Dropped bolt down steering column hole - is it ferrous? Likely recovery locations?

[awebneck]

Welp, I dunnit. Was re-installing my Lamonster handlebar clamp GPS mount on my '23 F3-T and fat-fingered the swivel bolt, dropping it down the hole of the steering column. It clattered around for a second or so on its way down, but failed to emerge from the bottom of the bike. Few questions for anybody able to help:
1. Anybody know if the swivel bolt on this product is ferrous? https://www.lamonstergarage.com/can-am-spyder-f3-gps-mount-lamonster/ I fished around for a while with a magnet on a flexshaft from home depot but came up empty - would be helpful to know if it's aluminum and that's just a waste of time.
2. Any particularly likely locations? I have a lighted endoscope and poked around the guts a bit but came up empty - still no clue where the thing actually landed.
3. Yes, I know I should've stuffed rags everywhere before doing anything, and I will definitely do so in the future, but here we are: in the middle of learning a lesson the hard way, so any help would be appreciated. :helpsmilie:

 

[BertRemington]

Looking at the L-M pictures I'd say it was ferrous but not in the way you'd want https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel

You're going to get to know your Spyder better.

PS happens to all of us. Many of us more than once.

 

[Bfromla]

Least is F3 & less panels to remove but it’s still the “Void”. Might get lucky & it landed on the skid plate under panels. The V thing would catch some & some oil getting sticky & nasty. Bit if & when objects made it then sometimes got stuck & sometimes found. Be sure double check above & around belt -really bad if it finds way in there. Bout to get good & personal with naked spyder

 

[Mikey]

That units got more than one bolt, try to see if a magnet works on them, I would say they are stainless steel but may be a low grade that mayyyy grab to a magnet lighty, good luck, hope you find it!!

 

[Gwolf]

You might try a mechanic's claw tool. Looks like this;

 

[Raven]

I have a cheap detail vacuum with a 1/2" hose.
When I do the same thing, I Just put the hose in there, turn it on and fish around.

 

[awebneck]

Thanks, those are great suggestions - picked up both the grabber and the vacuum, gonna have a go at it again this evening after work. I've taken off the side panels and dug around inside for a while, but still haven't actually found the thing.

 

[Peteoz]

I still remember dropping a nut in the void shortly after buying my F3 in ‘16. I couldn’t find it anywhere and bought a new one and forgot about it. A few years later, I was reversing into the garage and a bird flew in, so I braked suddenly. I heard a small “snick”, and found a nut on the floor when I checked. I spent the next week seriously worrying about what the heck it had fallen off, and should I ride? Suddenly, the penny dropped. It was the nut I lost years ago, shaken free by an emergency stop in reverse. Aaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhh:spyder:

Pete

 

[awebneck]

Update! I found it! Thank heavens for the endoscope - there is zero chance I'd have been able to locate it any other way. And boy howdy, that mother is in there - lodged between two frame components between the air box and the engine. Tried to ram it with the endoscope to dislodge and see if I could drop it within reach, but it didn't budge. Gonna try again tomorrow. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[awebneck]

Final update: finally managed to extract the blasted thing. Had to dislodge the front headlight (and so take off all the front fairings that cover their bolts, which is a lot), run the endoscope up the right side over the engine so I could see what I was doing, and have a buddy hold a vacuum line while I impotently whacked it multiple times with a flexible part grabber (grabber fingers couldn't get around it itself due to how it was wedged in). It was pretty much open heart surgery, Spyder-style. Lesson learned: rags EVERYWHERE the next time I so much as tighten my phone mount. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

 

[Isopedella]

Good work. hyea: Rags. Yup. What can possibly go wrong. Worelll....

Ya didn't happen to spot a vagrant 6 point 1/4" drive 10mm socket I spose. Mine seems to have gone AWOL.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Final update: finally managed to extract the blasted thing. Had to dislodge the front headlight (and so take off all the front fairings that cover their bolts, which is a lot), run the endoscope up the right side over the engine so I could see what I was doing, and have a buddy hold a vacuum line while I impotently whacked it multiple times with a flexible part grabber (grabber fingers couldn't get around it itself due to how it was wedged in). It was pretty much open heart surgery, Spyder-style. Lesson learned: rags EVERYWHERE the next time I so much as tighten my phone mount. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

:clap::clap::clap: ....... annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd how many hours have you been working on this .20 bolt. ....... Back in the day :roflblack: I used to go to great lengths to retrieve bolts , nuts etc. until I realized was it really worth the time & effort. ..... since then, I no longer do this and have either provented losing them or just put in / on a new one. ..... I'm NOT dissing you about your efforts just giving a different perspective ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[awebneck]

:clap::clap::clap: ....... annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd how many hours have you been working on this .20 bolt. ....... Back in the day :roflblack: I used to go to great lengths to retrieve bolts , nuts etc. until I realized was it really worth the time & effort. ..... since then, I no longer do this and have either provented losing them or just put in / on a new one. ..... I'm NOT dissing you about your efforts just giving a different perspective ..... Mike :thumbup:

Yup, I'm still a relatively new rider, I am not doing this again. Still, feel it's a right of passage and I've earned some kind of badge for the effort, so I'm all-in-all happy with the outcome.

 

[Bangorbob]

That's great that you found and retrieved it. I have worked on a lot of cars, rv's and mc's. This ride eats nuts and bolts and hardly ever spits them out.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Yup, I'm still a relatively new rider, I am not doing this again. Still, feel it's a right of passage and I've earned some kind of badge for the effort, so I'm all-in-all happy with the outcome.

I'm glad you were not upset by my post .... the clapping emoji was for your effort ..... I've learned a ton of stuff about Spyders on this forum also ....Mike :thumbup:

 

[pidjones]

Glad you found it - for your sanity and sleep! Void? Hmm. On the GoldWing, it is referred to as the "Honda Hole".

 

[Dutchy]

I just dropped the positive bolt off of the battery and no I have not found it, have I looked for it yes with no luck which = no riding the Spyder, so I ended up going to the battery dealer who had a some spares so I am back on the road, where the bolt is I have no idea I just hope it’s not pressing against the rubber radiator pipes.

 

[Gwolf]

I just dropped the positive bolt off of the battery and no I have not found it, have I looked for it yes with no luck which = no riding the Spyder, so I ended up going to the battery dealer who had a some spares so I am back on the road, where the bolt is I have no idea I just hope it’s not pressing against the rubber radiator pipes.

You get new bolts and hose with every battery you buy. Old bolts are usually still in good shape. I put all the extra bolts, nuts, and vent hose for the motorcycles, the mowers, and generators, which all use about the same size batteries, in a jar in my shop. Always have extras in easy reach if I lose one or have to replace one that has corrosion on it.