I have dropped my fair share of little bits in the two compartments that you mention - and have the scars to prove it that I removed all of them, Now when Im working near them I cover them with a piece of cloth so nothing drops in. Make sure to clean the areas now and then as leaves, bugs, moss etc can live in there. Also make sure all drains and clean.

You dont want a pond in there either.

btw - the strut mounts are pretty easy on a W124 once the strut is out.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)