starfield Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I am thinking of relpacing the screws holding the number plates on my focus with security ones. I attempted to remove the plastic trim on the tailgate to no avail. My question is is there a nut on the screw? If there is, is it welded to the panel? If it is the first possibility, then the nut might just drop on the inside forcing to reomve the plastic trim. Has anybody attempted this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 I am thinking of relpacing the screws holding the number plates on my focus with security ones. I attempted to remove the plastic trim on the tailgate to no avail. My question is is there a nut on the screw? If there is, is it welded to the panel? If it is the first possibility, then the nut might just drop on the inside forcing to reomve the plastic trim. Has anybody attempted this? if it aint broke.................dont break it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfield Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 ok, here is the rationale behind unscrewing the number plates: On Sunday both number plates on my wife's nissan micra were stolen. On my focus, there are just normal screws, and i would like to replace them with security ones. I do not want to be a victim (i live in south london). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artscot79 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 ok, here is the rationale behind unscrewing the number plates: On Sunday both number plates on my wife's nissan micra were stolen. On my focus, there are just normal screws, and i would like to replace them with security ones. I do not want to be a victim (i live in south london). if its the same as the mk1 then the screws have welded threads on the inside of the plastic trim these can however break so taking them off should be okay the mk2 trim would i imagine be the same 4 plastic screws then you have to pull it its quite tight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfield Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Has anybody else removed the number plates on a mk2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCJ Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Surely if you cant figure out how to remove them, a theif who has the intelligence of a gold fish would struggle also, so why bother? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfield Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Surely if you cant figure out how to remove them, a theif who has the intelligence of a gold fish would struggle also, so why bother? you are not getting the point, the plates are very easy to remove. my question is: Is there a nut on the inside of the tailgate holding the screw and the number plate in place. If i undo the screw, the nut might fall in the tailgate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mross Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Starfield I know what you mean, dont worry about the nut falling into the tail gate causing u to take the trim off and hunt for it, that's not gonna happen because the nut on the other side is presswelded to the tailgate its-self so no worries :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCJ Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 you are not getting the point, the plates are very easy to remove. my question is: Is there a nut on the inside of the tailgate holding the screw and the number plate in place. If i undo the screw, the nut might fall in the tailgate. Ahh i must have mis read. I do that now and again haha! I dont really have the problem of people nicking number plates where i live, so i feel sorry for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mross Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 ps: Starfield I always find adding quite a few washers to raise the plate from the tailgate just enough to put razor blades snapped in half and glued to the back of the plate works well if you know what i mean ;) just dont forget you put them there :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfield Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 just the received my wife's new plates today. paid £20 on eBay with 3D lettering, side EU/GB banner and with a border. I will now secure them with security screws and the same on the focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Not bad, I presume you reported the theft to the police as soon as you noticed? Also it might be worth letting the DVLA know - just incase your number plates are abused as someone will try to clone the car, then you have let all parties know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfield Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 Not bad, I presume you reported the theft to the police as soon as you noticed? Also it might be worth letting the DVLA know - just incase your number plates are abused as someone will try to clone the car, then you have let all parties know! done that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 good job! I know some people dont bother... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starfield Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 It has been a while now and i have attached pics of the completed task. These are tamper proof screws bought on eBay. it comes with driving tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenny Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 ok, here is the rationale behind unscrewing the number plates: On Sunday both number plates on my wife's nissan micra were stolen. On my focus, there are just normal screws, and i would like to replace them with security ones. I do not want to be a victim (i live in south london). A fair point may be that if you the owner of the car who has loads of time to try and remove them and you cant, then a thief who has minimum time to spare will hardly be capable of removing them neither, so id leave them the way they are. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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