Can this be removed?

[jasonjr23]

So this morning, with help/directions from forum member Patrick (sweeneyp), I removed my front passenger door panel, in hopes of finding a loose screw/nut that is rolling and rattling around in there.
Removing a door panel
Unfortunately, after removing the panel and searching inside there, I could not find anything.
After re-attaching the panel, I realized it was strange that when I swing the door back and forth violently, I don't hear anything moving around, but I clearly hear it on right turns/bumps/accelerations. With the help of my brother, we drove around an empty parking lot, taking right turns with him holding the passenger door open, and we (believe) we pinpointed where the noise is coming from. It is actually below the door, the lower side of the car. See the area circled in the picture below. I have no idea what this part is even called, or how a screw/nut/whatever would get in there...
Does anyone know if I can get this off and get in there? What is this section of the car called?
Thanks!
Jason

[sweeneyp]

Originally Posted by jasonjr23

So this morning, with help/directions from forum member Patrick (sweeneyp), I removed my front passenger door panel, in hopes of finding a loose screw/nut that is rolling and rattling around in there.
Removing a door panel
Unfortunately, after removing the panel and searching inside there, I could not find anything.
After re-attaching the panel, I realized it was strange that when I swing the door back and forth violently, I don't hear anything moving around, but I clearly hear it on right turns/bumps/accelerations. With the help of my brother, we drove around an empty parking lot, taking right turns with him holding the passenger door open, and we (believe) we pinpointed where the noise is coming from. It is actually below the door, the lower side of the car. See the area circled in the picture below. I have no idea what this part is even called, or how a screw/nut/whatever would get in there...
Does anyone know if I can get this off and get in there? What is this section of the car called?
Thanks!
Jason

well thats very unfortunate that it wasn't in the door frame, that makes this fix about 10x harder if at all possible. It sounds like its inside the frame of the car. Like under the metal under the "highlander" step plate??? I was installing an amplifer today in my highlander and I had all the panels off (the plastic trim panels along the side of the car, to run wires), and I did not remember seeing any way to get to it. That area of the car seems to be sealed off, at least from the inside of the car. On the bottom of the car there appears to be small rubber circles that seal holes in the frame, you may be able to pop those off and get it to fall out, but thats a complete guess. Sorry I can't be more helpful, your problem is a very strange one....
Hopefully somebody else can pitch in.
Good Luck
Patirick

[jasonjr23]

Originally Posted by sweeneyp

well thats very unfortunate that it wasn't in the door frame, that makes this fix about 10x harder if at all possible. It sounds like its inside the frame of the car. Like under the metal under the "highlander" step plate??? I was installing an amplifer today in my highlander and I had all the panels off (the plastic trim panels along the side of the car, to run wires), and I did not remember seeing any way to get to it. That area of the car seems to be sealed off, at least from the inside of the car. On the bottom of the car there appears to be small rubber circles that seal holes in the frame, you may be able to pop those off and get it to fall out, but thats a complete guess. Sorry I can't be more helpful, your problem is a very strange one....
Hopefully somebody else can pitch in.
Good Luck
Patirick

Yes, inside the metal under the "highlander" step plate is where I think it might be. (Have you ever tried removing this plastic step plate? I wonder what is under there....)
I did see the small rubber circles underneath, and have not tried removing those yet, but that's definitely one of the things I'll try.
Next weekend I might jack it up, remove the mudflaps (and whatever else I can pull off) and see if there's any hope of getting in there. Needless to say, this is pretty frustrating. When I thought it was in the door, at least I was hopeful of getting it out!

[sweeneyp]

Originally Posted by jasonjr23

Yes, inside the metal under the "highlander" step plate is where I think it might be. (Have you ever tried removing this plastic step plate? I wonder what is under there....)
I did see the small rubber circles underneath, and have not tried removing those yet, but that's definitely one of the things I'll try.
Next weekend I might jack it up, remove the mudflaps (and whatever else I can pull off) and see if there's any hope of getting in there. Needless to say, this is pretty frustrating. When I thought it was in the door, at least I was hopeful of getting it out!

I have not removed the highlander plate, just the larger plastic trim panel next to it. Its probably just 2 push pins holding it in place, so it shouldn't be to hard to remove, but I don't expect there to be a hole, otherwise the plastic would cave in every-time you use the step as a step haha.

[DaMaDo]

I had a noise problem at speed and after a lot of searching (since it was hard to tell where it was coming from) it turned out to be the right front mudguard, which I dampened.

If yours is a loose screw or metal part, you might be able to find it with a

neodymium magnet

neodymium magnet

. While moving the magnet along the frame, it should move the loose part to where you can hear it and determine where it is and maybe get it to a location where you can pull it out.

[jasonjr23]

Originally Posted by DaMaDo

I had a noise problem at speed and after a lot of searching (since it was hard to tell where it was coming from) it turned out to be the right front mudguard, which I dampened.

