https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/03/11/catalytic-converter-thefts-are-skyrocketing-hawaii-prompting-new-legislation-action/

Cat clamps seem kind of expensive for older cars

I was thinking about bolting on a steel plate. Some folks are also making cages out of rebar.

What solutions work best and does anybody know shops who are doing this as well?

jokes on them, I don't have catalytic convertors on my Mustang. car runs better without them.  less parts to break, less parts to steal.  makes more power, and sounds better without them, at least on a V8 motor sounds better 

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/03/11/catalytic-converter-thefts-are-skyrocketing-hawaii-prompting-new-legislation-action/

Cat clamps seem kind of expensive for older cars

I was thinking about bolting on a steel plate. Some folks are also making cages out of rebar.

What solutions work best and does anybody know shops who are doing this as well?

one of the robotics teams (i think wahiawa) was making for fourrunners or toyota trucks
i think there's a previous thread that had a shops name in it
try search for "catalytic converter" or something like that

jokes on them, I don't have catalytic convertors on my Mustang. car runs better without them.  less parts to break, less parts to steal.  makes more power, and sounds better without them, at least on a V8 motor sounds better 

climate change.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/03/11/catalytic-converter-thefts-are-skyrocketing-hawaii-prompting-new-legislation-action/

Cat clamps seem kind of expensive for older cars

I was thinking about bolting on a steel plate. Some folks are also making cages out of rebar.

What solutions work best and does anybody know shops who are doing this as well?

It's a tough thing to prevent.  Most deterrence suggestions are to:

1.  Park in well lit areas, and if possible in your driveway or garage.
2.  Paint the converter with high temp bright orange paint to make it more obvious it's from a vehicle that might not belong to the seller.
3.  Etch your VIN into the side of the unit, to assist LE in prosecutions.
4.  Make it harder to remove by welding it to the frame with steel cables.
5.  Enclose in a rebar cage.
6.  Install a steel plate covering it.
7.  You can try calibrating your car's alarm system to increase motion sensitivity if it has such detectors, but then you risk lots of false alarms.
8.  Replace the OEM converter with an aftermarket type that contains less of the valuable substances in it.  Trading-in the OEM converter could likely cover the cost of the new converter PLUS installation.  When thieves recognize these after market converters, they often pass since the money they can make on those isn't worth the time or risk involved.

The best you can do is slow the thieves down enough that they decide to pass on your vehicle and go to another.  That's really the only way to deter theft.  Any determined thief is going to be able to get the converter no matter what you've done to try and prevent it.


A Prius converter can cost up to $3000 or more to replace.  Some of these deterrent measures can run $400-$800 or more, and that's all out of pocket.  If your insurance policy includes full coverage (liability, collision and comprehensive), it probably covers the cost to replace a stolen converter.  If your deductible is $500, it would be cost effective to just let the part get stolen.

My 09 FX50 has 4 converters according to my mechanic friend who had it up on his shop lift to install my tow hitch. Removing a converter other than for testing is illegal.   We all know no one here does anything illegal.

My 09 FX50 has 4 converters according to my mechanic friend who had it up on his shop lift to install my tow hitch. Removing a converter other than for testing is illegal.   We all know no one here does anything illegal.

I suppose one could test it regularly during the year but make sure it's on there for inspection.

Buy an EV.

I suppose one could test it regularly during the year but make sure it's on there for inspection.

Hawaii no mo emissions check so no worries.. Maybe I shud hemo mine and sell um fo buy one gun.  Wait...cancel dat. Fogot nobody hea stay do illegal kine stuff.

Hawaii no mo emissions check so no worries.. Maybe I shud hemo mine and sell um fo buy one gun.  Wait...cancel dat. Fogot nobody hea stay do illegal kine stuff.

exactly.  no smog test, no need cats
but I think they are supposed to do a visual inspection to see if you have cats, but nobody ever does, I don't think it's a box to check off if you have cats or not.  I've been removing the cats off my Mustangs since the 80's
now with the computer controls on the new cars, if you do remove the cats you will get a CEL, unless you are able to retune your computer to shut off the rear O2 sensors. I do that with my tuner.  so now there is nothing to sense that the cats are or are not removing carbon emissions.  i don't even have rear O2 sensors, just a plug where they used to be   

For the last few years, the safety inspection where I take my truck is more thorough than before.

