Am I screwed? Lost torx head

[sonnata]

I was re-installing my left fairing today & was using a torx head in a nut driver. Torx head was not magnetic, nor was the socket that was holding it, so it did not stay put in the socket head I had on the nut driver I was using. Torx head slipped out of the socket head & down the hole next to where my seat hinges just under the stingray box.

So, just how screwed am I? Is there an easy way to retrieve the torx head?
Could this little thing cause me lots of problems later on if I don't get it out of there?

Doh!

[RaffyK]

Nah. Just get another screw. Next time you take the panels off and the gas tank off, you might find it.

[STARFIGHTER]

....or it'll drop out the bottom on your next ride

[dshealey]

Not many places it could cause a mechanical problem. About the only place I can think of off hand is the throttle body area, but that is pretty protected by the tank.

The only worry I would have would be electrical shorting in the starter area if it worked it's way down to that vacinity. The alternator connections are pretty well protected by covers. If I remember correctly, the battery connection to the starter MAY be relatively open. Could be wrong though, been three years since I have had an LT to work on.

It is only a slight chance of a problem though, it will probably sit somewhere until you get further into it on another service, or it will fall out.

[JPSpen]

Murphy's law #14

Any object when dropped will fall to the place least accessible.

John

[dshealey]

When you drop a socket, it will by nature roll to the exact center of the car being worked on.

Yep, tested that one several times. :rotf:

[sonnata]

I usually subscribe to O'Toole's law which states "Murphy was an optimist."

Thanks for the advice & moral support, everyone. I still feel like an idiot for letting it happen, but at least I know I'm in very good company.

I sure missed having this forum the last few days. You guys are the best.
Pretty great value for the small amount of a donation.

Kevin

[Lynn_Keen]

.......... Torx head was not magnetic, nor was the socket that was holding it, so it did not stay put in the socket head I had on the nut driver I was using. .............
Doh!
I believe the OEM TORX screws used on our LT's are stainless and are therefore not magnetic. That's a nice feature because they won't rust. However, it does require a little more care when removing and reinstalling them so as not to loose them in the bowels of the machine.

[sonnata]

I believe the OEM TORX screws used on our LT's are stainless and are therefore not magnetic. That's a nice feature because they won't rust. However, it does require a little more care when removing and reinstalling them so as not to loose them in the bowels of the machine.
What I lost was the torx head tool, not the screw. You're are correct, the torx screws on the LT is a non-magnetic stainless. I did blow some compressed air in the area in which it dropped, but didn't hear any rattling around. I've also thought of duct taping some tubing to my shop vac & seeing if I could vacuum it out.