FS-2nd Gen Low Mount/No Drill License Plate Bracket-$45 Shipped

2nd Gen Low Mount License Plate Bracket-As of March 2025 I will be taking a pause in making these brackets. Costs of materials and shipping has increased to the point where I would need to charge almost twice as much as I am now if I was going to continue. Many thanks to all the people who purchased a bracket in the past!

To order, please start a conversation by opening your inbox in the upper right corner of this page and select start a conversation then enter my Tacoma World name, ACEkraut, let me know which bracket you would like and hit send.

I have decided to offer my Low Mount License Plate Bracket for sale. If you want to install a light bar in the lower opening in your bumper but your state requires you to have a front plate this bracket will allow you to do both. Or if you just prefer the aesthetics of a lower plate mounting location these brackets will take care of that as well.

There are three models being offered, all for 2nd Generation Tacomas. Each bracket is made from 1/8" thick aluminum flat bar that is 1.5 inches wide. I cut and bend the pieces myself to a pattern I have made. Stainless steel hardware is included. Instructions are included. Assembly is easy and straightforward and installation should take from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on the bracket. The brackets are sold in bare aluminum and painting is left up to the customer. I do recommend that a little anti-seize or grease is used lightly where the stainless steel meets the aluminum. With dissimilar metals you can get some slight corrosion over time.



Model LM-1215
This bracket is for model years 2012-2015 with the stock bumper and no skid plate.


Model LM-0511
This bracket is for model years 2005-2011.


Model LM-1215-SP
This bracket is for model years 2012-2015 with stock bumper and the accessory skid plate.


Here are a few pictures of how the brackets look when installed.



The picture below actually shows two brackets, the LM-1215 on the truck and the LM-1215-SP attached to the skid plate on the ground. I was test fitting the LM-1215 bracket and removed the skid plate from my truck that had the original bracket design on it.








Since all the parts are either aluminum or stainless steel they will never rust. I personally added some felt pads to mine to act as a cushion to the bumper in case of a light tap to the plate. You may want to paint the bracket but unless you get down on the ground you will have a hard time seeing the bracket at all.


For the LM-1215 the front of your truck should look like this with two bumper tabs circled in red that are 9" apart with two bolts holding the cover on:




For the LM-0511, the bumper will have bumper tabs that have plastic inserts that are 17.75" apart.



For the LM-1215-SP the front of your truck should look like this:

 

I am interested in this solution. Is this the final product or just proof of concept ?

Anyway subbed

 

Final product. I have been through the testing phase and sent each bracket model to different customers with favorable reports back from them. Plus I have been running mine on my truck for almost two years and through two winters and it looks and performs like it was put on yesterday.

PM inbound.

 

Thanks for the pm OP.

Do you offer powdercoating option as well? I'd prefer matte black finish over silver unfinished metal

Can you also take a pic of the back side of the bracket? I want to see the soft padding you added to avoid scratching the bumper

 

sub'd

 

I do not offer powder coating. I think for most people powder coating would push the price beyond what most people would be willing to pay. Other buyers have painted the bracket. The plate covers the bracket unless you are lying on the ground in front of the truck looking up. If you wanted the bracket to blend in then using a rattle can would work well.

Here is a picture of the pads I used. I picked them up from WalMart or Home Depot. The bracket does not rub or touch the bumper but for my piece of mind I added the felt pads on the off chance someone bumped into the front of the bumper.

 

Since I just ordered a light bar to go here, I'm subbing this for a later order. This is a great product and good luck.

 

Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

Would be great if your bracket would bend to accommodate the license plate holes at the bottom. That way it's secure and you can add felt inbetween so when there's a bass note or vibration, it doesn't rattle and induce more noise. Just a suggestion.

 

While it is possible to have the bracket shaped in a way that will allow the license plate to attach at the top and bottom it would cause the bracket to stick out quite far from the side profile of the bumper. And after almost two years of operating with mine only mounting at the top I am confident it is not necessary. If you purchase this bracket you will have two choices. You can leave the plate so it angles in at the bottom slightly, following the profile of the bumper. If you choose this arrangement then the plate will still be easily readable from the front. Or you can bend the plate slightly so it is perpendicular to the ground. This is what I did and if you look at the picture above, I placed a couple pieces of felt between the vertical bracket sections and the license plate to keep the plate more vertical but if I had to do it over I don't believe the felt in that location is really necessary. The bracket is deceptively sturdy and I have not detected any rattle or noise in the time I have had mine installed.

 

I have one on my 13 w/o a skid plate and love it. Since my state requires plates, somewhat limited and I want the option to install a hidden led. Now I can!

Thank you @ACEkraut

 

Thank you Mark!

 

I got one on my truck with a skid plate and there is no rattle or anything nice and solid I love mine

 

When you have a sound system, everything will rattle if not addressed properly. The low frequency of a bass note will move...20Hz below will do that and having only two top points affixed will do that, but you have felt installed. Regards to the bend, it just how much you want to bend at certain location in the bracket, I don't see a reason why you couldn't make so it could support both top and bottom holes and still maintain the gap you desire so it doesn't touch the bumper. It's just a suggestion... it's nice that you made a product like this... unfortunately a lot of vehicles already have the dreaded screw holes in the bumper. I had a new car and didn't want the screw holes and finally got a fix it ticket for it...even though I was driving within limits and it was the only thing I got ticketed for. Nice to have more license plate mount options.

 

I understand what you are saying. In all honesty the bracket was not made to specifically handle a thumping bass audio system. If that had been my goal I would have come up with a different design. My goal was to produce a simple, rust-free bracket that would hold my license plate firmly, in a location that was aesthetically pleasing to me. The original intent was to avoid holes being drilled in my bumper. Unfortunately, despite my explicit instructions that request was screwed up. I just never liked where the plate was designed to sit from the factory. It was an added bonus that a light bar would fit in the opening that my bracket allowed to be exposed.

As for making the vertical pieces so they could hold the license plate in all four holes I agree it is possible to design a bracket that would do just that. If someone wants a one off design to meet their specific needs they can contact me and we can talk about it. For me the design is very sturdy and the two top license plate holes only being used hold the plate steady with no problems.

I have gone through hours of research and design, trial and error to get three designs that work. And I am still tweaking the designs slightly as needed to improve the product based upon feedback I receive. Thank you for taking the time to reply and offer your insight. I enjoy the learning process that comes with listening to what others have to offer.

 

Thank you Danny and Mike. I appreciate the purchase and the support!

 

OP how do I order ?

 

PM Sent.

 

Subscribed for future purchase.

I hate front plate States, and where the plate mounted from the dealer.

 

I agree, especially with where the dealer mounted plate is located. I think aesthetically it looks much better lower.