retrieve dropped 10mm socket under the hood

[tcpoob]

i the unthinkable, the 10mm socket used to work on the battery came loose and i was wearing gloves, didn't get a good grip so it dropped into the bay, on the driver / battery side. i took a flashlight at it and i also have one of those craftsman telescoping magnetic pickup tool. i thought i saw it lodged somewhere deep under a bunch of hoses but the pickup tool can't get at it due to the obstructions. it's getting so cold out and dark so i gave up. i am not even 100% sure as that's a rather small socket but i hope that's it.

any tips tricks hacks to get at the socket bounced and lodged in there? I look on the ground and didn't see it and i thought it didn't fell all the way down to the ground judging by the sound when i lost grip of it. maybe i should try getting at it from underneath the chassis ? it's supposed to be on the driver side lodged under/behind some hoses.

 

[dan0317]

Did it drop on top of the skid plates? I've dropped many thing down in there and they usually end up there. Also have you driven it at all?

 

[eddiebx]

Have you tried going at it with one of these instead of the mag tool? The flexibility might help you get into the spot better than the rigid mag pickup

Good luck dude!

 

[LuckyRunnerLTD]

I second that, check skid plate.

 

[Greydog]

I've even lost a 10mm socket into the radiator shroud, they can bounce off things sometimes.

+1 on check the skid plate. You may be able to eyeball it and get a hand in there depending on where it is. The ears on the outer side of the front skids are somewhat bendable too.

 

[tcpoob]

have you driven it at all?

haven't driven it LOL, was afraid i'll lose that socket forever. but i will have to move it tomorrow to drive kid to school. we are getting some snow tonight, that won't help. will check the skid plate again, didn't think it was there, thought it was lodged higher up beneath/ behind some hoses. might have to take a picture but it's too dark outside and difficult to get a flashlight there and at the same time getting a good shot. thx guys will keep trying ...

 

[having fun]

Pound on the skid and see if you can hear it bouncing in there.

 

[oljedi11950]

If it is skid or not with it off you can at least get up in there better & those are 12mm doh ! I do that all the time but don't have snow on the ground !

 

[Atlanta_man]

sometimes you can get a small camera in places your head and eyes won't go

 

[tcpoob]

located it but can't get it out

gave up today but i did make progress in the dark locating it. I stuck an weakly lighted telescopic inspection mirror down and confirmed what I saw deep in the abyss wedged between what appeared to be hose/pipe and plastic wirenut or something. Took two shots in the dark. My magnetic pickup tool isn't flexible and the head (with magnet) is a bit bigger than the gap between the hoses through which the socket is wedged. You can see the black object in the mirror. Sorry about the poor shot. I'd to zoom it in on the iphone and capture "screen" to show the close-up. Dunno how secure it's but we are getting some 8" to 14" of snow Thu and Fri, schools cancelled kids are happy.

I am thinking maybe I'll take the driver side tire off to try but that requires jacking it up and my floor jack is well hidden behind my other junks in the storage room. Or I can try to pry the hoses open a bit more to extend the magnetic tool. Not in the cold, snow though. sht happens, ah. :frusty:

 

[Atlanta_man]

the law of "you could never do that again if you tried"

 

[mikebontoft]

ah fun. were you ever any good at the "Claw" arcade game?

I once dropped my 10mm socket into a hole in the frame rail below. took me awhile to find that one.

 

[emoore924]

Unless there is risk that it will fall somewhere that it would cause mechanical damage of some sort (jamming in a moving part somehow...), I'd say forget it. They're impossible to grab with a spring claw and how much could a replacement be..., $10 tops? Eventually it will end up on your skid plate. You'll find it next time you change the oil....