Retrieving bolt inside trunk lid?

[HoosierDaddy]

There isn't a SDIY forum (shouldn't do it yourself) so....

Installing a rear deck spoiler, I lost a bolt inside the trunk lid.

Aside from buying ear plugs and leaving it to rattle forever, what's the best way to retrieve it. I just assume it will rattle; haven't moved the car since the bolt fell in.

I see flexible magnetic tools to retrieve parts for sale but since the trunk lid is steel, I'm not sure those will work because the head will attach to the closest piece of trunk skin. Or is the trunk lid a maze inside with no way to snake the tool thru?

Any suggestions? I mean other than ear plugs or putting the car on a rotisserie.

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[jacknifetoaswan]

I'd get a stronger magnet, like one of the big ones that Harbor Freight sells, take a piece of microfiber cloth, put it against the inside frame of the trunk lid, then put the magnet up to it. The microfiber will assure it doesn't attach to the trunk lid, as well as make sure it doesn't scratch the paint. Move the magnet around until you find the bolt, then slide it to an opening.

JR

 

[x_man586]

I have a lost nut in the same place.

 

[ronemca]

Sometimes you can wrap a weak-ish magnet with cloth and/or tape so that the only attractive surface is on the end.

Another surefire way to deal with it is to get a helper and remove the trunk lid and shake it out. That seems a bit much, but really it's no big deal. Just take your time.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I'd get a stronger magnet, like one of the big ones that Harbor Freight sells, take a piece of microfiber cloth, put it against the inside frame of the trunk lid, then put the magnet up to it. The microfiber will assure it doesn't attach to the trunk lid, as well as make sure it doesn't scratch the paint. Move the magnet around until you find the bolt, then slide it to an opening.

JR

Sometimes you can wrap a weak-ish magnet with cloth and/or tape so that the only attractive surface is on the end.

Another surefire way to deal with it is to get a helper and remove the trunk lid and shake it out. That seems a bit much, but really it's no big deal. Just take your time.

Will try those.

I used an endoscopic camera to locate them, surprisingly less a foot below the hole. The camera has a magnetic add-on but as expected, it grabs the trunk so hard, I was afraid it might detach from the camera stalk and I'd lose it too. LoL

Since I don't have a HB magnet, I'll modify the "tape a magnet to something" idea first but just attach some sticky tape to a coat hanger and see if I can't get them that way since they are small (10mm head) and don't weigh much.

I'd be worried about removing the trunk and not being able to get all the gaps aligned right again. Maybe that's stupid but considering the factory has such a hard time getting other panels aligned right......

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[yomamma219]

[MENTION=20773]jacknifetoaswan[/MENTION] had the suggestion that immidiately came to my mind. You need a strong enough magnet to "grab" the bolt through the trunk metal but you need a buffer (the microfiber) to allow it to slide and not attached to the trunk itself.

Another significantly more complicated idea I had would be to use a "sink clog remover" (see URL below if you aren't familiar) to simply grab the bolt. This would be trickier since you'd have to roughly locate the bolt inside the trunk lid anyway. If you also picked up a cheap borescope for your phone you could possibly tape that to the "clog remover" so you had visibility when trying to grab the bolt. I think this would be a surgeons preferred method haha.

--Anyone else picturing a even more difficult version of the "claw game" from arcades here?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GrabEas...034872_slid_&dclid=CILZ9PbmwdoCFUQ5TwodTBgP_A

 

[yomamma219]

Sounds like you already have a boroscope so are halfway to being able to play my satanic claw game

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Sounds like you already have a boroscope so are halfway to being able to play my satanic claw game

Actually, I dug out an old magazine from the '70s and ordered a pair of x-ray glasses to see the bolt thru the trunk skin. The ad says it sees thru women's clothes, so I may have to drape a skirt/blouse over the trunk to make it work. Will report back...

 

[yomamma219]

Actually, I dug out an old magazine from the '70s and ordered a pair of x-ray glasses to see the bolt thru the trunk skin. The ad says it sees thru women's clothes, so I may have to drape a skirt/blouse over the trunk to make it work. Will report back...

hahahaha shhhh, you posted your comment about the scope as I was writing mine.

If you ever get bored with those x-ray goggles ill buy em from ya for 10 doll-hairs. :headbonk:

 

[shobbs007]

This worked for me to get the nut, but the washer is still evading me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008Z67LU8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Falk03]

I removed the complete trunk lid from the car (it's only 4 screws) and shook it until the nut turned up :-)

 

[yomamma219]

This worked for me to get the nut, but the washer is still evading me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008Z67LU8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ahhh thats genius! just the the sink unclogger I suggested but with a magnet at the end.

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