[oldblue96]

I dropped a very important ring into the driver side defroster vent of my 1996 f350.

I have already tried a magnet and string, without success, and will move on to the shop vac method next. In the event that doesn’t work, does anyone have other suggestions for finding and extracting the ring without professional help? I’m handy with tools but new to auto stuff. A diagram of the vent system would be helpful or advice on where the ring might have ended up and how to get in there. It must have shifted because the magnet did not contact it near where it first fell in.

Also, and most importantly, can anybody confirm that the vents are a closed system and that the ring definitely 100% would not be able to exit the vent system and fall out of the truck somehow?

 

[John in OkieLand]

not many rings have ferrous metal in them , for a magnet to attract

 

[bugman]

You have to tear the dash apart to get to the ducts.

 

[Patrick Feeley]

The defroster vents should be "closed system". Try this link as it may help you out: 1997 F-250/350/Super Duty. If you scroll to the end you should see an exploded view of the dash assembly. Hope this helps and good luck! Cheers!

 

[Big Horn]

How about a bore scope to get a fix on its location and a plan of recovery. There’s some affordable scopes on the web with a long cable.

 

[John in OkieLand]

stay away from any boresocpe that uses the Cellphone,
what a F'PITA that turned out to be.
took me forever, to get it to associate itself with my cellphone.

the only upside was, once I got it to work and I only used it once, I had to tape it to a piece of wire, to get it to go down inside a car fender looking for the side lamp wire

Amazon.com: Wireless Endoscope WiFi Inspection Camera USB Endoscope 2.0MP HD Borescope 2 in 1Flexible Snake Camera Waterproof Tube Drain Pipe Camera with 8 Led for iOS Samsung Android iPhone Windows-16.4ft(5M) : Industrial & Scientific

Amazon.com: Wireless Endoscope WiFi Inspection Camera USB Endoscope 2.0MP HD Borescope 2 in 1Flexible Snake Camera Waterproof Tube Drain Pipe Camera with 8 Led for iOS Samsung Android iPhone Windows-16.4ft(5M) : Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[klhansen]

I have a borescope like that. It will connect to either a laptop or iphone. I didn't have issues with the one I have. It came with a bunch of attachments like a hook that clip on the camera end.

 

[1997VAstroker]

Borescope is a great idea. I have been meaning to get one for years. You maybe able to attach a piece of thin wire with a hook bent at the end to the shaft make sure it is sticking out in front of the camera. This way you can try to hook the ring and see what you are doing in real time. Good luck.

 

[klhansen]

You maybe able to attach a piece of thin wire with a hook bent at the end to the shaft make sure it is sticking out in front of the camera.

They come with that attachment. Here's a screenshot from the one that John in Okieland linked to. Notice the ring on the end of the hook.
That one is even cheaper than the one I bought a few years back - basically identical.
Everyone should have one of those in their toolbox.

 

[1997VAstroker]

This is why I can never make a million dollars on my ideas, someone in China has always beat me to it! Or really someone here has come up with it, and some kid in China makes it!

 

[John in OkieLand]

They come with that attachment. Here's a screenshot from the one that John in Okieland linked to. Notice the ring on the end of the hook.
That one is even cheaper than the one I bought a few years back - basically identical.
Everyone should have one of those in their toolbox.
View attachment 187676

yeah,
i bought it because it was the cheapest at the time in July last year,
I figured if it works once, it is paid for.
a neighbor kid ripped the left rear side lamp out of my sister's Kia Amonte ( sp ) and she was thoroughly pissed at him.... he tried to hide it, but pushing it all back inside the fender, and let the wires drop out of sight.

.

 

[Steve83]

...suggestions for finding and extracting the ring without professional help?
...where the ring might have ended up and how to get in there.

Open the glovebox, pull its rear corners inward, fold it down, pop it off its hinges, remove the 5/16"(8mm) screws and the heater core cover, and look/feel left.

A diagram of the vent system would be helpful...

(click this text)


The large rectangular opening below the label "N623342-S2" is from the defrost register, so the ring should have rolled/slid to the right down the sloped duct toward the heater core, near 18C686. This older diagram shows the more-assembled shapes you'd see when removing the glovebox:

(click this text)


I expect the ring to be near the white letter "n" in this pic (which doesn't show the heater core):

(click this text)

...confirm that the vents are a closed system and that the ring definitely 100% would not be able to exit the vent system and fall out of the truck somehow?

Only if it rolls/slides AGAINST the airflow, through several doors & joints in the plastic ductwork, over a few lips, and backward through both the evaporator core AND the blower; then it would drop out of the cowl drain behind the RHF tire, IF that drain isn't blocked by rotting leaves.

 

[John in OkieLand]

Might as well clean the heater core, if you have to go that far and change the Cabin Air filter.

 

[Patrick Feeley]

No cabin air filter in OBS trucks! Cheers!

 

[Steve83]

No cabin air filter in OBS trucks!

Well...

 

[Brute Force]

Magnet ain't gonna work unless it's an iron/steel ring. Try a mechanic's claw?