Catalytic Converter Stolen..Safe to Drive??

[ramhead]

So...if anyone is interested in a workaround to be able to use/have shop use a lift at the appropriate lifting points I'll post my "fix".

I did not want to have to remove the plate again (nor take it off every time I needed a tire rotation) so I used a mini sawzall to cut the plate in the lifting point spot. Not wanting to cut the whole piece that needed to be removed directly out, I cut 2 slots in the plate on either edge of where the lift point spot was. I then bent that "flap" of metal up 90 degrees so it was out of the way but still didn't leave a big gap in the plate up into the cat area. It was a bit of a pain in the azz to do the bending as the plate would flex & move when trying to bend that piece up. To solve that, I had to use blocks of wood between the plate & the frame. It would still flex a bit but it would help.

Bending that flap of metal up would seem to be fairly easy but it was NOT. I had to 1st bend the flap downward a bit (to start a crease) and then up - problem was I was on the ground and trying to push it up and there was nothing to really push against (and the plate would flex up). I wound up using a bottle jack to push the flap into the position needed...there were some issues with that as the bottle jack top would slide off the flap when it got to a certain angle. So I then had to keep changing the angle of the bottle jack relevant to the flap to get the flap into the final position (on both sides of the truck). I also primed all the cut edges/bare metal with a self etching primer and then top coated with some black POR15 I had laying around.

Anyway, my idea worked out and Costco was able to lift the truck for the tire rotation without any further issues. Here are pics of the cut/bent up flap (circled in red) and one showing where I made the cuts (in blue) - I also bent up the rear edge where cut was made to kind of match the contour of the frame because it stuck out and was a catch point/something to slice your hand/arm up on:

 

[irishwake63]

you would think they can develop a new material that does not included precious metals to keep thieves from targeting cat converters.

 

[Darksteel165]

you would think they can develop a new material that does not included precious metals to keep thieves from targeting cat converters.

Why. It's good for the car sale and manufacture business.

 

[RAM_Davis]

That's not going to happen - it's Costco/employees and they're not going to futz with the rules or "book" procedures to please me or anyone else. I get their point - the pads have to be put in the prescribed areas they trained their tire techs to do so - no deviance. If they moved them further back, etc. they'd risk damage, possible tipping, employee injury, etc. and there is no way they will risk that - it was right on the invoice I got when I left said to the effect "a 3rd party metal skid plate was installed that prevent the specified placement of the lift pads to the frame lifting points - therefore, tire rotation could not be performed and service was refused."

They're also not going to have one of their employees use a floor jack or anything other than what they are directed to use or trained how to do it . A local mechanic would get it done that way I'm sure but as I mentioned...this is a free service to members by a huge, by the book company so I need to alter it if I want the service.

Honestly just want to say it's rather refreshing reading something like this. You could have acted entitled about it, but understand how these businesses work and its good to see you be so respectful.