Size of fixing bolts/nuts on catalytic convertor?

[Alan Andrews]

I have heard of a number of vans where the catalytic convertor has been stolen in the Midlands.....on drives and car parks. The price to replace is over £1000.

They simply roll up next to the van and use a jack to raise the side then crawl underneath. It all takes minutes, and the only way you find out is when you start the engine and it sounds very loud.

Granted that it might be covered on insurance, but I have not checked.

I'm thinking about using shear nuts on the fixings to make removal more difficult.

I might also make up a protective guard to go around the catalytic convertor.

I've heard that some people are even welding up the cat to stop this happening.

Does anyone know the size of the fixing bolts/nuts please?

 

[testpilottimmy]

I wouldn’t bother with sheer nuts, I hear they just cut the cats out.

 

[Alan Andrews]

I wouldn’t bother with sheer nuts, I hear they just cut the cats out.

this was the first thing I asked when I first heard about this. I was told they were unbolting.

But using a battery angle grinder does make sense if they are so quick doing it.

So some form of guard might slow them a bit.

 

[Loz]

They will struggle to steal it from T6 as its right up behind the engine.

 

[Perfectos]

The plastic under trays will make the unwanted visitors look else where & as Loz says hard to get to on a T6 (after removing the under tray)

 

[Ch1pbutty]

this was the first thing I asked when I first heard about this. I was told they were unbolting.

But using a battery angle grinder does make sense if they are so quick doing it.

So some form of guard might slow them a bit.

They are only after the precious metal within the Cat so they don’t care if they damage the bolts etc.
Angle grinder is quicker but more likely to alert attention, but if they turn up in a fake sign written van and look they are supposed to be there chances are that they won’t get challenged! (Unless the Owner comes back)

 

[Alan Andrews]

They are only after the precious metal within the Cat so they don’t care if they damage the bolts etc.
Angle grinder is quicker but more likely to alert attention, but if they turn up in a fake sign written van and look they are supposed to be there chances are that they won’t get challenged! (Unless the Owner comes back)

Coincidentally, I have just read our free weekly newspaper. Article that 3x Honda vehicles had their Cats stolen last weekend. It does appear to be a growing problem.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Coincidentally, I have just read our free weekly newspaper. Article that 3x Honda vehicles had their Cats stolen last weekend. It does appear to be a growing problem.

A work colleague had the cat stolen on his old Lexus 4x4 in London. Higher vehicles are targeted as they can get underneath them easily.

 

[Perfectos]

Scrotes know where a CAT located is on a particular type / model of car, they target certain types because they know access is easy on certain types, that’s why Hondas etc are a favourite as they are low down and relatively easily accessible with an angle grinder. VWs tend to be higher up and close to the engine block.
CAT theft has been going on for as long as CAT‘s have been fitted to vehicles.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Scrotes know where a CAT located is on a particular type / model of car, they target certain types because they know access is easy on certain types, that’s why Hondas etc are a favourite as they are low down and relatively easily accessible with an angle grinder. VWs tend to be higher up and close to the engine block.
CAT theft has been going on for as long as CAT‘s have been fitted to vehicles.

I'd not heard of this until very recently

 

[B J G]

From a recent RAC newsletter

How big of a problem is catalytic converter theft?​

Catalytic converter theft is estimated to cost car insurance customers an average of £1,500 – and that’s before you consider rising premium costs. Worryingly, the crime could also make your car a write off.
Car insurance companies have noticed the growing problem too. In the year starting from March 2020, the price of Rhodium increased by more than 200%. It’s no coincidence that one insurance provider reported a 57% rise in catalytic converter thefts in March 2021, compared with the year before.