Rear number plate

[TangoDaz]

Hello 

help needed I'm trying to remove my rear number plate but both screws just spinning round I removed the tailgate trim but can not see the steel inserts that must be spinning round. Had anyone else had this happen to them and how did you get over the problem? 

Thanks in advance 

[Stoney871]

I had that happen on my mk2.

Someone fitted plate screws that were too big and mangled the aluminium plugs in the panel.

I had to rip mine out and refit using rivnuts.

Access to the rear of the panel is poor but you may be able to clamp onto the plugs with mole grips and remove the screws with a removal tool designed to extract screws with damaged heads.

Failing that just snap the screw heads off and attach a new undrilled plate using 3m foam tabs.

I prefer this because it's full plate size-

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F111997481168

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[F0CUE]

It seems to be common for the female fittings to corrode and come away from the body hence the spinning and most have had to if changing to a new plate snap the screws and stick the plate on.

[TangoDaz]

Thanks guys

i think I'll try to clamp the insert first then attack the screw heads as a last resort 

[Micro]

Using a plastic tool under the plate near the screw, put some outwards pressure on it, you may find the insert will grip and then you can undo the screws.

[isetta]

when I had this problem I used a dremmel type tool to grind the heads off. One the plate was off there was enough of the screw stickeing out to get mole grips on to wrestle the screw with the insert on it out of the car body. 

I am not a fan of using sticky pads on number plates. I have seen many cars where the plates have come off and you can see the sticky pad remnants. Some would say it is a lazy bodge by dealers who don't care if the plates falls off in a couple of years time

[TomsFocus]

36 minutes ago, isetta said:

I am not a fan of using sticky pads on number plates. I have seen many cars where the plates have come off and you can see the sticky pad remnants. Some would say it is a lazy bodge by dealers who don't care if the plates falls off in a couple of years time

I don't think dealers tend to stick plates on...they seem to like using uncapped screws in the most unattaractive places which rust quickly lol.  Modern dealer plates barely seem to last 2 years before they delaminate as well.  

Sticky pads are usually used to give a cleaner look, particularly with pressed metal or gel plates.  No screw fittings on the plate face and no bend in the plate where the holes have been drilled a few mm out.  I've used them a lot and never had a plate fall off so far, as with any adhesive though, need to make sure both surfaces are fully clean before sticking.  The trouble with using them on Ford rears is that the screw holes are raised, so you need thick pads to take up the space.  The grey 3mm ones work well.  Or several of the thin white ones on top of each other.

[Freddy42]

A few blobs of Sticks Like Sh*t firmly attaches the car to the reg plate.