https://www.catstrap.net/

Has anyone used the cat straps as opposed to the shields to protect their catalytic converters from theft? What do you think about them?

I prefer keeping a "gat strapped"

On a serious note, it looks good in principle, but it looks like they are using steel zip-ties essentially to hold it onto the exhaust. Seems to me those would be very easy to cut.

I was told that it was glued to the exhaust pipe and the catalytic converter using epoxy.

Shield

Cat strap would be better and much cheaper if it was bare wire rope with simple exhaust clamps.

I had cat collars installed. Stainless steel cables and steel collars.

Maybe consider those.

Stainless steel cable is hard to cut with a saw blade and can be a ***** with cable cutters, but you can cut through those cables in about 10 seconds each with a cut off wheel.

aggieforester05 said:

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Stainless steel cable is hard to cut with a saw blade and can be a ***** with cable cutters, but you can cut through those cables in about 10 seconds each with a cut off wheel.

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Would that be louder and slower than unbolting a shield with a battery powered driver of some sort?

Louder and slower with a cut off wheel

Exactly.

Wouldn't be any louder than the sawzall it's going to take to cut the cats off.

I also have an Milwaukee M12 cutoff tool that is very quiet. It barely makes any noise when it isn't cutting through something. Much quieter than a grinder with a cutoff wheel or a sawzall for that matter. I cut through a masterlock with it in about 20 seconds.

aggiepaintrain said:

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Shield

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Where could we get a shield for the '05 Tundra?

What a world we're living in.

Wonder if there's enough isolation that you could rig a huge capacitor across the body or frame and the exhaust to pop the fire out of whoever bridges it. Or just an electric fence power supply hooked to the exhaust and turned to high. Not sure how you'd ground it but if you could it would probably get them to move on. Or a paint/uv dye/capsicum grenade anchored above the cat and rigged to go off when the cat is removed from the vehicle, tripwire style

Small metal vial of nitroglycerin. Just enough to blow their arms off at the elbow.

And when you order your Cat Shield, don't forget this important warning!

Quote:

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California Proposition 65 Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.

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aggieforester05 said:

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Stainless steel cable is hard to cut with a saw blade and can be a ***** with cable cutters, but you can cut through those cables in about 10 seconds each with a cut off wheel.

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Same milwaukee blade to cut the cats will cut the bolts holding those rings faster than trying to cut the cables. It's insane what the blades will do now. Last week i was using them on a job site to cut 1/4 steel and even 1/2 steel brackets like it was nothing. They also cut right through 3/4 thick grade 8 bolts like it was nothing. Hopefully it will deter them but if they really want it the right sawzall blade will still get you in the end

What do the joints look like on the stainless cables ? What kind of clamp is on them or how are they terminated ?

JP76 said:

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What do the joints look like on the stainless cables ? What kind of clamp is on them or how are they terminated ?

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If you have a Tundra (main target of thieves), get the Valhalla's Shield plates from Tyler Backes in Spring.

https://valhallasshields.com

You live in Houston so you might as well just slam it.

I've been debating getting some kind of anti theft device on my 2021 Tundra. However, I don't want to get sexually assaulted in the wallet to do it. $500 for a skid plate??? That's outrageous, IMO. I get the cats cost several grand but if you factor in the probability of theft It makes it a hard decision. Unfortunately my truck won't fit in the garage, so I feel my truck is at more risk.

I'm torn.

You can buy them and install yourself. In think they're about $350, they don't look too hard to install.

combat wombat said:

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You can buy them and install yourself. In think they're about $350, they don't look too hard to install.

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If I had a nickel for everytime I've heard or said that...

CStewTAMU said:

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I've been debating getting some kind of anti theft device on my 2021 Tundra. However, I don't want to get sexually assaulted in the wallet to do it. $500 for a skid plate??? That's outrageous, IMO. I get the cats cost several grand but if you factor in the probability of theft It makes it a hard decision. Unfortunately my truck won't fit in the garage, so I feel my truck is at more risk.

I'm torn.

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Torn.

That will be what the thieves do to your cats.

An ounce of prevention…

Look, after what I've been through this week trying to get my cats repaired, pay the $575 it will cost to get those installed.

New cats were $1,100. Thieves damage the computer when they cut through the O2 sensor so I had to get a new computer. That's at least another $1,700. My insurance covers a rent car but it's been a nuisance.

Cromagnum said:

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combat wombat said:

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You can buy them and install yourself. In think they're about $350, they don't look too hard to install.

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If I had a nickel for everytime I've heard or said that...

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Can I get an amen!

One gospel you left out - every time my wife said those things and overruled me. I'd smoke inflation and my net worth would make Oprah turn tricks to catch up.

Edit: I bought the GetCatSecurity plates. Valhalla I wanted but his lead time was 2 months vs 2 weeks. No regrets.

The install looked simple enough but I still had my mechanic do it while in for routine maintenance. He had to buy a drill bit that would safely/easily cut/perforate the truck frame as the instructions said. He does maintenance not mods.

Few things are ever as easy as they claim.

I believe that The Cat brand ones use toggle bolts that go into preexisting holes in the frame.

It depends. I've seen people with older models say there were already holes, but mine didn't and the instructions called for drilling. Mine is a Tundra though so that could very well be a difference as well.

https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/8638d99d-509b-4d37-8d43-6afe0411b56e/downloads/_07-_21%20Tundra%20Insturctions.pdf?ver=1647490251043

combat wombat said:

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Look, after what I've been through this week trying to get my cats repaired, pay the $575 it will cost to get those installed.

New cats were $1,100. Thieves damage the computer when they cut through the O2 sensor so I had to get a new computer. That's at least another $1,700. My insurance covers a rent car but it's been a nuisance.

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Pretty sure you meant to reply to the guy that was worried about spending $500 to avoid thousands of dollars in repairs that might never be needed.

I already have guards on mine.

Yep.

I have been installing Cat Straps for about a month now on many fleet vehicles.

Lots of Chevy Express vans and Amazon Step Vans.

We'll see if they actually work. I like the concept of them, but anything to slow them down, as time is their enemy. Just like wheel locks. Slows them down.

My dealer threw Add-A-Cats on my '22 Tundra as a dealer option for $700. While I could've done it myself and saved $300~350, given that I was buying the truck out right and drove enough beaters in my college years that required costant maintenance I couldn't afford to shop out, I was good with that. Especially considering replacing stolen cats with OEM replacements would've left the truck in the shop for months waiting on parts, I was ok with it.