Where's this bit go?
Discussion
I was just happily cruising along in the Elise for the first time in a while, and then there was an alarming clunk-rattle-tinkle sort of noise, so clutch-in, off the gas, coast to a halt and park up. I walked back to where I estimated the noise had happened, and found this:
It was warm enough that it either came off my car, or the car before me and I just ran it over (but I can't believe I wouldn't have noticed it on the road!). It's 100mm long, tip to underside of head, 10mm in diameter and only the first ~12mm (about 6~7 turns) off thread have been used.
I drove home very gently/smoothly with no dramas or problems other than suffering all sorts of paranoia about the slightest rattle, resonance and vibration.
Any clues as to where to start looking gratefully received - I got sunburnt enough yesterday.
It was warm enough that it either came off my car, or the car before me and I just ran it over (but I can't believe I wouldn't have noticed it on the road!). It's 100mm long, tip to underside of head, 10mm in diameter and only the first ~12mm (about 6~7 turns) off thread have been used.
I drove home very gently/smoothly with no dramas or problems other than suffering all sorts of paranoia about the slightest rattle, resonance and vibration.
Any clues as to where to start looking gratefully received - I got sunburnt enough yesterday.
kambites : It's not from the chassis end of wishbones - they're not like that (either much shorter, or integrated into a ball-joint), and I can see they're all still present and correct. I can't remember the details of the hub end, but will be whipping the left-rear wheel off later (or in the morning) to have a look. (Push/pulling on the wheel-top causes a clunk on that corner)
absolutely : If you mean engine mount, well, maybe... The one's I'm familiar with (right side) are chunkier than that though, but it could conceivably be from a different mount.
R5GTTgaz : Given the temperature it was at when I found it, I'm certain it had very recently fallen off a car. As I was on a quiet-ish lane it was most likely mine.
absolutely : If you mean engine mount, well, maybe... The one's I'm familiar with (right side) are chunkier than that though, but it could conceivably be from a different mount.
R5GTTgaz : Given the temperature it was at when I found it, I'm certain it had very recently fallen off a car. As I was on a quiet-ish lane it was most likely mine.
hbaumhardt said:
Longest bolts on an Elise suspension are M10x85mm (Front Wishbone lower) uppers are 75 and 80mm. Rears are 55 amd 65mm. If anything its a gearbox mount bolt some of which are M10 (mostly M12).
I agree...as it was warm, it must be from near the engine, and the only M10 bolts I can think of that long are the 2 in the top of the gearbox mounting bracket (although they are flange heads normally)..
really can't think of anything else....
Scuffers said:
spot on...
That is indeed where it came from. Obviously I've got the bolt still, and a new Nyloc nut and washers are on standby, but which way round is the correct way?I'm thinking the flat at the far end of the mount should be used to stop the bolt rotating, such that the nut ends up on the outboard end.
(excuse the bad photos - space is a bit limited in there!)
kambites said:
At least that wont have damaged anything then. 
No. But it does mean the clunky left wheel is another problem that also needs sorting. 
It's back together now, and I don't *think* anything's missing or moved:
(it looks like it's raining coz that was taken via a mucky mirror, and then mirrored back the right way around)
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