Yup. This is my experience too.While preparing for our upcoming trip I went and did the unthinkable which was to crawl under the truck to look for anything that might be wrong BEFORE we got to camp. I checked the 5MM bolt tightness and found the passenger side tight but the driver's side had backed out about half!!! I don't know what happened as I tightened them both really good and tight almost to the point of bending the Allen wrench.
So you might want to check the bolts now and then.
BudBuilt CATALYTIC CONVERTER GUARD installation (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chris777
- Start date
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gaijin
GOLD Star
While preparing for our upcoming trip I went and did the unthinkable which was to crawl under the truck to look for anything that might be wrong BEFORE we got to camp. I checked the 5MM bolt tightness and found the passenger side tight but the driver's side had backed out about half!!! I don't know what happened as I tightened them both really good and tight almost to the point of bending the Allen wrench.
So you might want to check the bolts now and then.
Which is why I included Wedge Lock Washers with my upgraded hardware:
HTH
FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
Well I thought about this when I installed them. I double-nutted the two carriage bolts but left the 5mm hex bolts alone. I did this because I thought that anything that bade the bolt head protrude further would make it easier for a thief to get a vice-grip on them to remove them.Which is why I included Wedge Lock Washers with my upgraded hardware:
HTH
Maybe I'll do what I do for my battery terminals and that's set up a calendar reminder every 3 months that says: "Hey check your battery terminals". It'll now say "Hey check your battery terminals AND cat guards".
bloc
SILVER Star
Medium strength thread locker?Well I thought about this when I installed them. I double-nutted the two carriage bolts but left the 5mm hex bolts alone. I did this because I thought that anything that bade the bolt head protrude further would make it easier for a thief to get a vice-grip on them to remove them.
Maybe I'll do what I do for my battery terminals and that's set up a calendar reminder every 3 months that says: "Hey check your battery terminals". It'll now say "Hey check your battery terminals AND cat guards".
FrazzledHunter
SILVER Star
Probably the answer.
If a thief grinds off the head of the single exposed carriage bolt, would the guards just drop free at that point?
Yes - with some heavy wiggling, or after loosening the M8 bolts at the rearmost part of the skidplate, which hold the front ends of the two guards.
The BudBuilt guards will definitely surprise the more "casual" / mall parking lot thief who's trying for a very quick in-and-out. I figure they'll go under the LC, see that they can't get to the cats, and slide back out and move on.
Someone who's got more time / more access to the LC, a grinder, maybe a floor jack, and who's not afraid of making noise and sparks - this might dissuade them, but if they're going to go for it, the guards will just slow them down.
I just finished the remove-retap project on my jammed hex head skidplate bolt from BudBuilt - not sure what happened in the past, but some mechanic / monkey busted off a bolt in there and (no surprise) just left it, so it was a bit of a project. Cleaned it out with a small drill, re-tapped, and used a new M8 x 1.25 bolt, washer and lockwasher. Now both BudBuilt cat guards are on securely, and I can stop worrying everytime my wife takes the LC to the mall or gym.
If anyone cares I can now confirm that one does not, if fact, need to remove the guard to lubricate the forwardmost u-joint (at least with a LockNLube). I did have to remove the plastic splash shield however, which required the removal of the forwardmost mounting bolt of the guard.
I just put my slee system on and while all skids will trap heat, I certainly don’t see the cat guards doing much. Posted in my build thread and the slee cat thread.
While none of us can exactly quantify this, I think the reality is that cat guards of the plate type in general will exacerbate the issue more than most appreciate. They will reflect radiant heat from the cats further increasing temp of the underbody. Measuring air temp doesn't always capture all the heat transfer from convection and radiation. Only way to do that is to directly measure fuel temperature.
We'll find out just how much impact as summer comes along.
I hate to be the debbie downer and leave this without a solution. I don't blame the shields directly as there's a confluence of factors that ultimately cause fuel to boil. Including how people use their cars and where to drive. If one never crawls off-road at elevation, it won't be a problem. I've boiled fuel without any undertray mods. Hopefully I'll have some time to identify where to shield the fuel system to buy more margin against heat transfer, possibly allowing enough to add underbody skids and guards. I'll say I won't install any of these as cooling for towing heavy loads is paramount for my use.
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Im definitely not doing any crawling, but TX is hot. We do have the advantage of humidity though to wick heat a bit better. Unless im confused, the higher density humid air has more thermal capacity.
Im thinking of removing my 2 front air dams. Stupid or smart?
Im already lifted and have skids, so in my mind, creating as much Venturi down there with more flowing beneath is good for everything.
I just installed mine today on a 18' LX and ran into 1 minor issue. On the passenger side on the rear mount I could not get the supplied large fender washer to sit flat because there was a bolt in the way. I ended up loosening the bolt and slid in a smaller stainless fender washer for now to hold it in place. Just wondering what others did or am I alone in this situation. I am debating if I should notch the bigger washer to make space for the bolt. I am probably going to add some lock washers up front soon since none were supplied.
![IMG_3508[1].JPG](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='1440' height='1920' viewBox%3D'0 0 1440 1920'%2F%3E "IMG_3508[1].JPG")
I'm selling a brand-new BudBuilt Catalytic Converter Guard, never installed. Long story short, when I took the guards into the shop to be installed, the mechanic installed a different guard they had on hand for Tundras. Rather than going through the hassle of switching them out, I'm just going to sell these.
The cost was $453.51 shipped.
Selling for $300 OBO + shipping.
The cost was $453.51 shipped.
Selling for $300 OBO + shipping.
Heritage 2020
SILVER Star
If they want your cat, the shields and cables are like “The Club” (old school useless steering wheel locks that were popular in the 80s).
That said, theoretical peace of mind is priceless for the target market.
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chris777
TLCA member #12444
- Thread starter
- #156
Easy to say if You haven’t had your catalytic converters stolen (200s have FOUR of them) from you when you are 2000 miles away from home, and no shop will help you because they are back ordered for 6+ weeks. If THAT ever happens to you, you will do anything you can to cause the criminals to choose your unprotected truck over mine to steal the cats from. I know. The hard way. I think My stainless steel Bud Built cat protectors are better than “the club.” But go ahead and leave them unprotected. Those of us with protection are counting on you guys with your easy pickings. LOL
Don’t forget, LC and Prius are heavily targeted because our Cats have more of the expensive minerals apparently! And since our ride sits high, it is easy pickings. So…i do what i can to minimize the risk.
Heritage 2020
SILVER Star
Chris,
Ouch and sorry about your loss.
I was kidding around after seeing the photo of the stolen cats with the cable guards (which at least allow for air flow). I remember back in the day how popular the Club once was.
Candidly, I wonder how much airflow that solid metal plates allow around the cats. Lots of radiant heat.
chris777
TLCA member #12444
- Thread starter
- #160
All you want to do is make your vehicle less desirable than the others. Thieves give up and move on when the going gets tough. To keep from being caught and mauled by a grizzly on a hike in Alaska, I only have to be faster than you, my hiking buddy, not the bear. I sleep much more easily with my cats protected. I think Bud Built left enough ventilation. I have had them on for a year with no problems.
