> >>
> >> SMS wrote:
> >> > I got a call on Wednesday night from a friend the next street over who
> >> > had the catalytic converter stolen off his 4-Runner during the night. > >> >
> >> > Searching on-line, I learned that Toyota trucks/SUVs are a prime target
> >> > for catalytic converter thieves because of the high clearance and the
> >> > ease of unbolting it or cutting the pipe.
> >> >
> >> > I've been looking at the various theft protection devices:
> >> >
> >> > "
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"> >> > "
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"> >> > "
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"> >> >
> >> > I'm thinking of just making my own with 5/16" wire rope since all of the
> >> > commercial ones use wire rope too.
> >> >
> >> > Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't see why a few turns of the wire
> >> > rope on the pipe going into each side of the converter, and then
> >> > cross-pattern spiral wrapping of the converter with the cable, then
> >> > running the cable through frame members one each end would not be as
> >> > good as the "cage" of horizontal cables used by the catclamp. I went
> >> > under the vehicle and tried it with rope today to see how much cable I'd
> >> > need. and it looks like about 20' would do it. I might also use some
> >> > steel cable ties to tie the cable together where it crosses. > >> >
> >> > "
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"> >> > I'd use these bolted "swages" but I can route the cable so these are not> >> > reachable to undo them with wrenches.> >> >
> >> > Any suggestions.
>
> >> Just put a car alarm sensor on it, near it, around it. I'm sure in the
> >> future the manufacturer will add a tamper alarm to the car alarm system.
> >Car alarms only make thieves work faster: they don't prevent
> >thefts.
> Or make them casually disable the alarm.
>
> However, I have had an imobilizer prevent a theft. The thief was
> working in the middle of the night and would have had the car in
> mexico before I woke up. Instead, the thief did $1500 worth of damage
> trying to disable the imobilizer system and gave up.
I hope the damage was insured. :-) Dogs probably make the best anti-theft devices for cars, but I suppose most people on the planet can't have dogs guarding their cars.
I sleep in my car at night. Anyone who steals the Tahoe also steals me.