Does anything go in this hole?

[E. Humphries]

Hi all,

I live in the rust belt and had my fenders replaced with some used ones that I picked up cheap.
When I got home, I noticed this hole from the fender that matches up with the radiator shroud. Does anything go in here? A bolt, a rubber bumper or grommet, all of my embarrassment at asking this question? Thanks all for the help and take care!

 

[TJ4Jim]

Hi all,

I live in the rust belt and had my fenders replaced with some used ones that I picked up cheap.
When I got home, I noticed this hole from the fender that matches up with the radiator shroud. Does anything go in here? A bolt, a rubber bumper or grommet, all of my embarrassment at asking this question? Thanks all for the help and take care!
View attachment 443931

According to the Factory manual blowup there should be a bolt into the grill housing. You can download the FSM for your Jeep in the Resource section here and it has all the diagrams..

 

[jjvw]

Early TJs had a bolt hole in the grill for that fender hole. By 2003, that hole disappeared. You can install a nutsert to use it. I did that a few years ago on mine.

 

[E. Humphries]

Early TJs had a bolt hole in the grill for that fender hole. By 2003, that hole disappeared. You can install a nutsert to use it. I did that a few years ago on mine.

Early TJs had a bolt hole in the grill for that fender hole. By 2003, that hole disappeared. You can install a nutsert to use it. I did that a few years ago on mine.

Thanks guys!!!

 

[jjvw]

Thanks guys!!!

We are welcome!

 

[mrblaine]

Early TJs had a bolt hole in the grill for that fender hole. By 2003, that hole disappeared. You can install a nutsert to use it. I did that a few years ago on mine.

The reason the floating extruded U-nut went away is due to how often that tab section on the fender cracked off and was just hanging there bolted in place separate from the rest of the fender.

 

[E. Humphries]

The reason the floating extruded U-nut went away is due to how often that tab section on the fender cracked off and was just hanging there bolted in place separate from the rest of the fender.

So I shouldn’t bolt it up?

 

[psrivats]

The reason the floating extruded U-nut went away is due to how often that tab section on the fender cracked off and was just hanging there bolted in place separate from the rest of the fender.

I find it fascinating that the factory not only kept tab of issues like this, but also kept making design improvements as they could.

 

[mrblaine]

I find it fascinating that the factory not only kept tab of issues like this, but also kept making design improvements as they could.

I need to verify but I think the hole in the grill stayed the same but they eliminated the hole in the fender lip and just shipped them without the u-nut in the grill.

 

[jjvw]

I need to verify but I think the hole in the grill stayed the same but they eliminated the hole in the fender lip and just shipped them without the u-nut in the grill.

I recall drilling my grill shell and adding a nutsert when I noticed the tab on the fender.

 

[jjvw]

I recall drilling my grill shell and adding a nutsert when I noticed the tab on the fender.

I take it back. There was a square hole in the grill that I put a nutsert into.