If yours is a loose screw or metal part, you might be able to find it with a neodymium magnet. While moving the magnet along the frame, it should move the loose part to where you can hear it and determine where it is and maybe get it to a location where you can pull it out.

Wow...never thought about this. If I don't make any progress, 20 bucks for a magnet might be worth a try.
My noise is definitely not the mudguard. I'm not 100% positive what is actually in there (whether it is a screw, nut, bolt, strange shaped rock, etc...) but there is definitely something in there rolling around.

[mail2_jb]

I heard that computer hard drive magnets are very strong in magentic properties. If you have a hard drive lying around, open it up and give it try. You may save $20

[jasonjr23]

Originally Posted by mail2_jb

I heard that computer hard drive magnets are very strong in magentic properties. If you have a hard drive lying around, open it up and give it try. You may save $20

Thanks, this is good to know.

But...now I will have to join the computer forum and find out where the hard drive magnet is, and how to remove it. Haha.

[Ralph6410]

I would not count on a magnet being much help. It will stick to all the metal in the surrounding tunnel and you will not "feel" the loose bolt / nut. Actually I would doubt it is a metal "anything" and more likely a rock. Under my HL there are numerous plastic trays / splash guards and if I were to hazard a guess there is a pebble rattling around on one of them.

Just a thought, good luck in getting rid of the aggravation

[sweeneyp]

Originally Posted by Ralph6410

I would not count on a magnet being much help. It will stick to all the metal in the surrounding tunnel and you will not "feel" the loose bolt / nut. Actually I would doubt it is a metal "anything" and more likely a rock. Under my HL there are numerous plastic trays / splash guards and if I were to hazard a guess there is a pebble rattling around on one of them.

Just a thought, good luck in getting rid of the aggravation

Agreed with what you said. I dropped the battery terminal washer in teh engine bay and had to take all the plastic skid-plates off to find it. There was a TON of rocks and debris sitting at the bottom of them, might just be a big rock rattling.

[gchu]

Don't want to start a debate/flame war on possiblie detrimental effects, but an option could be to remove one of the plastic plugs that are closing off the access hole underneath and shot some foam in there (i.e. Great Stuff) and then seal the holes/plug back up with caulk/sealant to prevent water from getting held in there.

Don't need to fill the entire cavity but you may be able to limit the debris' movement/rattling to a tolerable level. Or you could use a "binary search" pattern to isolate it - start in the middle to decide which half it is in, then take the middle of that, then take the middle of that.... really cuts down on the search pattern - I do this with my prelit Xmas tree that has it's lights wired in series.

Another option would be trade it in for another vehicle.... just read that used car values are at the highest it's been in years!

[earthltd]

Originally Posted by jasonjr23

But...now I will have to join the computer forum and find out where the hard drive magnet is, and how to remove it. Haha.

Just take it apart, you will know which part is a magnet. (The drive will never work again in any case.) Actually, that magnet would be too small to have much effect through the steel. If the object is a steel washer or similar part rolling around then pushing the small powerful magnet up through a drain hole into the correct cavity in the frame probably would immobilize the part and keep it from rattling.
If it is a rock at least you aren't making things worse.
Good Luck!

[jasonjr23]

Originally Posted by earthltd

Just take it apart, you will know which part is a magnet. (The drive will never work again in any case.) Actually, that magnet would be too small to have much effect through the steel. If the object is a steel washer or similar part rolling around then pushing the small powerful magnet up through a drain hole into the correct cavity in the frame probably would immobilize the part and keep it from rattling.
If it is a rock at least you aren't making things worse.
Good Luck!

Thanks. My dad's basement is like a graveyard for old PCs. If I want to give this a try, I'll start there.
Whatever is in there must get stuck/wedged somewhere every couple days, because I won't hear it for maybe 2-4 days at a time. Then, it will come back on every right turn. I've been trying to rack my head ... what does it mean that it only rattles/rolls on right turns......is there a way I can use this knowledge to pinpoint where/what it is...

[Ralph6410]

Well. If one wanted to design something that gave your symptoms.. It would be a tunnel of some sort.. running crossways.. As the noise is most pronounce when turning right.. the object must be rolling to the left (something about Newtons law I think). You indicate the noise originates more on the passenger side.. so the path is likely from the edge of the car to the center. Something.. wind or slant reloads the object by moving it quietly to the right.
A gadget that would narrow this down that I purchased a long time ago.. and have forgotten what the original name was.. or who sold it (big help here) is a electronic stethoscope kind of a thing. 5 alligator clamp microphones.. go into a selector box where one can select which microphone to monitor with a head set.. Something like this http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/21...scope_Kit.html

I suspect most automotive shops would sell such an item.. I "think" I paid in the neighborhood of $40 15 years ago