Catalytic converter removal - the easy way

Today i decided to go deal with some AWD subaru i had bought. i got the rad, alternator, etc out pretty easily. but then there's the catalytic converter. i got this sucker out without jacking the car up, without cutting or torching, without breaking a sweat, in about 90 seconds. how? i bought a tow-rope, with a loop on the end, not the hook, and looped it around the pipe between the downpipe flange and the cat, and tightened it. i put the other loop around the hitch on my bumper, and floored it. without any noticable shock to my truck, i snapped the clean, un-rusted exhaust pipe in half. i backed up, loosened the loop, and put it on the other side of the cat. once again i floored it, and it snapped the bolts off the nearest flange, ripped a hanger, and came right out. i paid $30 for the rope at princess automotive near toronto, best $30 i ever spent. a lot cheaper than a torch

If you decide to try this, make sure you buy one that looks like this

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/prod...Recovery-Strap

they come in different thicknesses, from 1 inch all the way to 6. dont buy the 1 inch, it will not last long at all, as every time you rip a cat off, it gets slightly frayed. when mine gives out, ill be buying a 3 inch

Just be careful something doesn't come flying through your truck's back window. Recovery straps were not designed for sudden shock force.

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Just be careful something doesn't come flying through your truck's back window. Recovery straps were not designed for sudden shock force.

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Mick is right, those things stretch and some times when they let go, things go flying.

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Originally Posted by Mechanic688

Mick is right, those things stretch and some times when they let go, things go flying.

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I think I will just watch the Youtube video from the safety of my office chair.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...50/popcorn.gif

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Originally Posted by Mick

Just be careful something doesn't come flying through your truck's back window. Recovery straps were not designed for sudden shock force.

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Exactly right. We had a man here that got killed doing something very similar to this. I won't be using this particular suggestion.

Be carefull not to break the converter into peices internally, this will effect the value alot. Subaru's often have 2 cats somtimes 3. Many different pricing on these suckers some call each mini foriegn or "kidneys". Good luck

ah, well i guess it wasnt a secret, more of a dumb idea. i got $100 for the two cats though! not too shabby. it didnt seem all that voilent coming off either, nothing went flying

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Originally Posted by MBMetals

Be carefull not to break the converter into peices internally, this will effect the value alot. Subaru's often have 2 cats somtimes 3. Many different pricing on these suckers some call each mini foriegn or "kidneys". Good luck

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How is value affected? Aren't cats decanned and the comb pulverized to begin the recovery process?

That's my understanding of how it's done. I thought the point was you wouldn't want to break it up and potentially lose PMs.

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Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

How is value affected? Aren't cats decanned and the comb pulverized to begin the recovery process?

That's my understanding of how it's done. I thought the point was you wouldn't want to break it up and potentially lose PMs.

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Buyers will somtime grade the cat as 3/4's or half and pay you accordingly if they think peices are missing.

I see. Well so far I've been careful in cutting them off and not throwing them around.

i posted this a few weeks ago but here it is again if anyone missed it , we use our bobcat most of the time, or sometimes we stop the car halfway up the trailer with one set of tires on the ground and the other on the trailer and crawl under, both of these ways are way safer than a jack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sTRGxg55c4

Yeah that was a dumb idea.I am also suprised that the cat came off that easy.I have seen big loaders have trouble breaking them off sometimes.

Sorry to bring back an older post... But each time I need to remove one, I go to the local autozone and use their loan-a-tool program. Pay $50 for a "tailpipe cutter", drop the cat in 1-2 minutes, then return the tool for a full refund. Its just a chain with cutting wheels in it and 2 handels to squeeze. Very easy to use, and works great in areas where you wouldnt have the room for a saw blade to be moving back and forth.

Wih as often as I rent these, I should really just break down and buy one seeing as ill start saving in gas. But its just been to easy to just go pick it up and have such a great tool to use for free. There was only one time they gave me one that was a little older, and it took a bit longer to cut, but every other time they have given me a lightly used, if not brand new one, which slices the pipe like butter. I wouldnt mess with exhaust systems without one.

I roll my cars over, either with the skid steer or if it's off at a job site I use a truck and chain to roll it over. Plenty of room to work on it then, using a 9" 14 tpi blade.

Craig why play it so safe and simple?

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Originally Posted by injunjoe

Craig why play it so safe and simple?

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Well beyond scrapping, I also do exhaust work in my spare time to make a little extra money. Any time I would need to put in a new piece of pipe I would use it. Not only does it cut through it quickly and easily, but it also leaves a nice edge. Very helpful for exhaust repair, not important when scrapping.

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Originally Posted by CraigKapo

Well beyond scrapping, I also do exhaust work in my spare time to make a little extra money. Any time I would need to put in a new piece of pipe I would use it. Not only does it cut through it quickly and easily, but it also leaves a nice edge. Very helpful for exhaust repair, not important when scrapping.

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My comment was actually a complement.

Sorry if I came off as defensive. I just think its a really handy tool. And the loan-a-tool program has bailed my butt out too many times to count.

i would like to see a pic of this tool i like tools :) now for the gas, we got an oil tank from a local equipment rental company this week 250 gallon come on a metal skid with a splill area also, we thinking of cleaning it out real good and keeping more of the gas that we get from the cars we scrap, when we get time, anyway we hoping that will be our free gas of course both my trucks are diesels :)

Imagine it's about like this.

http://di1-4.shoppingshadow.com/imag...ipe+Cutter.jpg

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Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

Just asking is all. I mean its not my Time,Energy or Gas that is being depleted.

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Well all I can say is that time, energy, and gas will no longer be issues for anyone after being killed by a flying cat, which would be the likely outcome of removing them in the fashion originally stated. I just wanted to share a safer method that was still easy and "free".

A flying cat will get you nearly every time. Except this time.

http://learnmyshot.com/photos/043-fl...g-Cat-post.jpg