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Old 11-17-2020, 09:22 PM   #1
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Stolen catalytic converter

I had a call from the manager of my storage yard this afternoon to let me know that my catalytic converter (along with most of the others on the lot) was stolen sometime in the last week or so. Argh! Fortunately nothing else seems to have been bothered. Replacement looks straightforward enough but it looks like a new converter from Ford for my 2019 F53 is about $1100. Yikes! I see universal models for under $200 and model specific aftermarket in the $4-500 range. Also need the O2 sensor of course. The selection is pretty vast. Has anybody done this repair and able to offer a specific replacement or a good vendor? My insurance deductible is $500 so I’m not sure it’s worth submitting a claim. Police said there have been dozens of reports in the last several weeks. Argh, again!

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Old 11-17-2020, 09:43 PM   #2
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No help for you however this has been going on in Springfield and the area for a couple of years. Mostly churches, and any kind of facility that has vans parked over night. One thief got crushed but unfortunately not the others.

There have been zero arrest in the past two years and apparently the recycle centers buy the scrap without questions some where.

Very aggravating and sorry about your situation. Of note on many threads you have to have an approved converter for places like CA but not in most states.

Good luck
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Old 11-17-2020, 10:27 PM   #3
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I think that you need to vote with your wallet, and find a different storage facility.
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Old 11-17-2020, 10:39 PM   #4
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Yes. Time to move.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
I think that you need to vote with your wallet, and find a different storage facility.
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Old 11-18-2020, 12:13 AM   #5
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I guess so. Places here are scarce and expensive due to the recent RV sales and rapidly expanding community. My last place was more secure but was just on dirt/mud and when it got up to $290/month I bailed. The current place is locked and gated with a barbed wire topped fence. You’d think it might be ok! There are way more trailers and boats than motorhomes though and my personal guess is that the perpetrator is someone who’s already using the lot. If that’s the case there’s no reason they won’t just steal the new one! We’ve actually been talking about moving and maybe we can find a place where we can keep it at home. SOOOO frustrating!
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Old 11-18-2020, 12:24 AM   #6
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That would suck especially if it is an inside job so to speak. Good luck.
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Old 11-18-2020, 12:35 AM   #7
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Were there any security cameras on-site?
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Old 11-18-2020, 01:34 AM   #8
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Check with the local exhaust shop. They could possibly rebuild/replace with custom aftermarket items creating better flow, sound, power & fuel economy with dual exhaust.
A friend had this happen while staying at a hotel, his dealership billed insurance $4000 to redo the exhaust.
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Old 11-18-2020, 02:06 AM   #9
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What the heck did they build that system out of?
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Old 11-18-2020, 02:25 AM   #10
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I guess so. Places here are scarce and expensive due to the recent RV sales and rapidly expanding community. My last place was more secure but was just on dirt/mud and when it got up to $290/month I bailed. The current place is locked and gated with a barbed wire topped fence. You’d think it might be ok! There are way more trailers and boats than motorhomes though and my personal guess is that the perpetrator is someone who’s already using the lot. If that’s the case there’s no reason they won’t just steal the new one! We’ve actually been talking about moving and maybe we can find a place where we can keep it at home. SOOOO frustrating!
Wow that is sorry that Thugs can actually do something like this and get away with it. Are they able to crawl underneath to take off or did they have to jack it up? Odd no one would see. If they did at night they would need lights and it would strange.

I would not file a Insurance Claim, I have been paying about $350/6 months more on my policy for about 5 years since someone broke into my Navigator and did $1,200 of damage.

We were lucky to get 2 permits to build a storage place at our home. I love it, but for you it may not be as easy, but I bet the RV enjoyment goes up exponentially when you see it everyday.
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Old 11-18-2020, 02:30 AM   #11
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I wonder if you could somehow remove the wheels, and lower the RV down onto some jacks... MUCH closer to the ground?
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Old 11-18-2020, 02:52 AM   #12
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Until seeing that 290 a month I had forgotten how expensive storage is.
We landed here in Williams Arizona because they wanted $1,100 a month for an rv space for the summer.
We bought a house instead.

The sister in law wound up in springerville because they wanted $300 a month to store her trailer there, where they deer/elk hunt.
She bought an acre with a 50x110 barn on it for $30,000 and parks the trailer inside.

I would FREAK THE HELL OUT at $300 a month for storage.

