[PsiFire]

I find it odd that I can't find anything on search about this so maybe I'm just using the wrong terminology (again) so here goes:

2002 XE. Working on the rear of the X, hatch doesn't seem to catch right so I was working on the catch / strike. I had previously removed the two philips flat head bolts from the strike to take it off and clean some of the rust from around it to make it look nicer and noticed the plate with the threads had dropped slightly. When I replaced the catch / strike I had to lift on side up with a screw driver while grabing the other side with the threads of the bolt. Today when I took both bolts out to reposition the plate on the inside of the body dropped down. So here's the kicker. I cannot find any way to get a hand or other tool bigger than about 1/2" diameter into the hole or into the hull to get the plate I need to secure the catch / strike. WTF. Suggestions? Even my screw gripper won't reach, nor my mag grabbers. Another F%#K you from Nissan. Thanks guys.

 

[ohiopoboy]

I find it odd that I can't find anything on search about this so maybe I'm just using the wrong terminology (again) so here goes:

2002 XE. Working on the rear of the X, hatch doesn't seem to catch right so I was working on the catch / strike. I had previously removed the two philips flat head bolts from the strike to take it off and clean some of the rust from around it to make it look nicer and noticed the plate with the threads had dropped slightly. When I replaced the catch / strike I had to lift on side up with a screw driver while grabing the other side with the threads of the bolt. Today when I took both bolts out to reposition the plate on the inside of the body dropped down. So here's the kicker. I cannot find any way to get a hand or other tool bigger than about 1/2" diameter into the hole or into the hull to get the plate I need to secure the catch / strike. WTF. Suggestions? Even my screw gripper won't reach, nor my mag grabbers. Another F%#K you from Nissan. Thanks guys.

Use a magnet, like a part strong recovery magnet.

2002 XE 18" Street tires Curt Class 2 hitch Curt luggage basket Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[PsiFire]

I ended up using the part grabber I had:

Looks like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/GrabEasy-Grabber-and-Retriever-PF0401/202505170

I was able to take the mag tip of it off and the grabber end was able to fit in the holes. Still a royal pain in the ass and I'm unsure what idiot designed it like it is. And to make matters worse the head of the two screws is JUST small enough to fall through the hole also, so you can guess what happened why I finally got it back up and tried to hold it in place with the screw. :censor::censor::censor: So I eventually shoved a brake C-clip onto one of the bastards to keep it in place. Then the rust triggered my OCD so I mitigated that and painted with black rust converter so (hopefully) she'll stop rusting there (I had sanded the area down in the past.)

So tip of the day, when you go to take off the rear hatch strike for ANY reason, BE SURE to hold that plate in place somehow to avoid a lot of headache.