Why is it all 87-96 Dakota's have a spot rusted right here on the fenders? Something must cause it, does the cowl vent drain into the fenders or something? When I finally find a clean pair of fenders I'm going to POR-15 the backsides but there must be something else I can do like direct the water flow?

 

probably more likely due to rocks and the lack of a mudflap. i only have mudflaps on one side of my truck, and i can tell you rocks like to chip the paint without them.

 

When I put a hammer through the rust spot it was full of wet dirt and leaves which makes me wonder how it got in there to begin with...

 

Yes the cowl does drain in that direction. So all the rain, dirt, mud, leaves goes down and gets stuck. It is a very common problem on all vehicles.

 

What the hell that was done intentionally by the car manufactures, does it drain into both sides?? What if I just cut an opening in the bottom of the fenders on the backside then everything would just fall/drain onto the ground?

 

there is a spot for the water to drain there but when leaves and crap clog it up then the water sits and corrodes. i have yet to have that problem on any vehicle but then again i always clean the cowels off or my friend does it for me.

 

I'm thinking about putting residential window screen under my cowl to help prevent this.

 

Stuff will still get in there... Every once in a while you need to remove the inner fender or the lower fender bolts and blow all the crap out with a hose. That is an issue on almost ALL cars, and that really is the only solution, unless you have a garage kept show car that never sees water and doesn't get crap falling on it.