Hi,

I tried to fit the MRT brake bracket this evening, "10 minutes installation" the docs say.

However I dropped the bolt which holds the existing assembly on, and it didn't come out of the bottom of the car, I've just spend 2 hours trying to find it!

I now have a car I daren't drive, any suggestions on where and how to recover the nut would be appreciated.

 

Any ideas where it went? - Near to any belts etc?

It is most probably wedged on a suspesion arm or between two non-moving parts.

I would start by cranking the engine over.

Listen for odd noises.

If nothing seems unusual fire her up - but be ready to shut the engine down.

If this seems ok the I would "run the risk".

However, if you hear any untoward sounds then kill the engine immediately and seek professional help.

I have had many any occaision of ermm misplaced parts and have not yet run into any trouble further down the line. Having said that I may have just been lucky. At the end of the day it's your car and are you willing to risk accidentally damaging it?

Personally I would run the risk.

Good luck

(flame suit doned)

 

It's not the fact that the bolt is somewhere in the car that is the worry, it's the fact that the bolt holds on part of the brake assembly that I'm worried about, currently part of the brake unit is not now bolted to anything!

Gre

 

Greg,

take your car to the windmills - they will blow the nut free!!!!

But seriously, which nut (i presume that you mean NUT and not BOLT) did you drop. Can you identify it in the picture at:

 

It's a bolt, nothing to do with the MRT kit at the moment, it's part of the origional bracket that bolts part of the brake assembly to the bulkhead.

Just unscrewed the plastic bottom tray and the bolt isn't in there!

Yep, I tried rocking the car back and forth.

Greg

 

Jack the car up at each side as high as you can to see if will roll off a ledge or whatever??? A long shot I know but you never know......

Otis.

 

Or you could get a hose pipe or pressure washer and blast about the engine? Go steady though 'cos I understand the block has a coating on it so only use cold water.

Otis.

 

Or do both, jack it up and pressure wash it!!!!

Doh!

 

Or try rolling up a piece of paper to nut size and dropping it in the same place to see where it goes.

OK, for all the techies out there its not the same mass and may have slightly different dynamic properties on bounce and rebound, but you should get some idea of the path it follows.

Hope this helps

D

 

I've dropped a nut (oo-er) in similar situations when installing my induction kit.

I found that the offending nut had dropped into all the grease and crud which seems to collect in the guard that sits beneath the engine block.

Have a rummage about in the muck...its probably there.

Ian

 

Nice one D!

** Before trying anything that might damage the engine (cranking etc...) or dislodge and loose the nut (jacking etc) find the most powerful lightsource you can and have another intensive look for the bolt! **

Moray