Protecting the cats

boxster

Well-known member
Jun 1, 2009
443
88
Fallbrook Ca.
Turning the ignition on the D1 this morning revealed the obvious - one of the cats was stolen.
I've seen a post on welding rebar to the cats/downpipes; is there a more-elegant solution?
A custom muffler shop should be able to fab up a security bracket or brace to keep the bad guys away.
 

Jimmy

Well-known member
Apr 10, 2006
740
64
Aurora, CO
I used to recommend the Rockware cat skid, but at least one person has had their cats stolen even with that installed. That had to have been one determined thief to work around the skid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: p m

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,617
838
58
La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
I used to recommend the Rockware cat skid, but at least one person has had their cats stolen even with that installed. That had to have been one determined thief to work around the skid.
I didn't know Matt made cat skids. Probably unobtanium now.
That was the first thought that crossed my mind - bolt in front to the sway bar brackets, and in the back - to the frame somewhere.

That, and on top of it, an IR motion sensor triggering a series of pulses of an ignition coil with high-voltage terminal grounded to pavement...
 

Toran

Well-known member
Feb 3, 2017
416
48
Ohio
"That, and on top of it, an IR motion sensor triggering a series of pulses of an ignition coil with high-voltage terminal grounded to pavement..."

Can it really be done?
 

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
The most effective solution is to cut them off yourself and replace with aftermarket. The aftermarket ones are basically worthless for scrap.
 

robbyb20

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2019
227
34
Seattle
This is something im worried about living in Seattle. I am throwing a P0430 and I dont want to spend money on a new catalytic converter if a shiny new one is just going to get stolen anyways. My old rusty one looks worthless and i like it that way., but I also like making sure everything is in working order.

Are the cheap aftermarket cats really that bad?
 

MM3846

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2014
1,221
161
LI, NY
I've never had a problem passing emissions tests in NY with aftermarket "high flow" cats. Both sniff tests and OBDII ones. They look like resonators, not cats.
2230125.jpg



You won't be able to use these in CA though bc they aren't CARB approved.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JUKE179r

jymmiejamz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2004
6,008
361
35
Los Angeles, Ca
I think the people stealing cats from land rovers know the difference and specifically target Land Rovers. I got $1800 for the converters on my wife’s D1 and replacements were $550. They would have to be stolen several times for me to lose any money on the deal.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: Jimmy and Blueboy

Blueboy

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,205
459
Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
I've never had a problem passing emissions tests in NY with aftermarket "high flow" cats. Both sniff tests and OBDII ones. They look like resonators, not cats.
2230125.jpg



You won't be able to use these in CA though bc they aren't CARB approved.
Good info. Very glad do not have to worry about emissions testing in my rural area.
 

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,043
856
AZ
Both cats were stolen off my daughter's Tacoma last Christmas eve. The solutions I researched then included welding a rebar or cold-rolled steel cage around the cat, or even welding steel straight to the in & out flow piping adjacent to the cats. The idea is that the piece of shit crack head thief will have to cut through at least one or two or more pieces of the heavier steel to either physically access, or physically sever the connections and remove the cat. This will take much longer and may also require a blade change during the thievery process. In most stock configurations, the piece of shit crack head thief can have a cat out in under 30 seconds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blueboy and p m

Flyfish

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2004
1,402
212
52
St. Louis
Just something I saw while researching the same topic. Also, some paint them bright orange etc which may turn some thieves away.

 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
I think the people stealing cats from land rovers know the difference and specifically target Land Rovers. I got $1800 for the converters on my wife’s D1 and replacements were $550. They would have to be stolen several times for me to lose any money on the deal.
Yeah I agree. I go see some shady dude that we usually meet in a grocery store parking lot. This guy showed me pictures of his shop. It looks like he uses a press to push the shit right out of the converter body into a big drum. I think he gets close to 100 grand for one of those drums. I always have a little paper work to prove why I have them. The guy told me he likes dealing with us cause he meets some shady dudes. I bet he does.

This problem will go away when the scrap prices go back down. The only thing you can do is keep it parked someplace safe. It's too easy to just crawl under these trucks. And on top of that I'm pretty sure these are the most valuable to scrappers.
 

bri

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
6,178
152
US
I didn't know Matt made cat skids. Probably unobtanium now.
That was the first thought that crossed my mind - bolt in front to the sway bar brackets, and in the back - to the frame somewhere.

That, and on top of it, an IR motion sensor triggering a series of pulses of an ignition coil with high-voltage terminal grounded to pavement...
Last I talked to him, he is no longer making anything for LR.
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,617
838
58
La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
Bought some 12-gauge steel and cut-off disks for an angle grinder from IMS, spent some quality time last weekend. It will not deter a determined thief, but an opportunist might decide it not worth making too much racket.
Of course the one in front is too close to the driveshaft, so I learned just how much noise a piece of flat steel may make while self-clearancing.
 

Attachments

  • front_pass_01.jpg
    front_pass_01.jpg
    119.5 KB · Views: 56
  • rear_pass_01.jpg
    rear_pass_01.jpg
    175.6 KB · Views: 53