Ford F-150 Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention? (Must Read)
Catalytic converter thieves inflict pain on their victims.
The truth is the rise in theft is never-ending, especially now that the materials are in short supply, following Russia’s aid cut with other countries.
However, there are ways of preventing your F150 catalytic converter from thieves.
You can prevent your vehicle from being stolen by observing the necessary few instructions. These include: park your car in a well-lit environment, park to block access underneath, mark your cat converter, and use digital anti-theft prevention. The preventive measures are not limited to those mentioned above.
What Is A Catalytic Converter?
A catalytic converter is a device that helps convert toxic or harmful gases to less-toxic substances.
The device is an exhaust emission control device incorporated into a vehicle’s exhaust system and contains a catalyst that aids the redox reaction.
The device is usually used with internal combustion engines powered by gasoline or diesel.
The catalytic converter was first renowned in the U.S. automobile market. In trying to reduce the excessive emissions of toxic gases into the atmosphere, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency imposed strict regulations on exhaust emissions.
To this end, in compliance with the strict regulation, almost all gasoline-fueled vehicles beginning with the 1975 model year are featured with a catalytic converter.
These catalytic converters are of types – the one-way, two-way, and three-way converters.
They form the combination of oxygen, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons ( Unburned H.C.) to have carbon(iv)oxide and water (H2O).
They revered the two-way catalytic converter until 1981 when the three-way catalytic converters overthrew them.
One of the major advantages of the three-way converters over the two-way is reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx): where x = any number.
Notwithstanding, you can still find the two-way in use for lean-burn engines. The three stand out because it requires quite a stoichiometric combustion to reduce the nitrogen oxides.
The application areas of catalytic converters aren’t limited to automobiles’ exhaust systems but are used on motorcycles, ships, locomotives, trucks, and buses.
You can also apply them to electrical generators and forklifts. It might interest you to know that the catalytic converter is applied on some wood stoves to regulate emissions.
Why Do Thieves Steal Catalytic Converters?
Because of the material used and the external location of the catalytic converter, thieves make it their target.
The converter is made of valuable metals like palladium, platinum, and rhodium.
This theft is more common in vehicles with tall tires, whose undersides stay far off the ground, like SUVs and trucks.
As the price of these valuable precious metals increases, we predict the increase in catalytic converter theft cases.
Especially now that most countries have cut ties with Russia for invading Ukraine.
Unfortunately, Russia is the largest exporter of one of the metals – Palladium, used in making the catalytic converter.
The rise in the price of metals in the United States of America gave rise to catalytic converter theft.
Catalytic converter thieves were even more interested in the vehicle models older than the 2019 model year because they had the real form of the metals than the newer models that have trimmed metals.
Catalytic converters cost no less than $1000 to repair, and that’s quite an amount for an average citizen in terms of wealth.
The urge also occasions catalytic converter theft for use in drug production – this trend emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2021.
It explains why the number of catalytic converters stolen continues to rise to own to the alternative reason.
What Is A F150 Catalytic Converter Worth?
The F150 model years below 2019 contain real precious metals embedded inside your F150 converter.
You can find a ceramic element covered with these metals inside the converter. And as earlier mentioned, these metals are worth quite an amount of money.
Replacing your catalytic converter won’t cost you less than $1000, and the thieves being fully aware of the high cost of these metals, remain determined to enrich themselves by stealing to sell.
You can make around $600 by selling the converter on the black market.
How Do I Protect My Catalytic Converter Ford F-150 From Theft?
Generally, thieves have proven to have innovative ideas for stealing. When owners devise ways of protecting their property, thieves devise new means of stealing it.
Catalytic converter protection is one of the difficult tasks thieves assign to car owners.
There might be no sure way of protecting your Ford F-150 cat converter from thieves, but there are ways to minimize theft issues.
Some of these ways include the following:
#1. Prevent Access Underneath
Always park your car such that the space underneath won’t be accessible.
The catalytic converter is located under your vehicle, so no one would steal it if there was no or little space underneath since they can only access the car when there’s space to enter.
#2. Mark Your Catalytic Converter With A Serial Number
When your catalytic converter carries a serial number, you can have something to say when to the police in case of a theft situation.
Of course, if there’s no inscription on your catalytic converter, there won’t be any way of Identifying it – you can’t just look at a cat converter and claim it’s yours.
However, you can contact a garage to etch a serial number on your cat converter – Toyota has a standard way of carving its vehicle’s cat converter.
Most garages etch the catalytic converter with a serial number. When thieves realize that your catalytic converter is etched and can implicate them, they avoid yours and get another target.
#3. Make A Transmission Skid Plate
Most vehicle owners buy ready-made or pay for the production of a transmission skid plate, which, when covered, protects the catalytic converter as well.
A single plate protects either equipment – this way, even if the thief insists on losing or breaking the transmission skid plate to reach the cat converter, he might be caught in the long process. Know more about Ford Exashust break.
This feature also signals thieves away since they know how dangerous it could be for them to waste time on a heist.
#4. Ask A Garage To Weld The Bolts Shut
Make your converter almost impossible to detach. Ask a garage to weld your bolts shut. If the bolts hold that strong, thieves will have to break them to access the converter.
#5. Install Security Cameras
The best way to always have your eyes on your vehicle is by keeping a close look at them. The security cameras can help get whoever stole your converter, and prosecution will ensue.
In addition, security cameras get you a clip-on of almost everything that must have transpired.
#6. Park In Areas That Are Lit
When you park your Ford F-250 in areas where you can see them, it is safer. Therefore, always park your car in well-lit areas, where the thief will be scared to carry because of the area.
Most things thieves do not steal in the open.
#7. Install Alarm system
Install alarms for your vehicle – the moment someone touches your car, the sound voices out, and from here, the thief goes to flight.
The alarm system has worked in many different niches and has worked perfectly.
#8. Automakers Should Use an Alternative Way
Automakers should debunk the precious metals for other elements, which will serve the purpose very well without complications.
Toyota has already begun, and many other trends – Ford F150 should follow suit.
What Is The Best Catalytic Converter Anti-theft Device?
When it comes to choosing the best, it always depends on the user – what’s best for me could just be good for you.
However, a review shows that there could be a best catalytic converter anti-theft device from which I shall give you the two best.
#1. Cap City Muffler Cat Security Cat Shield
The Cap City Muffler Cat Security Cat Shield is one of the best cat protectors.
Unfortunately, it’s made of Aluminum, and its car compatibility list doesn’t enlist Ford F150 but Nissan NV 200, Sequoia, Tacoma, Prius, Tundra, and Element. Click here to get one on Amazon.
#2. MILLERCAT Cat Shield
This catalytic converter shield is considered the second-best, according to the review by antitheftboss.com. This brand is also of Aluminum and stainless steel.
Did you notice that both catalytic converter shields mentioned above do not enlist Ford?
The best shield for Ford F150 is The F-150 transmission off-road skid and catalytic converter anti-theft plate. It is also made of Aluminum.
The best devices to protect catalytic converters are not limited to those mentioned above, but the mentioned stand out.
Other car brands like Toyota do not need them since they have made provisions for theirs.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft, I put a shield on my 2021 F-150
Final Thoughts
Since Catalytic converter thieves are very much aware of the value of the precious metals housed in the cat converter and have thrown a challenge to automakers, automakers have accepted the challenge.
They’re hell-bent on devising ways for catalytic converter protection. And so it is with their customers – car owners who follow the necessary instructions will secure their vehicles’ cat converter.
