Rear License Plate Holes Stripped

Happy to report the 2012's are no better. Installed my rear plates today only to discover the holes are stripped. To cold to monkey around with it now so just dabbed some marine sealant on the threads which should hold until it warms up.
Doesnt look like a lot of fun trying to fit a real bolt and nut up behind the bumper with the trailer hitch on.

 

Plate stealing is very bad in my town and on campus so I've put some tamper resistant screws on my truck so far I've gone 2 years without a plate stolen. If they want it they will get them but why waste the time on mine when the person next to me has theirs screwed in with phillips head screws? You can order some here or just find some at your local hardware store.
http://tamperproof.com/

 

mine was stripped as well..I just put bigger screws in. I plan on redoing it this spring with billet spikes like I had on my 96.

 

I just removed the license plate frames with all the dealer advertising on it and replaced them with plain black frames. When I removed the rear plate, the bolts almost pulled right out, courtesy of the dude at the dealer who used his nice Makita power drill to screw them on

I took care of it with a couple of bolts and nylon lock nuts.

 

What size are the factory rear plate screws/bolts? M_?

 

I replaced mine with 1 1/4" long 1/4" diameter panhead bolts w/ lock nuts, lock washer and sheet metal washer for each when I did my 7 pin relocate w/ a Summit flip-up license plate bracket. That would be the right size whether you were mounting the bracket or just mounting the license plate.

Here's a pic from underneath:



It's two finger work getting the washers and lock nut on the bolt between the bumper and frame, but not too bad if you can get somebody outside else to turn the screw while you fiddle with fastners underneath.

David

 

I had a feeling I wasn't the only one to have experienced this. I have a tow package too so I'm sure this is going to be a bitch to get my hands back there with washers and nuts.

 

Just get a new high clearance super bad arse really neat overly tough rear bumper! Thats what I did when my bolt holes stripped out.... or the partial zip tie trick would possibly work too.

 

My 2013 came off the dealers lot with the screws for the rear license plate already stripped. I used larger screws.
Kind of pisses me off when I think about it, it's not their vehicle so they could care less even though it was brand new.

 

just as an update to this thread as i was looking for the information and couldn't find any, i bought these from oriely's - UPC: 77341933687 http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ck=Search_N0308_1165070_-1&pt=N0308&ppt=C0155

Took a 10mm wrench on the backside of the plate accessed from under the truck and held the nut in place while using my otherhand to tighten with the supplied allen. Took 2-3 minutes tops, my tow reciever didn't really get in the way.

 

Going to test some sugru (www.sugru.com). Works on most applications - looking for a zip ties, all I have are large.
Will post back with results.

 

it's a thread from 2010.... some posters might not even be alive

 

Quick fix, I wrapped my bolts with plumbers tape, then screwed them back in. Good to go for the last year.

 

I pulled the plastic off the bumper and found holes already there, so I installed so threaded nut serts and real threaded bolts.

 

I used a one inch piece of a medium zip tie in the hole with the screw. It tightened up really good. I'm calling it a permanent fix as long as I "never" have to remove the tag.

 

Nutserts would have been my preferred method to fix too.

 

getting your hand around behind there to hold the nut can be a challenge.

 

^this is what I did. Hardened bolts with double nuts/jam nuts and Loctite too... I don't think they are coming off anytime soon

Yep it's tight space behind there but it's a one time deal, set it and forget it... forever.

 

just curious... where did you get the inserts and what sizes did you get? I would like to do this because it seems to be the best, most permanent way, to fix this issue

 

I always let my wife hold my nuts.