Mounting License plates

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Gogreen_prius @ Oct 15 2007, 08:22 AM) [snapback]525790[/snapback]</div>

Hi Gogreen,

Front:

When you say "frame" are you talking about the thin rectangular plastic frame that usually has the dealer's name and phone number on it? If so, then you just screw it and the license plate into the top two screw holes in the front license plate mount (the approximately 0.5 - 1.0 inch thick plastic mount that matches the curve of the front bumper and that gets screwed into the front bumper), which should have already been screwed into the front bumper by the dealer.

If by "frame" you are referring to the front license plate mount, then you should have that mount installed by the dealer, or your mechanic/body shop (unless you know how to do it yourself ... I don't).

Front & Rear:

Yes, the nut or thread holes for both the rear and front mount are for screws that are 6 mm in diameter. The length of the screws required varies from 10 mm to 30 mm, depending on whether you will be using a license plate frame, how thick the frame is at the point of the screw holes, and whether you will be attaching anything else through those screw holes (e.g., in the front, I have attached these small, round, spool-like rubber bumpers from NoBump.com/GirlsLoveWheels.com; other people have attached bumpers they made themselves out of rubber leg tips or rubber door stops). You can get these metric sized screws from a good hardware store (45 to 60 cents each). Screws made out of stainless steel would be preferred, but they can be hard to find in the diameter and length you may need.

Hope this helps. Congrats.

 

If you look closely on the front bumpercover you can see two indents where the screws go to fasten the plate support. Mine are still visible because we don't have to use the front plate.

 

I am looking for the screws to hold the front plant to the mounting bracket they supplied with the car. They only give you the bolts to hold it to the front bumper. Wth!

 

They should have been in the bag with the front plate bracket. Mine were...

 

I suggest that you either ask your dealer for this hardware, or else bring the mounting bracket to your local hardware store and find the correct metric-size bolts that will work with the bracket.

 

I measured my 2004 Prius front license plate screw by taking a picture of it (attached). I measured it at 6mm thread outside diameter, 1mm thread pitch, 15mm long. In other words M6-1x15. Wikipedia says that 1mm is the normal pitch for 6mm screws, so I think this can also be written as M6x15. This is a zinc coated pan head screw.

I bought some cane-tip type bumpers, but I found the factory screws were not long enough to secure them, because the ~1/4" thickness of the rubber base plus washer required a longer screw.

Therefore I'm going to get some M6x20 (or perhaps even M6x25) screws to attach the bumpers.

 

Just wanted to note that the M6x20 screws worked well for attaching the carbumper.com license plate bumpers to my 04 Prius. These bumpers are pricey but the rubber seems to be the right density/flexibility for the purpose, whereas the cane bumpers are probably too flexible for optimum protection.

 

Yes, 6mm x 20mm is good for mounting the NoBump.com license plate screw bumpers. You can also use a longer length like 30mm if that's the only size you have in your tool box.

The NoBump.com screw bumpers are the best. They'll last forever.

Rubber cane tips or chair leg tips look better and can also be used. But because of their thinner walls, eventually they'll crush and deform. Because of this, I've stopped using the cane/chair leg tips and have gone back to the NoBump.com bumpers.

You can see the differences between the cane/chair leg tips and the NoBump.com bumpers from the photos below.

Front License Plate Rubber Screw Hole Bumpers - Left to Right: 7/8" Chair Leg Tip, 3/4" Chair Leg Tip, 5/8" Chair Leg Tip, and NoBump.com Front License Plate Rubber Screw Hole Bumper:

 

It looks like i have those 'dimples' and outline of a license plate on the passenger side of my rear bumper also. I bought my car used from a dealer. So you think these caused by mfg. or did someone 'tap' my car at some point and leave the impression of a license plate and top screws?