Dropped a wrench in the frame rail

Bitch'nBronco · Sep 14, 2021

A few years ago a buddy dropped a wrench inside of my frame (really not sure how he did it, but it doesn't matter at this point) and forgot to tell me about it until after we'd put the bumper back on and drove the Bronco a few miles. Its not a big deal but on a trail or a speed bump I can hear it bounce around in there. I've tried an electrical fish to get it out and never got it. I've finally got some time to try again and was looking for any recommendations to get that thing back out of the frame! Kind of a silly thread but I'm about out of creativity and talent lol

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1970 Palmer · Sep 14, 2021

Seems to me like your first step in fixing this problem would start with diagnosis. Is it in the left or the right rail? Is it located more front, or rear, etc.?

Use a short piece of heater hose as a stethoscope for listening. Take a small hammer and roll under the truck and tap on the frame, place the hose against the frame and listen as you tap along it's length. When you get close, the ringing sound of the tool loose inside the hollow frame will change.

After you locate the loose tool, you will need to figure out a plan of attack to remove it (depending on it's location). A strong magnet attached to a long large gauge wire would be my first thought. An old welding cable would be stiff, yet flexible. Places like Tractor Supply, or a VET Supply sell cow magnets that are long and cylindrical shaped.

If you cannot remove the tool, just work it over to a location with a large frame hole, fire up the MIG and tack it into place.

Your friend should have to pay for the beer consumed fixing his screw up!.

John

Bitch'nBronco · Sep 14, 2021

1970 Palmer said:
Seems to me like your first step in fixing this problem would start with diagnosis. Is it in the left or the right rail? Is it located more front, or rear, etc.?

Use a short piece of heater hose as a stethoscope for listening. Take a small hammer and roll under the truck and tap on the frame, place the hose against the frame and listen as you tap along it's length. When you get close, the ringing sound of the tool loose inside the hollow frame will change.

After you locate the loose tool, you will need to figure out a plan of attack to remove it (depending on it's location). A strong magnet attached to a long large gauge wire would be my first thought. An old welding cable would be stiff, yet flexible. Places like Tractor Supply, or a VET Supply sell cow magnets that are long and cylindrical shaped.

If you cannot remove the tool, just work it over to a location with a large frame hole, fire up the MIG and tack it into place.

Your friend should have to pay for the beer consumed fixing his screw up!.

John

Those are some good ideas, and I agree on the beer part. I know its in the drivers side frame rail, it travels up and down it. I saw it thru one of the bolt holes for the transfer case skid plate one day and another time in a hole near the front leaf spring hanger. I'm liking the magnet idea, I wonder if I can get one strong enough to drag it to the end of the rail from the outside (sliding the magnet along the outside of the frame rail).

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Madgyver · Sep 15, 2021

do some climbing or drop ins with your rig, gravity may help sending it closer to the ends. front or rear..

thegreatjustino · Sep 15, 2021

Two thoughts on this:

Snake a sturdy piece of wire in one end of the frame rail all the way out the other. Get a magnet with a hole in it and twist the wire through the hole. Pull the wire back out dragging the magnet along the frame to pick up the wrench.

If you'd like more control, Gorilla tape a magnet to a 1/2" 20 foot long piece of PVC pipe. Or use the same magnet with a hole in it, drill a hole through the PVC and zip tie the magnet to the PVC. Shove the pipe in one end of the frame rail and push or pull the wrench out with the magnet.

If it's a box end wrench, you could try some type of hook, but I'd think you'd have a lot better luck picking it up with the magnet than trying to get the hook into the box end hole.

armynavy17 · Sep 15, 2021

Bitch'nBronco said:
I'm liking the magnet idea, I wonder if I can get one strong enough to drag it to the end of the rail from the outside (sliding the magnet along the outside of the frame rail).

It should be possible to move the wrench with the magnet outside the frame rail. I've done something similar running lines up a mast, but that was straight up and down so gravity may have helped. Maybe jack up the far end of the truck from the wrench to give it a little incline or find a good hill?

reamer · Sep 15, 2021

Magnet won't work, it will just stick to the frame....

69_Sport · Sep 15, 2021

Try to find a magnet like the large ones used on dealer license plates. Just slide it along the frame rail and anything ferrous in there will come right out...

SteveL · Sep 15, 2021

I've used a tape measure to drag out nuts and stuff.

spap · Sep 15, 2021

Find a friend or make a friend with a tow truck have them hook it up and shake it a little and see if it will slide out the back.
Yea magnet will just get caught on the sides
Fun things in life

bronkenn · Sep 15, 2021

Take the bumper off and go climb some gnarly hills.

Rustytruck · Sep 15, 2021

fish tape all the way through the frame. attach magnet and drag magnet all the way out. start magnet on bottom, inside of frame.

nvrstuk · Sep 15, 2021

Magnet will work. My thoughts would be a cattle magnet because its so much stronger or spend the bucks for a rare earth magnet. The key to it working is the ONLY part of the magnet that is exposed is the very end of it. If the sides are exposed at all like mentioned earlier it will stick to the frame and not slide.

So cover the sides of the rare earth or cattle magnet in some fuel line or heater hose so it will slide freely along the frame rails. Use a fish tape (for pulling electrical wire) to move it back and forth. This will work.

Rustytruck and I responded at the same time with the fish tape. lol

gnpenning · Sep 15, 2021

I would use a chimney brush. Run a cable/wire etc through the frame attach brush and pull through. Wouldn't hurt to have one end jacked up a bit and pull down hill

ssray · Sep 15, 2021

Borrowing on some of these ideas…..try some PVC tube or pipe, plug the end with a piece of wood or dowel, drill a hole in the wood at a slight angle for a good tubular rare earth magnet. Either make it a good tight fit or use some quick epoxy. The idea would be to have the magnet angle so it sticks out to one side of the Pipe so you can slide it in with the magnet facing up and when you get to where the wrench is turn the pipe down to fish for the wrench to drag it out. Maybe even turn it back upright to keep the wrench from catching on the way out. Borrow a bore scope to find the wrench thru openings in the frame and monitor progress. Two person job. One thing that could screw up any of these ideas would be bolts through the frame.

Scott

Drawing not necessarily to scale. Could even have some wood sticking out and the magnet at more of an angle.

tasker · Sep 15, 2021

gnpenning said:
i would use a chimney brush. Run a cable/wire etc through the frame attach brush and pull through. Wouldn't hurt to have one end jacked up a bit and pull down hill

this!!!!!^^^^^^^^^^

Bitch'nBronco · Sep 15, 2021

So many good ideas! I'm sure I'll wind up trying a few of them lol. I ordered a magnet fishing magnet to try a few of the magnet ideas and might go try the chimney brush idea as well (with my luck it'll get stuck in there, I'm ok with that if it pins the wrench against the rail so it can't clang anymore hahaha). I'll report back soon as I get it out. Really interested in how beat up the wrench looks lol.

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tasker · Sep 15, 2021

brush works great and cleans the frame at the same time...i fished mine through with a rope attached and tied it off..back up and presto!

knack · Sep 15, 2021

If you can see it but not get it out - you could just glue it in place. A half a cartridge of RTV ought to keep it there.

Would be a great mystery for some future owner.

JefeAZ · Sep 15, 2021

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