How do I get something out of the side sill frame?

[t0mmyr]

so I began removing my door panels and dash and other parts of my car for sound deadening. I've been extremely careful and know how to pull clips out and I do have the right set of tools but when I removed the driver side door still I found one of the blue body clips to be broken. Whether I did that or the factory did doesn't matter but I know the bulbous part of the blue clip is beneath the hole in what feels like high strength metal or the side frame or tunnel of the car. I was afraid I would hear the plastic rolling around when I drive and sure enough a few weeks later I swear when I come to a stop I hear something sliding forward inside my door sill (I still do have the plastic with model s logo removed). Is there anyway to get in there without having to remove the hv battery or something too extreme? Perhaps there's a cut out somewhere along? I figure I'll have a better chance to look when I gut out the seats and carpet but that stage is a few weeks away and I want to get this annoyance out of my vehicle.


Also, does anyone know where I can buy more of these clips? I also want to get a few white clips and the metal clips, I just found out how fragile the teeth on the metal clips are when I removed the passenger door sill a second time some of the teeth that lock it to the plastic broke so I had to liquid nails the metal clip back in for now.

 

[harry]

It seems that you might not need to get the piece out -- just stop it from moving. Some sticky liquid (the old Zeibart rustproofing spray, for example) sprayed in through the clip holes might well "capture" the errant piece and hold it in place.

Alternatively, how about spraying some minimally-expanding foam in the space? In addition to holding the piece still, you'd get some sound attenuation from that.

The clips themselves are available from Tesla Service Centers, but some auto parts stores also have a rack of various sizes and styles of clips.

 

[t0mmyr]

thanks thats actually a good idea, as i read the first sentence i began thinking of some soft of expanding foam then i read your line just as you suggested

i cant really hold the piece still since i cant see it but i'm fairly confident it is still in there because just this morning after a long commute i ended up on a smooth road, was cruising about 55mph but had to slow down for a right turn and when i did i swear i could hear little pitter patter sliding from my left rear tire toward my left front tire, sounded like leaves rustling but i was on pavement, perhaps i can stick a couple sticky sticks with goop on the end in the hole and drive around a bit to see if i can catch the sliding plastic then pull them up with care, or use enough expanding foam then drive stop and go while its wet and hope it becomes lodged permanently....... should i worry if this channel may be used for airflow or liquid draining? i wouldnt want to stop the flow of any water drain with foam if this is the case