TheGrooveking
Well-known member
Have any of you guys found where to buy stainless license plate screws? Every vehicle I look at they are rusting, inlcuding all 5 of mine.
TheGrooveking
TheGrooveking
License plate screws...
- Thread starter TheGrooveking
- Start date
Addrock
Well-known member
or nylon
Badger 13
Well-known member
Since some people still "steal" license plates, I have replaced the "traditional" type head screws with either torx, or allen heads. The crooks will usually go to an "easy" removal. I find the stainless ones at ACE hardware.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
I like the nylon ones myself. You can get them in black or white, and you never have to worry about rust.
ddawg16
Well-known member
Very true.....by nature, crooks are very lazy.
While your at it....remove that stupid frame that car dealers put on. When I buy a new car, I usually tell them to remove it before I drive it off the lot.
For those that have to display tags on the front of your vehicles, do you know what's behind the plastic bumper cover on cars that don't have a bracket? My wife's got a '08 Toyota Highlander & wants to put a tag on the front for her favorite college team, but there's just 2 dimples for the screws...and I haven't been able to bring myself to just run 2 screws into it yet, not knowing what's behind it & how well it will hold?
usually the bumper holes are made to hold the plate bracket, which is either held on with blind rivets (pop rivets) or screws. If you hold a plate up to those bumper holes, I bet the holes wont line up.
No, actually the dimples do line up with the plate holes - and Toyota does not make a front license plate bracket for the late model Highlanders (cost savings?)
Perhaps I should just drill a small pilot hole to see what's back there...or convince the wife that *everyone* knows what team she likes!
Perhaps I should just drill a small pilot hole to see what's back there...or convince the wife that *everyone* knows what team she likes!
Interex
Well-known member
The ones they sell at auto parts stores have always worked well for me. 
I usually try to put 4 fasteners in my car tags. I also alternate them, 2 phillips screws and 2 bolts. My logic is, what thief is going to be carrying both a philips screwdriver and a ratchet or wrench? I like the allen screw idea as well. Only way I see to defeat that is if a thief is extremely skilled and quick with a set of vise grips.
paranoid56
Well-known member
those dimples are just 1/2" thick plastic, you use normal screws just screwed into the plastic. has held fine on all my cars.
Yep...self tapping screws work fine. That is what most manufacturers use to secure the front plate holder/frame to the bumper.
Before you go doing that you may want to consider a different way to display it up front. When/if you go to sell that car it is nice to have a bumper w/o holes in the front bumper cover.
Before you go doing that you may want to consider a different way to display it up front. When/if you go to sell that car it is nice to have a bumper w/o holes in the front bumper cover.
gahrajmahal
Well-known member
On my wifes Corolla there was nothing behind the dimples. The Toyota bracket just uses #12 sheet metal screws. Threads into the 1/16 thick bumper cover. Chintzy but has held for a year.
They're actually illegal per NYS v&t code.
dmeadow
Well-known member
My wife's '08 Highlander had the front plate screwed on by the dealer that way.
Greatbear
Well-known member
I picked up sets of stainless "security" screws for license plates from either Advance or Auto Zone. They have the 1/4" self tapping as well as the M5 metric machine screw versions used on some imports. They are allen head with a center pin, and come with a matching key wrench to install and remove. I put these on my fleet of cars and trucks. I don't recall the brand of the screws, but they can be found among all the license plate frames and other bling.
nehog
Well-known member
My Saab came from the factory with Torx screws for the plates. No rust on them, but then the car shows 6,700 miles (for a 1990) so it's not seen a lot of rain either.
Statistically you are much more likely to loose a plate than have it stolen, so any screw should have good holding power. And face it, if someone wants to steal your plates, they will get them, probably sacrificing your bumper, plate mount, trim and whatever else they have to, in order to get them. For this reason I think if you have a metal surface, welding them on is the most secure way to go. Don't forget to fill in the holes when welding.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
I have those also, but it is best to get an extra wrench or two. I had to put a new sticker on my plate and couldn't find the wrench for them. I finally found it after about an hour of looking. I had tossed it in the drawer with my other Allen wrenches and it got shifted around and buried.
I did a search to find a pic of the screws and this site popped up http://www.keyedlok.com/tamperproofscrews/keyed-lok3.html If someone was really worried, they have a multitude of different styles
No, actually the dimples do line up with the plate holes - and Toyota does not make a front license plate bracket for the late model Highlanders (cost savings?)
Perhaps I should just drill a small pilot hole to see what's back there...or convince the wife that *everyone* knows what team she likes!
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=381021
Go to post #15. Apparently they do make them.
I have to put the new expiration sticker on the wife's Explorer and my truck. I've been wanting to get some SS screw for the plates. Now I know they are commonly available and no need to search around for them.
Another big thanks to GJ.
Another big thanks to GJ.
Orangestang
Well-known member
I use em on my cars all the time. A 1/4 -20 s.s. bolt with a phillips head works fine. You can find em at Home Depot.
Greatbear
Well-known member
I have those also, but it is best to get an extra wrench or two. I had to put a new sticker on my plate and couldn't find the wrench for them. I finally found it after about an hour of looking. I had tossed it in the drawer with my other Allen wrenches and it got shifted around and buried.
I keep the wrench that comes with the kit in the console or glove box in the vehicle. I have other tamperproof drivers I can use if needed. In fact, I have to go through the motions when it stops raining to put the new expiration sticker on. I like to remove the previous stickers instead of stacking them on.
BHR4CE1
Well-known member
I use these on all my cars. They look great, and use allen screws for security.
http://www.drivingcomfort.com/prestige-license-plate-cover.cfm
http://www.drivingcomfort.com/prestige-license-plate-cover.cfm
Sureshot
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Check out what they have at a local large truckstop. I always seem to find some cool new lights or bling in those places.
Alchymist
Well-known member
George in Rancho Cordova
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2011
- Messages
- 741
3/16" Pop Rivets work very well
bgott
Well-known member
I'm amazed that there is a website dedicated to license plate screws!