CaliRaisedLed would see and address this. Thanks for posting the video and pics.

 

I wonder if a larger/taller rubber pad would solve the problem.

 

My rubber grommets didn’t make contact with the frame on either side, and the gap got worse on the driver’s side after adding washers (the shield was pressing against my cat without them). I didn’t even drive it with those gaps though, because I could get the shields to rattle by pounding my hand on the frame not even very hard. So I got some rubber feet for like DVD players, etc… and i stuck a couple on the frame (with a dab of superglue) to make contact with the grommets. No rattles.

 

I think a taller grommet may work. I do think more of a bend would be the best solution as well as what @TRDRed suggested in post #760. I'm waiting to hear back from the engineering dept at CaliRaisedLed. To me this is a design flaw that needs to be addressed.

It's very disappointing to me at this point and I have completely removed the cat shield on the drivers side as the noise is just too much.

 

Lol. I originally thought about jamming a hockey puck in there.

 

The Engineering Dept has reached out and there's a resolution in progress. Hopefully I'll have a fix in a few weeks time.

 

Wow! Did they say anything about what the fix is? Also, how did you contact them? Keep us updated on what they are doing if you don't mind.