Rat Hole inside Front Fenders
- Thread starter Dan Wood
- Start date
Not officially. Clean it, apply some rust converter, then cavity wax it. Make sure the drain holes are clear. Then blow it out with compressed air twice a year along with your fender seams which you've also done the same procedure on 
I have vacuumed 5 pounds of sand and very small rocks from both sides.
Highly suggest Lokari fender liners to mitigate debris getting there & in the catch-all at the rear of the front fender.
www.lokari.de
Highly suggest Lokari fender liners to mitigate debris getting there & in the catch-all at the rear of the front fender.
Inner wings, front - BMW 3.0 CS / CSi / CSL Coupé / E9 - yoc 68-76 - Industrievertretung Hanna GmbH
BMW, 3.0, CS, CSi, CSL, Coupé, E9, inner wings, wheel, well, liner, Lokari
-edit 2024, just for clarification; the next bit I wrote here is nonsense ; see the kind addition in Steve's post #6 below -
original post:
well, normally this opening is not in direct contact with water. When you look up inside your wheel well, you should not see that opening. There is supposed to be a plate with a seal (located between outer fender and inner wheel house structure) which prevents (but not very effectively) water and stones to enter there. Walloth and Neesch still sell it.
www.wallothnesch.com
Google "Schottblech BMW E9" for some visual clues.
also covered here:
e9coupe.com
original post:
well, normally this opening is not in direct contact with water. When you look up inside your wheel well, you should not see that opening. There is supposed to be a plate with a seal (located between outer fender and inner wheel house structure) which prevents (but not very effectively) water and stones to enter there. Walloth and Neesch still sell it.
Schottblech im Radhaus vorne rechts für alle Modelle und Baujahre passend wird 1x pro Auto benötigt
Schottblech im Radhaus vorne rechts für alle Modelle und Baujahre passend wird 1x pro Auto benötigt
Google "Schottblech BMW E9" for some visual clues.
also covered here:
Front Fender Inner Cover
Does anyone know if item #9 is bolt in? And if there is a gasket that belongs in there with it? Item 9-41141814035,6 for left and right side. W/N calls it an A post cover. Any help or potential used ones out there would be very appreciated. Thank you!
e9coupe.com
Last edited:
well, normally this opening is not in direct contact with water. When you look up inside your wheel well, you should not see that opening. There is supposed to be a plate with a seal (located between outer fender and inner wheel house structure) which prevents (but not very effectively) water and stones to enter there. Walloth and Neesch still sell it.
Schottblech im Radhaus vorne rechts für alle Modelle und Baujahre passend wird 1x pro Auto benötigt
Schottblech im Radhaus vorne rechts für alle Modelle und Baujahre passend wird 1x pro Auto benötigt
Google "Schottblech BMW E9" for some visual clues.
also covered here:
Front Fender Inner Cover
Does anyone know if item #9 is bolt in? And if there is a gasket that belongs in there with it? Item 9-41141814035,6 for left and right side. W/N calls it an A post cover. Any help or potential used ones out there would be very appreciated. Thank you!
Thanks for the link to the other post. I am reviewing it now and leaning towards the Lokari liners.
I don't think he is referring to the space behind the covering plate on the fender (part #41141814035 and 36), but rather the cave opening that is open to the wheel well and all the crap thrown up by the tires.
Indeed you are right, the Walloth and Neesch part, if installed, does not hinder water and stone entry here. ( I thought it did). Lokaris are the way to go, even more so with this addition from Steve.
The lower plates behind the wheel well are 51711813031/2 and they are below and behind the rat hole. I have vacuumed out a bunch of dirt today. I am definitely going with the Lokari Liners.
Before you install them, spray them with rubberized undercoating so they aren't shiny aluminum.
Thanks, I read that the Wurth product is the best to use.
I have vacuumed 5 pounds of sand and very small rocks from both sides.
Highly suggest Lokari fender liners to mitigate debris getting there & in the catch-all at the rear of the front fender.
Inner wings, front - BMW 3.0 CS / CSi / CSL Coupé / E9 - yoc 68-76 - Industrievertretung Hanna GmbH
BMW, 3.0, CS, CSi, CSL, Coupé, E9, inner wings, wheel, well, liner, Lokari
Trouble is, getting anything from DE will mean min. 2 month wait in customs (exactly where mine are sitting now).
Or you can spend like $20 and use Volvo fender liners.
Or build the lokaris yourself. Start with a large cardboard sheet. 1 hour of cutting and sticky tape for any mistakes, and you have a rough fit.
From cardboard to aluminum is easy, just bend it, that's all. The lokaris have a rib running, it requires a bead roller.
Even purchasing 2 alu sheets and a bead roller is on par with the cost of buying and shipping them.
And I bet it is faster then waiting 2 months....
And so much more rewarding when you stand back and admire your own work. From a simple sheet to an actual part; that's gone make your day.
I copied the lokari shape 1 to 1, from an actual part from a friend onto cardboard. I did not yet translate it into aluminium myself yet.
From cardboard to aluminum is easy, just bend it, that's all. The lokaris have a rib running, it requires a bead roller.
Even purchasing 2 alu sheets and a bead roller is on par with the cost of buying and shipping them.
And I bet it is faster then waiting 2 months....
And so much more rewarding when you stand back and admire your own work. From a simple sheet to an actual part; that's gone make your day.
I copied the lokari shape 1 to 1, from an actual part from a friend onto cardboard. I did not yet translate it into aluminium myself yet.
day66
Well-Known Member
Interesting and probably what I’ll do too.
If and when, can you post a printable version of your Lokari work-up for those of us like yourself, who like to do our own "weekend" fabricating?
I'm in the middle of solving that problem.
I'm closing up that triangle hole, so there won't be a chance for water to come in. I will leave a hole (with rubber plug) at the bottom part, so can spray some cavity wax into that space.
I know it's not authentic, but the germans aren't always right!
I'm closing up that triangle hole, so there won't be a chance for water to come in. I will leave a hole (with rubber plug) at the bottom part, so can spray some cavity wax into that space.
I know it's not authentic, but the germans aren't always right!
that rat hole has an opening below to let water drain, your solution closing it looks nice too
The openings below were as good as rotten away, hence this solution.
