Lost 10mm socket in 5th gen engine bay: how do I retrieve it?

I'm a new guy with a 2023 4R Limited. I disconnected the battery (for some electrical mods) and to get at that battery clamp nut I didn't put the 10mm socket all the way on the wrench. So when I lifted the wrench out the socket dropped down the gullet and bang! it hit the under-engine shield. I crawled under and discovered the fine steel plating Toyota protects my truck with, but I can't find any access to retrieve that socket. It looks like I need to remove that entire shield, is that true? Any suggestions?

 

magnet stick - and start sweeping.

 

You don't. The 10mm socket is always lost. Everyone loses the 10mm. Look it up.

 

Just pop the shield off. It's practice for when you go to change the oil.

 

Thanks, I deserved that.

I've always lost 13mm sockets (VW), but now I know why the 10mm is a meme...

 

I think you need to pull the entire engine out. Gives you experience.

 

I keep a 10mm on my keychain...you just never know.

 

OP did you start this thread because of the 10mm socket trope?

 

Sell the truck and move on

 

10mm and 12mm!!!!!!!!!

I keep several of each around.

 

gone forever to the Toyota Gods…

 

Okay! So the sweep didn't work, so then I bought a crate of 10mm sockets, pulled the shield, yanked the engine out, put a 10mm on my keychain and then put an ad on CraigsList to trade all of this for a 1994 Explorer sh!tbox. I really liked the 4R but Toyota experts can't be wrong...

 

Now that you have a Furd, it'll probably use SAE instead of metric, so you have that going for you! T'were me, and it isn't, I'd also invest in a telescoping magnet:

 

Just buy another 10 mm socket. While you're at it, pick up a 10 mm deepwell socket too.

 

Now that would have helped prevent the problem

Got one, and didn't work. For some mystical reason it kept sticking to items of unknown material in my engine bay.

 

Use a bore scope to locate it then use a magnetic stick to retrieve it. You can rent a bore scope from Autozone.

 

That "unknown" material is metal

 

I have had luck with compressed air or water to move the dropped item to where the pan drains. Some have holes, some have open corners but I have yet to see one that doesn't have some way to drain trapped water. Doesn't work all the time though. It is amazing to me that things you drop and absolutely positively don't want to hit the ground always do and the things you drop that you very much want to hit the ground never do.

 

Pull the damn skid plate...

You could have had it off and back on in the time you've been posting.

Unless you've also lost your 14(?) mm sockets

 

Or turn the truck on it's side, and the socket should just roll off the edge of the skid.

 

Finally. I was waiting for a comment like this.

 

I came for the jokes, and I was not disappointed!

 

@SROak , I'll go with @Schlappesepple on this. I don't know how many bolts there are, but it might not be much work. I wouldn't like having a loose socket rolling around down there.

 

I think it's five little ones on the plastic plus the plastic trim clip, then four bolts on the skid plate. For me the hardest part of the process getting back up off the floor when it's done.

 

Lol! I know this feeling!

 

Also, for this operation it's not necessary to remove the skid plate entirely. Just let hang from the two metal hooks after gently lowering the back end. That will save some re-installation work.

 

Your 10mm?? No no I believe you meant to say The 4R’s 10mm. You don’t own the vehicle, it owns you!

 

Yes, it is an immutable law of nature. Another is: The older you get, the further things bounce when you drop them.

 

They always end up in a place where they can't possibly be.

 

I keep several of each on the skidplates