Swaybar intall ANGER - help!, how important is that 3rd bolt? pics Options

[nebreitling]

i really hope that i'm missing something here, because it looks like the factory was smoking crack.

i had the gas tank out to replace the fuel lines. as long as it was out, i thought i'd install my recently aquired 21mm Weltmeister. My car came with the 15mm sway, so I thought it should be a pretty easy swap.

The triangle shaped bracket is secured by 3 bolts. the top two come in and out easily. the third (bottom) bolt's nut is hidden underneath some sheet metal compartment -- access to which is extremely limited by a small hole about two inches behind the nut (see pics).

with one finger in the hole, i was able unscrew and extract the nut from this 3rd, bottom bolt. Putting a nut BACK ON the bolt is another process entirely. i've tried everything -- including sticking magnets in my latex gloves to hang on to the nut. so far i've lost 2 washers and a nut down in the bottom of this "hidden compartment." i'm sure they'll make a lovely rattle as i motor down the road...

has anyone confronted this? how important is that third bolt? how important is the sheet metal covering it? (a little jig saw work could open up some access). thanks

nathan




from the outside: it's the bottom bolt i'm talking about.