Hunk of metal found under pathfinder

[Meter]

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me out. I found a square hunk of layered metal under my pathfinder this morning and I don't know where it came from. It has rubber on one end. Maybe it is a motor mount? It's running well tho, no shaking or anything. Measurements are about 4 inches by 4 inches square and about 2.5 inches think. The rubber is on one of the ends. I have a pic, but can't figure out how to upload it. Anyone have any ideas?

Edit: it's an early 99 pathfinder 4x4.

Thank you

[Hawairish]

There are a few dampener blocks all around the chassis to reduce vibration. They usually just have stud or two embedded in rubber and metal and just bolt to metal parts like crossmembers, axle, trailing arms, etc.

There are purposeful chunks of rubber on the vehicle, but if one of those fall off, you've got much bigger problems.

I use postimg.org to host my pics.

[Meter]

Thanks Hawairish. Here are links to the pics.

https://postimg.org/image/4lkmgkqx9/

https://postimg.org/image/525p4dxpt/

https://postimg.org/image/5mh6obh1d/

I just replaced almost everything in the front end this summer and I never came across anything that looked like this while under there. It was sitting right underneath the engine smack in the middle when I found it.

[Hawairish]

Can't say I've ever seen that. It's definitely not a motor or transmission mount for any vehicle, and it's not like any of the dampers that do exist on the truck. I'd be confident it's not from your truck...it's far too heavy duty. Was it in your driveway, or do you park on the street or something? Can't tell if that's some salt corrosion or fresh scuffs (the white parts at the corners by the rubber), but seem possible it fell off something else and hit the pavement.

[Meter]

Yeah, it was in the middle of my driveway directly underneath the Pathfinder. I have a Honda Accord that I park ahead of the Pathfinder, but it hadn't been driven for a few days. Plus, I don't think that would fit an Accord anymore than a Pathfinder!

It's a longshot, but we just had a big snow storm here and I'm wondering if this got caught up in the ice and muck and got frozen up under the Pathfinder. Eventually falling out overnight. It was actually warmer during the night last night. I checked to see if it was magnetic, but it was not.

As for the white marks, they appear to be scuffs.

I'm thinking you're right though. I just don't see how this would have come off of the pathfinder. It almost looks like part of a leaf spring from a heavy duty truck. I was just worried because I had never seen anything like that before. I've spent a good deal of time working on this Pathfinder, so I was puzzled as to where it may have come from on the vehicle. Well, it will probably remain a mystery unless someone else on here has seen one of these before. Thanks for your help!

[Buzzman]

That round dimple looks an awful lot like the point where you place the tire jack to raise the front end.
(The rear of the truck is jacked up via the axle.)
Check under the side of the truck near the front wheel, on both sides, and see if the jack locations are still there.

[Hawairish]

My jack point is integrated into the unibody (basically under the front door hinge, as a reference line) and has a metal oval-ish cup welded in...definitely no rubber there. Doubt it changed much. Still, that chunk must weigh several pounds with the stack of steel plates.

[Meter]

Hawairish is correct. The jack points on my Pathfinder have those little cup things on them. I don't think this is one of the jack points. I can check it out tomorrow when it's light out and see. Maybe the little cup thing came off and that's why it looks different? I hadn't thought about those. Anyway, I'll check it out and report back.

Yes, the chunk weighs at least 7-10 pounds!

[Ron Co]

The view of the attachment side (with the weld bead) should match an attachment point beneath your vehicle. If it does not then this part is not yours. Also the weld bead that I see is totally rusted. If this just fell from your vehicle there would be the last little bit of the weld (the last attachment point prior to fracture) that would still be shiny. My guess is that somehow this got flung up your driveway under your vehicle; it has a shiny ding on a corner indicating this possibility. Perhaps this was tossed into your driveway by a passing snow plow. Last, 7 to 10 lbs? Way too heavy for such a part beneath a Pathfinder.