Any advice on tightening this skid plate bolt?

[970rap]

I was investigating the source of an intermittent clunk and metallic rattling sound from the front end and discovered that the bolt that connects a skid plate to the frame just behind front wheels is loose. This is the bolt in the very middle of the picture, as seen from the driver's side, sitting just to rear of the front wheel.



The bolt can be turned with your fingers but, presumably there is nothing on the other side holding it tight, it just spins and spins without ever getting tighter. There is easily 1/4-1/2inch of play and both the bolt and the skid plate make rattling noises when pressure is applied, so I need to get this tightened up.

Any advice on how to do this myself, if possible, to avoid a trip to the dealership? I don't see a way to access the nut from the other side and assume that little window above is to hold some sort of clip. Thanks!

 

[MurderedOutSVT]

Get a screwdriver and pry on it until it is snug and try to loosen it with a socket, might catch a thread and back out, that metal thteaded clip might be bent or the threads worn flat from rattling aroun

-or-

Grind off the head and get a new clip and bolt

 

[jdholder]

It’s a Ford bolt clip. Unfortunately it sounds like the nut that is attached to the clip has broken off the clip and it’s just spinning. You will need to take off the skid plate and replace the ford clip.