HHR SS Topics and information on the 2008-2010 Chevy HHR SS Turbocharged models.

Wheel well insulation

Old Jun 8, 2019 | 12:47 PM
  #1  
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Wheel well insulation

Rodents made off with the major portion of the insulation strip normally located between the right front fender well and the door post area.

A replacement is available, according to this, https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-pa...bC1sNC1nYXM%3D

It is item # 8 in this parts diagram:



However, I would prefer to replace it with a mouse resistant alternative material.

The service manager at the dealership attempted to order something suitable, but found that the item had been discontinued.

I could fabricate something if I had a template of the appropriate dimensions, so I'm hoping someone here could provide a scale drawing or CAD dxf file I could use.

EDIT: Evan a photo of an intact one accompanied by a ruler or measure would suffice

TIA

Last edited by hhrock; Jun 8, 2019 at 01:31 PM. Reason: Add an alternative solution
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:08 PM
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You might send a PM to hellshotrod; he is parting out a bunch of HHRs.
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:13 PM
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Thanks for the suggestion. I'll do so, although any equivalent part he has is likely OEM, rodent attractive stuff!
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:24 PM
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You asked for a template. He has been giving some stuff away lately.
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:28 PM
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Yes I did, and I've PMd him. I doubt he has a template, but you never know! I asked him if he had one, and if it were convenient, to take a photo of it with a ruler or measure in the pic. I can work from that

Thanks.
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:30 PM
  #6  
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Couldn't you use the back of the driver side as a template?
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:37 PM
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I kind of thought you could use the actual part to fab a template, seems that would be more accurate than photos and measuring.

Or, do what I did after I figured out that my 2008 had been almost totaled, sold as "Certified", and they did not install the part on either side. Ignore it, it doesn't seem to do anything. My 2011 had them and sounded the same.
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:39 PM
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The driver side one is mostly missing. The passenger side one is mostly intact, but according to the dealer is slightly different anyway.

The darn things are hard to access, and require removal of the inner fender liner. I'm hoping to have one ready to install before I have to fiddle with the liner.

I'll take a chance and fabricate a mirror image one for the passenger side also, in case the mice return and regard it as tasty as the driver side one clearly was!
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:43 PM
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template you do not need.
Take away the old part. Take the stretch film and fill the vacant space (niche) around the perimeter. As a result, you'll get something like a tray. Fill this tray with polyurethane foam from a building materials store. Then cover this foam tray with the rest of the stretch film. When the foam dries - you get a dense piece to the size of your niche.
But act carefully. Do not waste a lot of foam. Foam should not protrude abroad fender, otherwise the door will not close.
The mouse will not eat foam. At the same time, the part produced in this way is practically free. You can crush it at any time, pull it out into pieces and make a new one.
Just in case, I inform you that the use of stretch films is a prerequisite. If you just fill the niche with mounting foam, this foam will stick to the surface and the heads of the bolts and you will have problems disassembling the car.
Old Jun 8, 2019 | 01:44 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by donbrew
I kind of thought you could use the actual part to fab a template, seems that would be more accurate than photos and measuring.

Or, do what I did after I figured out that my 2008 had been almost totaled, sold as "Certified", and they did not install the part on either side. Ignore it, it doesn't seem to do anything. My 2011 had them and sounded the same.
I've considered that, and may indeed end up just ignoring it, and actually removing the tattered remains, and the nearly intact passenger side one.

I have some audio insulation material composed of an adhesive sound deadening composite that mice would not find at all interesting, and I was planning on somehow installing a piece of that in place of the felting. I'm just not sure of the dimensions, or how to secure it in place.

If I can get to it in the next couple of weeks I'll attempt the job, and post pics for the enlightenment and entertainment of all

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