A part of my car fell off from underneath the frame and on to the ground...:-(

[Sarcastik]

So I am driving my 1995 J and I heard something scraping the ground when I went over a speed bump, so I parked and got out and looked under the frame and there was a peice of metal hanging off from the bottom hanging down to where it was a half inch off the ground. I tried to touch it to see what and was and....it fell off! ****, well to be honest it looked like a cover to something maybe the exhaust. I probably know the least about car mechanics out of everyone on this forum so please help me out. I know its never good when something falls off, but it didn't seem TOO vital and drove home with the peice in my trunk with no problems so I need to know if I need to run off and have it reattached to the underframe of the car or if I can get by without it. I have attached pics so someone can help me solve this mystery. Thanx.

[Sarcastik]

Another

[Skapunk4everr]

ahh yes, that is simply the catalytic converter cover. that just sheild one of your Catalytic convertors, so that you do not puncture it. You are fine to drive with it off, and dont go rushing into a mechanic shop to have it put back on for a bunch of money. Just when you have time buy the 4 screws from a nissan dealer, or autozone, and screw it back on, or have someone doo it.

really nothing to worry about, but if you do leave it off, just be carful about bottoming out, and if you do check to make sure you did not puncure the cat. any more questioons feel free to ask, and one of the guys on here will help you out.

[Skapunk4everr]

Actually i see that your screws are still there. Just bolt that bad boy right back on! i think it is a 10mm wrench.

[Sarcastik]

I swear to god this site is freaking godsend. Thanks for the advice. I really am trying to take better care of my whip these days and that **** really gave me a scare today. If there is even a slight chance of it causing furthur damage by leaving my converter thing vulnerable then I am definitly going to looking into having it reattached, but as you can see from the top picture I think that the welds or metal was actually torn when it broke off. I think this vould mean that it would be more complex then simply screwiing it back on the next time around because the screws are still there inside the cover...

[srdrps13]

yeh thats just the heat shield lol..

[diamond]

yep.heat shield. i got a weird road story.well kinda.it was nighttime real dark and im getting on the freeway.all of a sudden something goes under the car and gets stuck.making the car kinda hoover in front.a plastic grinding sound.so i pull over and look.dead center a truck tire stop.i couldnt loose it eradically manuvering,2.30 at night so.hehe.reverse and all.anyway its wedge between the transmission and motor.broke my underneith shield in front had to replace.so im trying to figure out how the hell im going to get it out of there.no jack on me.got triple A..but i needed immediat satisfaction.luckily there was an overpass ahead.wasnt much but hopefully get to it fast enough i could lift the car off it.it worked,lol.i got plenty of clearance to.oh hows this one.my brother says he cant get a tire off my 58 to replace cause to tight.right im 155.hes 320,gimmi a break.lol.so i got my wife and kid in the car and first cali rain doing 65 down the freeway.BAM.rear wheel comes off and im slideing on it and the backing plate.sparks galore,lol.no breaks,one cyclinder.man,that was carry with my newborn daughter in the car.swear,you want it done right do it yourself.jeeze.

[Sarcastik]

Thanks ya'll on a scale of 1-10 how important is it that I put it back on...errr...if yours fell off what you put it back on? I think the welds broke. Oh yea, I was thinking about lowering the car so it that case I would definitly need it!

[Skapunk4everr]

No bro those are not the weld that attach the sheild back on. those are welded into the sheild. And there should be two bracket areas on the Cat for you to screw it back on.

[brandonjustice93J30]

piece like that fell off mine over 3 years ago...never put it back on

[diamond]

i dont run the bottoms of the shields.i took off.my upper heat shields are visciolasticed.dont burn off either.im lowered i never hit them.n.p.