They open the hood to look for .... something.  Modifications?  Termites?

They have me turn the front wheels left and right while they get down and look inside and beneath the wheel wells.  I assume they can see the catalytic converter from at least one of the angles they are looking from.

They measure the tread & check the condition of all 4 tires,

They use a machine to check the direction of my headlights' beams.

They take pics on a tablet of the driver's side door where all the VIN and other info stickers are.

They take pics of the front and rear of the vehicle to include the license plates, stickers, etc.

BTW, there's no late penalty for getting your inspection done after the old one expires -- unless you get a ticket of course. 

BUT,  don't wait to renew your car's registration after it expires unless you want to pay a late fee.

BTW, there's no late penalty for getting your inspection done after the old one expires -- unless you get a ticket of course.

I generally get one free year every four or five years by letting it expire one or two months.
Did push my luck trying to get greedy one year trying to stretch it and got popped. $135 ticket plus safety inspection cost.
Blew all the money I saved.

Anyone know if they are targeting particular vehicles?

For the last few years, the safety inspection where I take my truck is more thorough than before.

They open the hood to look for .... something.  Modifications?  Termites?

They have me turn the front wheels left and right while they get down and look inside and beneath the wheel wells.  I assume they can see the catalytic converter from at least one of the angles they are looking from.

They measure the tread & check the condition of all 4 tires,

They use a machine to check the direction of my headlights' beams.

They take pics on a tablet of the driver's side door where all the VIN and other info stickers are.

They take pics of the front and rear of the vehicle to include the license plates, stickers, etc.

BTW, there's no late penalty for getting your inspection done after the old one expires -- unless you get a ticket of course. 

BUT,  don't wait to renew your car's registration after it expires unless you want to pay a late fee.

You are right. I just got my safety check last week. They did take mug shots of my vehicle from various angles.
I felt like asking them if they needed to take a profile and front shot of my face too. 

I generally get one free year every four or five years by letting it expire one or two months.
Did push my luck trying to get greedy one year trying to stretch it and got popped. $135 ticket plus safety inspection cost.
Blew all the money I saved.

Anyone know if they are targeting particular vehicles?

I thought I was the only person that did that. Pake lyfe!  I have my current car for 4 years now and pushed the reg 4 months to the right.

A friend of mine bought in a 5 year old F350 from CA. Used it on Oahu for 7 years without registering or getting a safety check. Sold it to his friend who did the same thing for four years. Truck then got sold for parts, because you know, that PowerStroke engine no last forever like one Cummins.

The place I get my SC in Hilo only wants to see my insurance card , mileage and registration. Taking pics of front, back and VIN is required.   Back when they had the old system, my next door neighbor would take my paperwork to his shop and come back with my SC.  All he told me was make sure you no put the stickers on reversed.

A friend of mine bought in a 5 year old F350 from CA. Used it on Oahu for 7 years without registering or getting a safety check. Sold it to his friend who did the same thing for four years. Truck then got sold for parts, because you know, that PowerStroke engine no last forever like one Cummins.

The place I get my SC in Hilo only wants to see my insurance card , mileage and registration. Taking pics of front, back and VIN is required.   Back when they had the old system, my next door neighbor would take my paperwork to his shop and come back with my SC.  All he told me was make sure you no put the stickers on reversed.

if you do that with a firearm, LE would raid your house and take everything!

if you do that with a firearm, LE would raid your house and take everything!

Good ting I no mo gun den. 

if you do that with a firearm, LE would raid your house and take everything!

But ....

but ....

but .....

I thought registration prevented and solved crimes??!  Isn't that why they make us register cars, firearms, bikes, pets, etc.?

How can anyone get away with no registration for so long without getting caught?  It totally undermines the supposed benefit of the law.   

How can anyone get away with no registration for so long without getting caught?  It totally undermines the supposed benefit of the law.   

That's what I wondered about. He was a concrete contractor and that was his work truck so he used it every weekday and all over the island.  It had the same CA plates for the 11 years it was on the road.