Slee Cat Guards (1 Viewer)

[LCH21]

Don't know if this is known, but for those of us that have the Slee skids, Slee has added Cat Guards for the 200 series. They bolt up to the skids.

I just ordered a set.

 

[Millennial]

I spent a solid fifteen seconds contemplating whether or not stray cats nesting in your skid plates was a problem in need of a laser-cut steel solution.

I live a sheltered life.

 

[LCH21]

I spent a solid fifteen seconds contemplating whether or not stray cats nesting in your skid plates was a problem in need of a laser-cut steel solution.

I live a sheltered life.

Well, they keep climbing up there and yowl like crazy whenever I start the car. Good thing is they keep the mice from eating the wires!

 

[BadReligion]

Sad sign of the times when even Slee is making cat guards not to protect against errant rocks but instead tweakers with battery powered sawzalls. Never saw this coming.

 

[bloc]

Never saw this coming.

Nice.

 

[Tex68w]

Sad sign of the times when even Slee is making cat guards not to protect against errant rocks but instead tweakers with battery powered sawzalls. Never saw this coming.

I stopped in at the dealer today to get crush washers for the diffs and t-case and even they had cat guards on the wall in the parts department for 4Runners, Tundras and a few other models. There was an Asian saleswoman showing them to an Asian couple, crazy to think that even your average non-modding consumer is buying these for their boring, average Toyota. Sad times indeed.

 

[FerrisBueller]

Ordered

 

[bloc]

I stopped in at the dealer today to get crush washers for the diffs and t-case and even they had cat guards on the wall in the parts department for 4Runners, Tundras and a few other models. There was an Asian saleswoman showing them to an Asian couple, crazy to think that even your average non-modding consumer is buying these for their boring, average Toyota. Sad times indeed.

I know at least five people with cat guards on their various toyotas, none of which venture out offroad.

 

[Tex68w]

I know at least five people with cat guards on their various toyotas, none of which venture out offroad.

My point was that the issue has become so bad that ordinary, non-enthusiasts are buying them and dealers are selling them as well.

 

[bloc]

My point was that the issue has become so bad that ordinary, non-enthusiasts are buying them and dealers are selling them as well.

Oh yeah I get it. I'd bet the aftermarket for cat protection is a fair amount of money at this point. I installed a guard on someone's prius and the fit & finish was on par with something offered by Slee. For a Prius.. the antithesis to car-culture interests.

All because it's happening often enough that local and national news is writing stories, people are hearing about it happening to their family member or neighbor..

 

[Tex68w]

Oh yeah I get it. I'd bet the aftermarket for cat protection is a fair amount of money at this point. I installed a guard on someone's prius and the fit & finish was on par with something offered by Slee. For a Prius.. the antithesis to car-culture interests.

All because it's happening often enough that local and national news is writing stories, people are hearing about it happening to their family member or neighbor..

Seems Toyota's and Ford's here in Texas are getting hit disproportionally compared to other makes. I have a buddy with a Tacoma ('18) that was hit twice in Kyle (south of Austin) before he wised up and got cat guards. He went so far as to have the cats etched with his VIN. Buddy in Plano (Dallas suburb) had his Tundra ('20) hit and caught them in the act running out in his underwear with a gun and while it stopped the guy in his tracks he had already removed one and was halfway through another thereby having already caused irreparable damage. He had cat guards put on his Tundra and older LX570 ('09) that sits out front after that incident. My BIL had his stolen from his Tundra ('16) in Austin as well and the aftermarket cats they replaced them with have already failed in just over a year.

 

[krice118]

how in the world have they not cracked down on those buying the stolen cats?

 

[BadReligion]

how in the world have they not cracked down on those buying the stolen cats?

I've wondered the same thing. On the surface, you think it would be easy. Just outright ban the recycling of any catalytic converter, unless you give a driver's license, proof of address, and documentation (title, bill of sale, registration) that you own the vehicle.

But I think what happens is the thieves stockpile them, and actually sell them to "cat" wholesalers who then ship truckloads of them to Mexico for refining. At least that is what local LE is saying.

 

[bloc]

I've wondered the same thing. On the surface, you think it would be easy. Just outright ban the recycling of any catalytic converter, unless you give a driver's license, proof of address, and documentation (title, bill of sale, registration) that you own the vehicle.

