My exhaust is just rusting apart. My driver side cat is rattling like crazy at 2000 rpm and some other part has just rusted off (in pic)
My question is that is there any way to fix the rattling cat converter? or am i gonna need a whole new setup from the headers back?

My catalytic converter rattled in another car of mine. This first thing I have to ask you is, has your truck had any emmision problems in the past? for example a failure of an 02 sensor or mass air flow sensor? Or does your truck sometimes smell or in the past smell like rotton eggs or a sulfur type smell? My car had these emmision problems which made the catalytic converter heat up to very high temp and caused the honeycomb type filter in there to give away and break apart, hense the rattling sound. I was told after an inspection that it needed to be replaced and it was very expensive. The job at the dealer was nearly $1600 parts and labour....I was lucky the warranty covered the problem up to 190,000 kms
(VW's good service).
You have 2 options go for the dealer part for a longer lasting catalytic with a new parts warranty or go for a cheap aftermarket one which may last you 5 years. Ask yourself how long do you plan o keeping your vehicle..?

Hope this helps..Sorry for all the writing...

If you have the money, now is the time to go headers to tail. Don't mess around with it. If the cat is going and starts to clog, you will start losing power and heating up. It looks like it is just your heat shield but if this is any indication, replace it. The feds say you have to wait until the 40k mark to replace stuff just to replace it. If you are over that, may as well swap it. Headers, cat, and muffler...with 2.25 - 2.5" pipe should be a nice feel in the rump when you hit the go pedal.

this might not be obvious to everyone else, but look on that second picture. you see that ring just sitting there. it rusted off and it is what is rattling. cut it off, then see where you stand.

unless you have an exhaust leak or you have lost power due to a clogged cat i wouldnt really replace anything.

I dont think the cat is going on the inside. It is just the heat shield on the outside. I got under the car today and checked it out and becuase of where the heatsheild has rusted it can vibrate now. Is this heat shield removable? or is that a bad idea?

How about putting some kind of metal tie around it to just hold the 2 halves tightly together?

I had the same problem dude, I took off the heat shield and all is well now, 10 minutes of cutting rusted bolts and metal and it sounds great now. Chop away my friend....chop away.

we are both talking about the CAT right? not the headers....

I haven't touched my manifold, if those are vibrating just tighten them up(when the engine is cool!!!) I wouldn't take them off unless you're putting headers on it, lots of wires to melt....