Cat Theft Deterrent - Skid/Shield Options

I have become more and more paranoid with all of the news of cat thefts. The 4Runner being an easy target, I figured it's time to start doing some research. There are plenty of threads talking about different solutions and options but the information is scattered through pages of information. I am starting this thread to compile all of the skid/shield type options I have come across. There are other options such as cable wrap, alarms, etc. but I wanted to stick to a skid type design. Here is a list of options with a short summary of information and my thoughts. Please let me know if I missed any and please feel free to chime in below with suggestions, opinions, or other.

1. Talons Garage - $345 + shipping
https://www.talonsgarage.com/product-page/2009-2019-toyota-four-runner
They seem to have popped up last year as a response to the current spike in catalytic converter thefts and everyone seems to have taken a liking to them. There are a few posts on other threads commenting on a fitment issue at the cross member but I'm not sure if Talons has addressed this issue. The 1/4" aluminum plate seems to do a good job of restricting access to the cats but they also added small "wings" to close any gaps. Overall, this looks like a good option.

2. RSG Metal Works - $299 + shipping
https://rsgmetalworks.com/collections/5th-gen-4runner/products/cat-skid
RSG makes heavy duty skid plates but this is their dedicated cat protector. It is made of 1/8" steel and is powder-coated black. I have not read of anyone installing this yet and the only images are those from the RSG website. I like the one piece design and the black does not bring any additional attention to the underside of the 4Runner. It fits nicely with the factory stamped metal skid plate (I think better than the Talons Garage skid). My concern are the gaps at the front (between LCA and vertical portion of skid) and at the rear (behind the factory braces). The photos might be deceiving but a reciprocating saw might be able to fit. Being only 1/8" thick, I am also afraid the "wings" can be bent back to give a thief better access.

3. Cat Security - $339 + tax (free shipping)
https://www.getcatsecurity.com/p-catalytic-converter-shield-2010-2022-toyota-4runner-4wd-catscrrun5
This seems to be a popular company among the Tacoma crowd but I haven't seen any photos on the 4Runner (cannot confirm coverage). It is only made of 1/8" aluminum but if the coverage is anything like the Tacoma, the thickness might not be necessary. The Tacoma application requires drilling of the factory cross member but I'm not sure if that is needed for the 4Runner. Would love to learn more about this one, especially more photos.

4. MillerCAT - $??? (free shipping) (I assume $290-$390 depending on material as compared to the Tacoma offering)
https://www.4runners.com/threads/re...c-converter-protection-for-the-4runner.25657/
The MillerCAT Cat Shield is not on the market yet (they are still developing the 4Runner application as seen in the linked thread) but it looks promising. They currently offer two different versions for the Tacoma (14 Ga Aluminum and ?? Ga 304 Stainless Steel). Similarly to the Cat Security shield noted above, the MillerCAT seems to have great coverage on the Tacoma application... maybe even better than the Cat Security shield. I don't have much information but if it costs sub $300 (with free shipping) and has the same great coverage as the Tacoma application, this would be my winner.

5. Trans Skids - Various Skid Companies
There are plenty of aftermarket skid companies that make transmission skids (RCI, Victory, etc) but none seem to provide enough coverage/enclosure for the cats. The CBI rear skid seems to have decent coverage but is very expensive (might be worth it if you need a full set of skids anyway). RCI seems to be a very popular skid plate company and they recently released extensions for their transmission skid to cover the cats but it requires drilling your RCI trans skid to install it. Great option if you are already engrained in the RCI skid ecosystem but the costs add up if you need to buy the trans skid then the cat extensions. All of the other skid companies did not provide the coverage I was looking for to protect the cats (and yes I went through a lot of companies and even made a spreadsheet... maybe I'll make a separate compiled skid plate thread).

That's all I have so far. Will need to pick up a cat shield very soon and I'm hoping MillerCAT releases theirs soon so I can have a full comparison.

 

Thanks for putting this all in one place. I'm leaning towards the RSG model.

 

I have the RSG rear skid with the cat protection. Cant say how well it works/will work and hopefully I'll never find out but it can still be cut, just will be noisier and take longer.

 

That is an interesting photo. Can you confirm if there is enough access to fit a reciprocating saw in that gap? I also expect the exhaust can be cut right behind the cross member?

 

My 2 cents on coverage is this - it's just supposed to be a deterrent, just as the manufacturers say on their websites. With enough time the bad guys can defeat anything. But they're there to grab and go as quickly as possible. These plates are just meant to send them somewhere else.

