Stereo Fitting - Ooops!

[SidBurns]

Evening all,

Managed to get the factory CD Changer out and put a new one in but made two !Removed!:-

1. Managed to let one of the small gold clips disappear down the central heating vent. How do I get to this easily and if I don't/can't, is it liable to cause me any problems?

2. Dropped the end of a spanner down the front of the centre console. Can I just take out the ashtray to get to this or again is it lost forever!?! HAHA

I know I know, I'm a muppet but ANY advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Craig.

[anchorman]

Evening all,

Managed to get the factory CD Changer out and put a new one in but made two !Removed!:-

1. Managed to let one of the small gold clips disappear down the central heating vent. How do I get to this easily and if I don't/can't, is it liable to cause me any problems?

2. Dropped the end of a spanner down the front of the centre console. Can I just take out the ashtray to get to this or again is it lost forever!?! HAHA

I know I know, I'm a muppet but ANY advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Craig.

Butter fingers

Have alook at the attached pdf. You will see that on the RAV production line they start with a heater then build a car around it. I think you might be better to forget about the clip. The blower motor is behind the glove box so the worst it can do is snag one of the direction flaps or heaven forbid - rattle!

Now that spanner should be easy enough. Go to the passenger side and take off the side trim you can see on page 2 of the pdf. You should be able to get your hand in then.

You know if you work on an oil rig you have to tie your spanners to your belt and if you work on jet engines you would be cutting the football field with a pair of toenail clippers!!!

console.pdf

[SidBurns]

Cheers Anchorman, you are like Ron Burgandy, a legend!

Will try get the spanner head once the missus is home with the car, shouldn't be a problem. No chance of getting the clip?

Craig

[IanXT4]

Assuming the clip is steel, plated a gold colour you could try one of powerful magnets that come on extendible pens.

Its a good tool to own anyway

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=30608

If this does not work try a magnet and a piece of string, or a trained hamster.

[SidBurns]

Assuming the clip is steel, plated a gold colour you could try one of powerful magnets that come on extendible pens.

Its a good tool to own anyway

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=30608

If this does not work try a magnet and a piece of string, or a trained hamster.

Does it bend round corners though? Serious question once more!

Any other ideas peeps?

[IanXT4]

No, you are going have to buy a magnet and improvise a flexible probe or suitable string setup.

Personally, I would buy another clip and only bother with trying to retrieve the lost one if it rattles.

I recently took my centre console (hand brake) out to retrieve a screw and found about 70p in loose change that was next to the screw and causing no problems.

[Davrav]

Assuming the clip is steel, plated a gold colour you could try one of powerful magnets that come on extendible pens.

Its a good tool to own anyway

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=30608

If this does not work try a magnet and a piece of string, or a trained hamster.

Does it bend round corners though? Serious question once more!

Any other ideas peeps?

You could always try this

If it doesn't fall out the first attempt the second should shake it free

[SidBurns]

No, you are going have to buy a magnet and improvise a flexible probe or suitable string setup.

Personally, I would buy another clip and only bother with trying to retrieve the lost one if it rattles.

I recently took my centre console (hand brake) out to retrieve a screw and found about 70p in loose change that was next to the screw and causing no problems.

So I'm not the only muppet then!?! HAHA

Out of curiousity, how long is it from the centre console heating vents to the bottom? A metre? Longer?

As regards the clip, Toyota should store them yeah?

Thanks to all once more,

Craig.

[nig.xl]

No, you are going have to buy a magnet and improvise a flexible probe or suitable string setup.

Personally, I would buy another clip and only bother with trying to retrieve the lost one if it rattles.

I recently took my centre console (hand brake) out to retrieve a screw and found about 70p in loose change that was next to the screw and causing no problems.

So I'm not the only muppet then!?! HAHA

Out of curiousity, how long is it from the centre console heating vents to the bottom? A metre? Longer?

As regards the clip, Toyota should store them yeah?

Thanks to all once more,

Craig.

Hi Craig

I sent you a PM

[Sensei]

I dont know about the heating vent, but when I installed a new head unit I had it in and out several times before I finished. I lost the inner screws about 5-6 times. It's hell to get them out again, and they didn't always drop to the bottom! Your best bet is to remove the no. 1 and 2 instrument panel cover mentioned on page 2 in anchormans pdf file. I used a small mirror and led keyring light to locate them. Just this weekend I dropped two bolts when attaching a wire behind the head unit. I'm getting quite good at it now.

[St Thicket]

I've experienced this two times, and both times I simply put my hands down the vent and retracted them. Just a little hard to get a grip on them, if you don't have too big hands though. Basically, from what I could feel, there is some sort of filter or grid at the bottom of the duct that probably was made to avoid objects fomr getting inside the air system. The bottom is reachable as long as you have hands the size of an avarage japanese worker...