Captive nut, escaped!

I like this phrase:
"If it aint broke don't fix it"

However, I tend to **** about with things that should be left well alone.

I was painting the rear cross member and decided to drop the towbar assembly out of the way to make things easier but one of the captive nuts fell away inside the steel work.

There doesn't appear to be any access to the internals so I'm a bit stuck. The steel doesn't look thick enough to take a helicoil so was hoping for some advice if possible...

Thanks

motor?

is there not an access hole somewhere,
in the past I have welded a piece of thick coat hanger type wire, or anything to hand, and past it through a hole somewhere else so it lines up with your lost nut hole,
or, weld a nut to a slightly bigger piece of plate, cut a slot into your box section, slide your nut & plate into place, put your bolt into it lightly and weld the slot up plate an all..

I bolted the captive bracket to the crossmember so your situation cant happen.
td5 90 btw.

nrgserv said:

I bolted the captive bracket to the crossmember so your situation cant happen.
td5 90 btw.

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yep, another nice trick..

nrgserv said:

motor?

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Ah yes, 2005 Defender 110 Hard top...

easye1 said:

is there not an access hole somewhere

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None that I can find, was thinking of removing the ally strip just inside the back door but I'm not hopeful of finding anything underneath it to be honest...

nrgserv said:

I bolted the captive bracket to the crossmember so your situation cant happen.
td5 90 btw.

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Is the crossmember open at the back then? I was looking at removing the fuel tank but not sure if it would help or not...

BrianP said:

Is the crossmember open at the back then? I was looking at removing the fuel tank but not sure if it would help or not...

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depends on the crossmember.
the one I did was on a replacement "pressbrake special" which is 1/4 plate folded to shape.
originals are box with sleeves for the bolts, therefor deeper.

either way, if tank is rear mounted its gonna have to come out unless you can hook the plate with nuts on and plug weld it to the crossmember.

nrgserv said:

depends on the crossmember.
the one I did was on a replacement "pressbrake special" which is 1/4 plate folded to shape.
originals are box with sleeves for the bolts, therefor deeper.

either way, if tank is rear mounted its gonna have to come out unless you can hook the plate with nuts on and plug weld it to the crossmember.

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Ok thanks. The plate is still in situ but it looks like the nut has come off it as the other 5 nuts are fine...

It wasn't held in by G4S was it????