******** hit Toyota Cat. converters

[Eagle Eye]

Beware and be aware!
We had our catalitic converter cut out of our 4-runner and a neighbor had the same on his Toyota pickup.
Seems they are an easy access mark for druggys to steal and sell.
What a total bummer! The cars were in a gated/locked lot also.
Anybody else run into this....
How do we keep it from happening when we get them replaced?

[Hogmaster]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

Beware and be aware!
We had our catalitic converter cut out of our 4-runner and a neighbor had the same on his Toyota pickup.
Seems they are an easy access mark for druggys to steal and sell.
What a total bummer! The cars were in a gated/locked lot also.
Anybody else run into this....
How do we keep it from happening when we get them replaced?

Bummer!

Midas and some of the other shops are doing two things. One is to weld them, instead of bolting them on. The other thing is they are scribing the VIN on the Cat so that if it does get taken they can be traced.

[Stowaway]

Google is your friend. Search Catclamp.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Originally Posted by Hogmaster

Bummer!

Midas and some of the other shops are doing two things. One is to weld them, instead of bolting them on. The other thing is they are scribing the VIN on the Cat so that if it does get taken they can be traced.

Yep. Weld and scrib. Sometimes even that is not enough for the desperate.

[fishin' is livin']

Platinum, enough said.

[Eagle Eye]

Sometimes I just feel so out of it.
This is a whole new thing to me.
Am I the only one so naive about all this here?????
Yikes

[adobe wall]

It's common enough that Stephanie Kralevich from Fox 12 actually gave out her phone number here on iFish looking for victims. My thought at the time was that there would be a few guys sawing out their own cat's just for a chance to talk to her

Whenever the tweekers figure out that 2007 and newer semi's have similar devices with core charges that are worth $2000 each, they'll ignore the cars and go after big trucks. And once enough big trucks get hit, the legislature will have to enact some controls over the parasites that are buying stolen catalytic converter.

Until then, weld/scribe and keep an eye on the truck.

regards, aw

[flatlander]

Maybe Tweekers are a positive boost to the muffler industry. I was talking to a couple of guys while they were diving in my trash barrels and they both agreed that they were in the recycle buisness(aluminum & glass) asked me not to crush my cans because they can't put them thru the machine that way. They were eyeballing my Tundra so I told them not to get any crazy ideas. One guy says " junk yards and muffler shops need business too".BTW several of my neighbors put bags of aluminum cans at the street for them a couple of times a week. I think they have a schedule set up so the trash pick-up doesn't hall them away first.

[fishin' is livin']

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

Sometimes I just feel so out of it.
This is a whole new thing to me.
Am I the only one so naive about all this here?????
Yikes

This is odd, but your name is the same as my grandfathers, and your post is beside mine. Creepy

[fyshndad]

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

Yep. Weld and scrib. Sometimes even that is not enough for the desperate.

Wouldn't hurt to weld on a few strips of razor wire so the hands that grab it get something for the effort

[Paddlefish]

Yep, Google: Cat cuff

It's actually a Portland-made product. Price sounds good. Just makes it too time-consuming for the #&*%$ to bother.

My new neighbor warned me that everyone else with a Toyota pickup (like me) in the 'hood has been victimized eventually.

In the process of searching for a potential solution I found absolute horror stories: busy mall parking lots at midday; abrasive saws powered from cigarette lighters so that the crooks don't even need to get out of their cars. (Just pull up alongside, open the door, lean underneath, and cut away. Welded-on fasteners won't help you there.)

Good luck to us all.

[Redbull]

Dad,

Sorry to hear this.

Fortunately, this will die down very soon.

When scrap goes from 550 a ton to 125, with no buyers, the scrap thefts will slow quickly.

Your thief doesn't know they aren't going to get much for it.

Dang it.

[Eagle Eye]

Seems my crook was far from a pro... screwed up all of the tailpipe/muffler/cat. converter/ hangers/ whole works.
All needs to be replaced. Quote from longtime-trusted mechanic.
Origional Toyota parts and labor $2,200
Aftermarket parts and labor $1,200.
What a hassle!

But ya know.
My life is so blessed, that if that's my biggest problem, I don't have any problems.
I've got the money to get it fixed.
My whole family is healthy, doing well, close and current.
My health is pretty good for my age.
I got a wife who loves me
I have great job with a fine company.
I love where I live,
I woke up this morning on this side of the grass and
nothing new hurts.

Carry on!

[hillbillygoat]

Bait and trailcam. ir of course

[choppers]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

Seems my crook was far from a pro... screwed up all of the tailpipe/muffler/cat. converter/ hangers/ whole works.
All needs to be replaced. Quote from longtime-trusted mechanic.
Origional Toyota parts and labor $2,200
Aftermarket parts and labor $1,200.
What a hassle!

But ya know.
My life is so blessed, that if that's my biggest problem, I don't have any problems.
I've got the money to get it fixed.
My whole family is healthy, doing well, close and current.
My health is pretty good for my age.
I got a wife who loves me
I have great job with a fine company.
I love where I live,
I woke up this morning on this side of the grass and
nothing new hurts.

Carry on!

Yes your absolutely right, plus I keep my truck inside my garage.

[attaboy]

Happened to my Tacoma a couple of months ago in a public
shopping center. Mine was covered under my insurance so only
had to pay the $100 deductible vs the $900 quote from the
dealer. Only had to have a police report #. Which only took
a phone call to the police department. They had a lot of
these thefts going recommended the welding on the next one.