 

I think I responded to your email earlier today but wanted to pop in here and address it. There have been a few cases where we had a few holes cut a tad off on the 4 runner and the Tacoma plates. In these cases the customer was either able to file down the area slightly for fitment, or we sent them a new plate. I am cutting these on a home but cnc plasma, and we have had to tweak a few things as we have progressed, but we have not had an issue with this recently. With the fitment issues I know of, it is well under 1% of the total plates we have sent out.

99% of the fitment issues we have had other than that above, is when the customer tries to install the plate in the wrong location , which is quickly resolved with a few photos.

 

Since there appears to be a significant appetite for some kind of cat protection, would you consider a group buy discount?

 

True statement. Wife has a 4R but I'm on the Tundra side of the house. Someone posted yesterday that he and 2 buddies all parked their trucks next to each other. He has cat plates, the other 2 do not. Their trucks got hit...the one with plates did not. Like you said, grab and go.

 

We went with a full set of steel CBI skids on our 2020 4Runner. Pretty descent coverage but I will make some additions if necessary.

 

It always pains me to say no, but it is a no. I live by the mentality of keeping my prices as low as I can, instead of inflating them and offering sales all the time. I know my prices are more expensive then other companies that offer shields, but I feel when you consider that my plates are 2x thick, I am really not that much higher after all.

 

Hey, I took a shot

 

I'm not sure if it's possible to cut the cat off without damaging it unless the brace or the skid is cut off 1st.

 

Those braces are hollow so it wouldn't take much to get through them.

 

That's not remotely what he said. He said "his only come in 1/4 aluminum." He did NOT say "his are the only ones that come in 1/4 aluminum." Maybe read more carefully before calling someone a liar.

 

Lol, you do this all the time. Jump on people's asses because you misread something, then you crawfish.

The OP is PJSnow. Show us where he said the Talon is "twice as thick as other aluminum options." Again, all he said is that the Talon "only comes in 1/4" which is absolutely true. He did not say the Talon is the ONLY one that comes in 1/4". Just admit you're wrong.

 

Aaand there's the crawfish, right on time.

You called the man a liar for something he did not say, which you now admit. Now I'm the troll? LMAO.

 

Thought you put me on ignore at 11:39? What a drama queen.

 

Had to double check…thought I was on TW for a minute lmao

 

Time to bring this thread back on track. I wanted to post an update to hopefully help someone else who is looking for cat protectors. Spoiler, my decision may not have been the right one...

I ultimately decided to go with Talons Garage because it's 1/4" aluminum and has good coverage. Living in the northeast, I wanted to stick with aluminum because even painted steel eventually corrodes. I also figured 1/4" material would be slightly more challenging to cut compared to the thin materials of MillerCat and Cat Security. Lastly, I know coverage may not be the most important part but I think it will deter more thieves; hoping more complete coverage will deter someone from even thinking a reciprocating saw could fit (with the RSG, I feel someone can get one end of the cat cut and just leave it hanging which would still result in money out of pocket for repairs). In reality, even if they are able to cut the cat free, they will not be able to extract it with any of the shields I originally posted.

Now for my experience thus far with the Talons Garage cat protector/skid. In short, I should have gone a different route. Here is why:
1. Edges - The entire plate is very rough and unfinished. The edges are razor sharp (to the point I cut myself just trying to get it out of the box). The holes/openings are also very rough and inconsistent. I expect these are cut with a CNC of some sort and thrown straight into the shipping box as you can see from some of the photos below. A deburring or edge sanding would do lots for the finish quality of these.
2. Tears at Bends - There might be a more technical term, but the aluminum appears to be tearing at the bends (see photos below). The two sides (driver and passenger sides) of the plate are bent up to provide coverage for the cats and I expect the aluminum was bent while cold. I know 1/4" aluminum can be bent without tears (see RCI trans skid) and this seems completely unacceptable.
3. Finish - It comes bare aluminum, which shouldn't be an issue for rust, but it looks very unfinished. There is also the potential for galvanic corrosion since the plate is in direct contact with steel (especially where it attaches to the cross member).
4. Cost - I understand the cost of materials is increasing but $345 for a piece of unfinished aluminum with no welds seems outrageous. For comparison, the TRD Pro skid plate can be purchased from a Toyota dealership for less than $300 (with free shipping). The TRD Pro skid plate is also 1/4" thick but it has welds, comes powder coated, and the edges are nicely finished. $380 (with shipping) for the Talon's plate was definitely not worth it.
5. Hardware - And finally, the fasteners it comes with are garbage. I believe they are some sort of stainless steel with hex/allen heads. To start, the allen size is somewhere between a 3/16" and 5mm bit but the online instructions don't specify (did not ship with instructions). I stripped several of the bolts just trying to install the plate. I wound up purchasing a set of hex bit sockets because my allen keys were just too clumsy (highly recommend the Tekton bit sockets: https://www.tekton.com/3-8-inch-drive-hex-bit-socket-set-shb91201). A simple hex head bolt like the factory fasteners would be just fine (I tried reusing the factory hardware but it was too short).