But I think what happens is the thieves stockpile them, and actually sell them to "cat" wholesalers who then ship truckloads of them to Mexico for refining. At least that is what local LE is saying.

Some are crossing the border but others simply shipped in bulk to states with less regulation.

Those are apparently laundered by processing to remove the guts from the case, grind it down into a powder, and sell that on the open market.

Interesting article on one way it’s happening even in states with decent laws: The Latest Suspect in Oregon’s Catalytic Converter Trafficking? A Former OSU Honor Student Turned DJ. - https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/02/01/the-latest-suspect-in-oregons-catalytic-converter-trafficking-a-former-osu-honor-student-turned-dj/

 

[BadReligion]

Some are crossing the border but others simply shipped in bulk to states with less regulation.

Those are apparently laundered by processing to remove the guts from the case, grind it down into a powder, and sell that on the open market.

Decent article on one way it’s happening even in states with decent laws: The Latest Suspect in Oregon’s Catalytic Converter Trafficking? A Former OSU Honor Student Turned DJ. - https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/02/01/the-latest-suspect-in-oregons-catalytic-converter-trafficking-a-former-osu-honor-student-turned-dj/

That article reads like a sub plot out of Breaking Bad. Makes sense though. Once pulverized into basically raw material, it is almost impossible to track and easy to handle/transport. There are plenty of metal refiners that could care less where it came from, as long as they are not breaking any laws.

 

[LCH21]

That article reads like a sub plot out of Breaking Bad. Makes sense though. Once pulverized into basically raw material, it is almost impossible to track and easy to handle/transport. There are plenty of metal refiners that could care less where it came from, as long as they are not breaking any laws.

Here in California, Governor Dippity Doo signed into law last year that anyone selling a cat for recycling must provide proof of ownership and the recycling company is required to verify that the person selling it is the rightful owner.

A neighbor of mine had his cats stolen right out in front of his house. His Ring camera caught it all. Unfortunately, the camera was too far away to capture the license plate. They do know the crook's truck make and model though. This was two nights ago at 10:45 PM. So much for the new law.

 

[TeCKis300]

It's sad that resources aren't applied to take care of organized crime like this. It really wouldn't be that hard in my mind, and this is surely at the dollar amount where it's more than a minor menace to society. Maybe the insurance companies would be motivated enough?

On a separate through, I wonder how much more heat the combined skids and cat gaurds are trapping.

 

[LCH21]

On a separate through, I wonder how much more heat the combined skids and cat gaurds are trapping.

I have worried about this too. Fortunately, the Slee skids and cat guards are fairly well ventalated. One reason I went with Slee. The new E&E system looks really good too. It's just that aluminum is sticky and I have had bad experiences with that in the past (in an aluminum canoe). Others, that are solid, with no vent cutouts I think would trap more heat. I think that could be a problem in 110 degree rush-hour traffic or slow crawling on a desert single-track.

 

[use2bn83]

It's sad that resources aren't applied to take care of organized crime like this. It really wouldn't be that hard in my mind, and this is surely at the dollar amount where it's more than a minor menace to society. Maybe the insurance companies would be motivated enough?

On a separate through, I wonder how much more heat the combined skids and cat gaurds are trapping.

The additional guards on the Slee skids will not make a detectable difference in retained heat. The concern is deep grass and retaining grass and seed pods. The cats get hot enough to ignite them if conditions are right. It’s nice that the new guards have provisions to see obstruction and to clean it out.

 

[TeCKis300]

The additional guards on the Slee skids will not make a detectable difference in retained heat. The concern is deep grass and retaining grass and seed pods. The cats get hot enough to ignite them if conditions are right. It’s nice that the new guards have provisions to see obstruction and to clean it out.

I respectfully disagree.

When it's possible to boil gas on a rig without skids, even minor changes on a well designed skid will exascerbate the issue.

This has been a problem on the 100-series too. Land Cruiser tend to tuck their drivetrain and gas tanks higher up in the frame with less airflow to manage the trapped heat that then convectively heats the gas tank / fuel. Measuring ambient temp underneath doesn't tell the whole story as there's radiant heat that now bounces off the cat gaurd/skid that surely will impact the fuel tank.

Neither are necessarily to blame, but when combined, can cross the threshold where it's a bigger problem. Hopefully there will be a thread soon that helps point out where we can add heat shield to minimize the issue.