Question about puzzling item

[mwood]

On the 74 Cherokee I just bought there is about a 2" hole with a grommet around it just below the fuel filler cap on the rear quarter panel.
All the other pictures of the same year Jeep does not have this. Anyone know what it is for?

Almost looks like maybe the tail pipe exits there???

Also since I have nothing behind the muffler I am not sure how the tail pipe snakes it way to the rear, there isn't much room to run it over the rear axle anywhere. Anyone with a idea where to run the tailpipe over the axle?

[jsinajeep]

It may of had the second tank mounted where the spare tire goes.

[mwood]

I thought about that but it's too low to be a secondary filler tube...

[MadMax78]

Old CB antenna mount? Post a pic. It may help.

[mwood]

Haven't seen one on any other Cherokee searching for pictures on-line and no replacement quarter panels have the hole??

The hole also goes through the inner panel...

Hers the picture of it....

[MadMax78]

I don't see a picture. It's just a blank square.

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[mwood]

Ummm, not sure. It is showing up on my page.

Anyone else see it?

If not what did I do wrong? UGH!

How about this?!?!

[MadMax78]

It could be there but not showing up on my end. I'm using tapatalk. I'll check when I get home

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[Lumpskie]

I can see the picture. Does that hole connect to anything behind it? What's the black tube/insert made of?

[MadMax78]

I see it now. Could that be where the exhaust used to come out? If it was a hunting rig at one point it could have been routed out there to keep it out of the water or from being crushed off road. Definitely not a stock option that I am aware of.

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[Tatsadasayago]

I would say it's where the filler for a rear mounted fuel tank was.
The stock filler tube turns horizontal and goes through the quarter panel extension (Below the lowest body line) and crosses over the frame rail.
Back in the day, CB antenna ball mounts used a 3/4" or 1" hole and 4-6 screw holes around the outer edge, so if there are no screw holes, I'd say it wasn't for an antenna.

[mwood]

There is a matching hole through the inner panel also.
There are no screw holes,
The grommet is made out of rubber,
Where the secondary rear fuel tank would mount this hole is lower so it would not fill properly.

I initially thought it was a place for the tail pipe to exit but haven't seen it on any other rig...

[Tatsadasayago]

I have the 33 gallon Aero style aux tank where the spare goes. The filler on those type of tanks is even with the top of the frame rail and if you look carefully, you will see that your grommet hole is about 3-4" above that.
Other than an exhaust route for a generator I cannot think of another purpose for the hole. An onboard water tank?

[carnuck]

Just a thought, but I had a '77 Chevy Blazer with a hole like that for a camper heater exhaust mounted in the back to warm it in winter while hunting.

[mwood]

Boy, I don't know...anythings possible. lol

It will be gone anyways soon as I replace the quarter panels.

Thanks for all the suggestions on what it might be.