No wonder I am getting rust over real wheels with 3 stupid holes put in there by Chevrolet!

[Diverjer]

Have friend working on repairing what is now just some mild rust over rear fender wheels.   My trucks gets used a lot on gravel, mud and low water crossings.   Unknown to me there are 3 holes in the rear fender over top of wheel on each side.  For what ever reason, what ever was plugging these holes had come out and then filled with dirt and mud.  Then water got in there and over the years has started rust.   I will put a picture of a cutout with the mud packed in there and after mud cleaned out.   Spraying some rust stop in there and welding in new sheet metal, priming, painting and clear coating whole truck bed.   These holes are going to get welded over.  My question, why did they ever have these holes and what was there used to plug them up???  That stuff you se over the cutout are just shadows of door- not more cutting. 

 

[rav3]

Did your truck have the wheel well liners?

[Diverjer]

Don't remember ever seeing any on the rear wheel wells.  Never get under there except to put air in spare tire, so it could.  I know front does as I get under there a lot to do oil changes, trans fluid changes etc.  It's over at another guys house now, so I can't check.  I do know for several years I been able to feel those holes and wonder what they were for.  Could poke around  in them and knew they were full of mud and dirt.   Knew it wasn't good, but didn't know how to clean it out.    

[Diverjer]

Here is some stuff spray into there to stop rust, forget what he called it, but said it worked well before.   I just don't know why they ever put 3 holes in there, I would guess there was a rubber plug in them?   It was same on both sides.

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by Diverjer

[discgolf01]

19 hours ago, Diverjer said:

Here is some stuff spray into there to stop rust, forget what he called it, but said it worked well before.   I just don't know why they ever put 3 holes in there, I would guess there was a rubber plug in them?   It was same on both sides.

 

 

 

 

 Reason for the 3 holes is most likely to drain out the e-coating the truck goes through (ELPO), they actually submerge the whole truck in a bath of that stuff so they need it to get in and drain out of cavities like the fenders.

 

 

 

[Diverjer]

I would think rubber plugs sounds right, not sure how I will plug them up, will ask dealership but doubt I get any help?  May just weld something over them or glue something over??  Can't think of why I would ever need to remove whatever I cover the holes with?   But I have been wrong before!

[Grumpy Bear]

This isn't a captive area. Dip tank surplus would have no issue getting out over the exterior of the tub. 

A few of mine have plugs. Curious. At least one open on each side. I can see the back side from the inside of the box looking through the holes over the wheel wells where the cargo hooks can be installed. Currently have plugs too. Fluid Film after washing the area out. Or Wool Wax, PB Blaster Surface Shield. Something lanolin based. 

 

Flex Seal tape and spray? 

[BlaineBug]

Well that's stupid.  Are those factory holes?  They're too high to allow water to escape!

[Diverjer]

True doesn't make any sense and they look factory.   There are 3 on each side, the 2 outside holes are even and the center hole a little lower.  Exact same on each side. 

[Grumpy Bear]

11 hours ago, BlaineBug said:

Well that's stupid.  Are those factory holes?  They're too high to allow water to escape!

 

 Yea but the right height to trap salt and sand. They are not just doing nothing to prevent rust. They are helping it along. $$$$

[HoosierZ]

My truck was also missing 5 or 6 plugs in the rear wheel wells when I bought it new. I priced them at the dealer and they were $5 each. I bought a bag of 200 on Amazon for the price of 6 from the dealer. They are a 13/16” Caplugs brand. 

[Diverjer]

That doesn't sound like a good dealership, bought it new, missing parts and wanting to charge you for them. 

[HoosierZ]

Was a different dealership than the place I bought the truck. Didn’t notice the missing plugs until a few months later. 

[Diverjer]

Well it's looking good now, I found some rubber plugs at hardware store, that fit, but then came out pretty easy.   So I got some 100 percent silicon for indoor/outdoor and put on lip that will stick to sheet metal.    There was still one original plug, I posted a couple pictures below, it has a small grove you can't see very well that held in place by sheet metal its a small cut in grove around plug.  Picture don't show well.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Diverjer

[Diverjer]

This looks like some more plugs missing, isn't the frame suppose to have plugs here, you can see all the way through?  At lest it will stay dry in there, you can see all they way through the other side.  I sure have trouble posting pics, but catching on. 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Diverjer