Looking back, I probably should have gone with the RSG cat protector, even though it is steel (the fit and finish from the photos LA260 posted above looks great). Or maybe I should have just put the extra money towards the RCI trans skid and cat guard extensions (but that's a very pricey package for cat protection).
Hoping this feedback helps someone with their decision. Now, some photos:


Although the holes lined up with the factory mounting locations, the slots are off center on the plate (see edge distance differences) and there is an extra (third) slot that is unused.


You can see the rough and inconsistent edges here. These are very sharp, make sure to wear gloves even for unboxing.


These are the tears at the bends. The photos do not give a good perspective, but they are definitely more pronounced in person. Will it impact strength when it needs to act as a skid? I hopefully will not need to find out but maybe this is not the skid for those who rock-crawl their 4Runner.


Another shot of the tears. They extend the full length of the bend on both sides of the cat protector (driver and passenger sides).


And here you can see a stripped allen head bolt (left fastener). Maybe it would have fared better if they were fit to a definitive size allen key. The 3/16" allen had too much play and the 5mm did not fit. Not sure how I'll go about remove these when the time comes.

 

All I can say is WOW! I agree with you. Poor quality finish. I also thought the cost for the "security bolts" seem exorbitant.
Cranking dough, man.
JMO.
Thanks for the detailed review.

 

Oof - that is really bad. I would guess those are water jetted.

Thanks for the heads up, will definitely avoid!

 

The new RCI transmission skid plates come already drilled for their catalytic shield attachments. I just bought and installed on mine and they work great. Satisfied with mine.

 

I actually reached out to RCI to ask if the trans skid came pre drilled for the cat guards but did not receive an answer. Thanks for sharing! If you’re looking for any sort of skid protection along with cat shields, RCI seems to be the way to go. Wish I would have done it from the start.

 

Can you buy just the tranny skid with the cat shield and integrate with OEM "skids"?
Thanks

 

Yes, I have it on with my OEM front skids right now. I did order the RCI front skids and will put those one when they come in but it does work with front OEM too. You will need longer bolts on back of front skids. I used the bolts I took out of back brace and used two of those because RCI sent longer bolts for braces with their skids. It all buttoned up fine and it is a quality product and covers the cats well.

 

Cool.
Thanks

 

I have put a lot of thought into this post over the past week and have been wanting to address it.

First off, PJSnow, like I told you in the PM I sent you, I am sorry you are disappointed in our product.

To the rest of the forum, potential and current customers. We are not trying to lie or deceive anyone with our product. As many of you know, we are a husband-and-wife operation. I started this company a year ago, in my two and a half car garage, with a cnc plasma table I built in our apartment. We have grown and invested heavily in new equipment to make our product better and continue to invest and grow.

Our primary focus is to make a product that functions and fits. Yes, we are trying make it look pretty too, but we know we are not perfect yet. I have designed this plate, to work with the tolerances I can hold on the equipment I have. We are cutting these on a home-built CNC Plasma Table. It works pretty well but is not a million dollar cnc laser like the big boys have. I am in no way trying to hide, deceive or lie to anyone about the limitations we have. The majority of our feedback on the 4 runner forum has been good up until now. If you want a plate that is cosmetically perfect, our product is not for you, and we understand fully.

 

Appreciate the response, Talon2006. You addressed the cosmetic issues, but what about the cracked and stressed areas where the plate is bent? Wouldn't those be a structural issue? And how about the sharp edges? It would help to hear about those two issues as well.

 

I have yet to hear about the other issues as well but I wanted to share something else I found. Apparently, the bends used to have notches cut to relieve the tearing, as can be seen from photos in this thread (photo also uploaded below):
https://www.4runners.com/threads/skid-plate-that-deters-cat-theft.21216/
It appears the design changed as of late, which resulted in the tears. Not sure if this was done to save on costs or if there were strength/structural impacts with the notches. Regardless, the tears are not warranted.

Photo from linked thread:

 

Odd that the only response we've had so far amounts to "nobody's perfect." I was really hoping for a better explanation of the issues you highlighted, since this looked promising.