Built in Road Kill Scoop.

[ScottD3]

Went to St Ives on Sunday with the wife.

On the way down it got really windy, start to snow and the car got really noisy.
I assumed it was to do with the harsh side winds.

After a mile or 2 at 70 I started to hear what I thought was stones bouncing off the underside of the car. I thought it was the wind moving debris around road but several minutes of constant banging with the odd double bang and what sounded like something wrapped it self around the prop shaft, I decided to stop and have a look.

Pulled over and got under the car, could not see anything in the middle of the car apart from some mud/grass hanging down.

Moved the car to a safer location and pulled the mud/grass out of the way and noticed a chunk of under tray was missing.
I've not noticed this before and thought little of it.

Looked to the front and noticed the engine tray was hanging down with a massive hole in it.
I guess that's where the bangs was coming from as the road ripped holes out of the tray.

I got what little tools I had out of the boot and proceeded trying to remove what remained of the tray.
Luckly the front was already down and the 4 on the side in the arch.

This left the 2 at the back.

Unable to get under the car, I put it in to lift mode.
With the final bolts removed I pulled the tray out.



Had a quick look underneath to make sure nothing else is hanging down and clip the bumper flap back up, I was presented with this.



Wondered what it was. Could it be the damper from the tray as that is gone?

Nope.
It was road kill.


The fallen tray has scooped up road kill and shoved it between the gearbox and the metal beams under it.
I had no gloves on me, so no way I'm removing it. I thought I'd just drive down the road and hope it shoots out the back.

Drove to St Ives with out any more issues and went home.

Got to my mate garage and got the car up on the ramp to make sure nothing else was broken.

Everything looked fine underneath with no other damage.

I found out what happened.
The metal clips that you bolt in to rusted out. The pins in the clip that the bolt uses was gone and caused the bolt to fall out and out the tray to fall on the floor.

Make sure you check your tray bolts and clips.
Its not the bolt at fault its the clips normally.

[Delboy]

You forgot to mention the outcome of the roadkill, was it gone or just ground down a bit?

[ScottD3]

There was no sign of any ex-animal on the underside of my car when I got it on the ramp.

[Norretal]

Reminds me of when I had my S4 and was travelling on the A69 between Hexham and Carlisle one dark night. I saw a dead fox in the road and couldn't avoid it and after driving over the remains there was an immediate repetitive knocking on the underside of the car, consistent with the speed I was driving. I pulled in at the petrol station just ahead and when I looked underneath what looked like a rib had pierced a driveshaft gaiter and was hitting the underside of the car with every revolution of the wheels

[goldsax]

ran over a badger with a TVR cerebra a couple of years ago….
the stench of burning flesh still lingers to this day..