Catalytic converter theft prevention

[azgolfrat]

Hello Gents!,
Say, around my town here is AZ, there has been a decent number of catalytic converter thefts. Usually higher off the ground vehicles than my MM.
But... The SW headers I installed include cats, and I would like to make them very difficult to steal.
Any experience or ideas around this?
FYI...still have my old ones.

[blazen71]

If you are that worried, I'd bolt in catless lead pipes. Then bolt the cat pipes back in only if/when you have to go through emmissions/inspection. I do not know how a thief thinks, but if you make it more difficult to remove, thy may cause more damage trying to remove.

[azgolfrat]

Well, the good news is that in the county where the vehicle is registered (Navajo), there are no emissions requirements :-)

[justbob]

Anyone taking the risk of cutting them off surely already knows only certain specific factory ones are worth money. Even the OEM Ford ones aren’t worth much. I believe a few GM ones are amongst the top dollar ones if I recall. Aftermarket forget it.


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[blazen71]

I just scrapped one from a 94 ford e-350 and got $300 for it. The guy said if it would have been the California emissions version it would have been around $900

[justbob]

I just scrapped one from a 94 ford e-350 and got $300 for it. The guy said if it would have been the California emissions version it would have been around $900

Well damn, I eat my words! The local yards here have a price sheet that I saw and I remember nothing over like $80!


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[blazen71]

Most are that cheap. But there are a few versions that are ridiculously priced. The 90's Ford vans and truck, and some imports are worth a lot.

[freakstatus]

I would say the car is too low for the rats to bother… Plus I doubt most of our MM’s would be parked in the typical spots they like


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[azgolfrat]

there is a product out there called the “cat strap”. Its a heat resistant fiber of some type that is very hard to saw zaw through. hard to tell if its effective or not.


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[Agent2006]

Recyclers know the older cats have alot of the precious metal gone by now (out the tailpipe) so they will be worth less.

[Brentster]

Hello Gents!,
Say, around my town here is AZ, there has been a decent number of catalytic converter thefts. Usually higher off the ground vehicles than my MM.
But... The SW headers I installed include cats, and I would like to make them very difficult to steal.
Any experience or ideas around this?
FYI...still have my old ones.

You have Aftermarket Cat Converters, they do not want those! They want the ones off the Prius, because they figure being a Hybrid the precious metals will still be good.

[Agent2006]

Prius converters have more precious metal content because they aren't running as hot as a conventional engine. Prius engines turn on and off alot, its a dirty little engine that runs hard/pollutes when it does run in the name of max mpg.