I think I'd try a Craigslist adv:
Wanted, rv parking at your house, must include a trickle of electricity. will pay $100 monthly, six months in advance.
It would be nice to get a bite from a nice older couple who are usually at home. It has to be safer than what I'm reading about storage facilities.
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Old 11-18-2020, 02:56 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
I wonder if you could somehow remove the wheels, and lower the RV down onto some jacks... MUCH closer to the ground?


That would work but...wow! It’s actually pretty interesting. No need to jack anything and I’d guess the whole theft didn’t take more than about 2 minutes. Nice clean cuts to straight exhaust pipe on either end of the converter. A good battery powered saw and your done. I don’t see any good way to keep it from happening again if the guy comes back!
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Old 11-18-2020, 03:46 AM   #14
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Paying for storage is a non-starter for me. So much money out of pocket that you will never recoup. Add to that, the hassle of repairing the stuff dirt bags tear up. So glad I live on a ranch and have plenty of space to park my rig.
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Old 11-18-2020, 05:06 AM   #15
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On some forum somewhere I saw a pic of a rebar cage that someone welded over their convertor. That'll stop them.
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Old 11-18-2020, 05:38 PM   #16
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On some forum somewhere I saw a pic of a rebar cage that someone welded over their convertor. That'll stop them.
I saw that and thought it ingenious
But
The ire fired by being outsmarted(when you're likely not smart to begin with) would be taken out on brake lines and fuel Iines and wiring and anything else the addicts battery-powered-saw could reach in a minute under that rv having the cage over the targeted cat.

When you're doing that sort of thing out of a self induced neccesity, not as a hunger situation, I bet you get easily inflamed and tangently do a LOT of damage to
'show this smart-ass with the cage'.

Take a thorforum look back a month or so to the guy who posted the traffic video of who he thought had wronged him in traffic.
Think how people react when they are foiled....

a proximity alarm dedicated to the under side, or a ground fault alarm is maybe the answer to scare them away.
Both are pretty cheap. I'm not sure you wouldn't get your windshield punched out for it....

Punchline:
A targeted theft is far better than rampage damage.

p. s.
Building that cage would cost $400 compared to a $400 converter.
A 1:1 bet on a 2,000,000:1 odds.
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Old 11-18-2020, 06:07 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
I saw that and thought it ingenious
But
The ire fired by being outsmarted(when you're likely not smart to begin with) would be taken out on brake lines and fuel Iines and wiring and anything else the addicts battery saw could reach in a minute under that rv having the cage over the targeted cat.

When you're doing that sort of thing out of a self induced neccesity, not as a hunger situation, I bet you get easily inflamed and tangently do a LOT of damage to
'show this smart-ass with the cage'.

Take a thorforum look back a month or so to the guy who posted the traffic video of who he thought had wronged him in traffic.
Think how people react when they are foiled....

a proximity alarm dedicated to the under side, or a ground fault alarm is maybe the answer to scare them away.
Both are pretty cheap. I'm not sure you wouldn't get your windshield punched out for it....

Punchline:
A targeted theft is far better than rampage damage.

p. s.
Building that cage would cost $400 compared to a $400 converter.
A 1:1 bet on a 2,000,000:1 odds.
Unfortunately in todays world I think you are 100% right
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Old 11-18-2020, 06:45 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lwmcguire View Post
Unfortunately in todays world I think you are 100% right
X2; but I say the Duck is 1 right to be a smart ass foiler
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Old 11-18-2020, 06:56 PM   #19
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Unfortunately in todays world I think you are 100% right
Would you suggest that we simply tape a sawbuck to the converter when storing it, and leave a note: "Take the bill, and leave the hardware: Thanks!"?
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Old 11-18-2020, 07:52 PM   #20
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Follow up....I talked to my local Ford parts guy and his “discounted” price for a new converter is $1645 plus $41 for the O2 sensor. But both are on indefinite back order anyway. I stopped by a local exhaust and muffler store and the gent there said he could fix me up for $400-500 using a universal converter and a new sensor. Since mine was cut aft of the flange connecting it to the header or downpipe they can just weld the old flange on to the new converter and the back side is just ordinary pipe. I think I’m lucky they cut it where they did and made such a neat job of it. If I try to put a cage on the new one they’d just cut it farther out and maybe make more trouble for the future. Maybe I’ll mark the new one with “cut here” instructions for the next time!! My search for a new storage place has not yet been successful. It seems the city has banned new storage lots for boats and RVs. Argh! I’ll have to range farther out. Which might carry its own risks. Still it could have been worse! Now I get to drive across town with an open exhaust. That should be ....fun!
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