Rear License Plate Holder - Rusted Nuts

[TopCat]

Hey. Anybody figure out a way to replace the funky nuts on the rear license plate holder? I had to drill out the old screws to get the old owners plate off. The ferrule nuts are frozen on the metal screws with rust (Mag Chloride heavily used in Denver).

Anybody else run into this and figured out how to attach a plate without replacing the entire holder? Does Land Rover carry the nuts?

Thanks.

Cheers!

TopCat

 

[wcryer]

When i was at the shop the other day they gave me some plastic screws. mine are already seized as well. havent decided how i want to deal with it yet. was thinking about just shooting some wd40 in every couple days and hope to get lucky loosening them some weekend. a better solution would be great.

 

[CMGRover]

PB Blaster is awesome for breaking rust.

 

[TopCat]

Got 'em freed up.

Since I purchase the truck from a private seller, I wasn't worried about destroying the license plate. I bent up each edge (which easily bent back without damage) and removed the frame from the truck; two screws underneath.

I then drilled the screw heads off and punched the 'nuts' and rusted shafts out of the frame. Soaked them for 36 hours in a penetrating lube (I don't have PB Blaster yet) and used a pair of vise grips on the 'nut' and channel locks on the shaft of the screw, working it back and forth until the seizing eased. I continued rocking it back and forth as I screwed it out of the nut. Got all four free. A lot of time to just get the plate attached.

I hope all the maintenance stuff on the LR3 isn't so time intensive. I mean, the skid plates to reach the oil drain and filter are bad enough. Time to buy that air compressor I've been putting off

Cheers!

 

[CMGRover]

LR3's are actually pretty easy to physically work on, at least the stuff I've done so far.

 

[bbyer]

M6x1.00 x 16 mm long screws

To my knowledge, the screws that come standard for the license plates are metric nylon M6x1.00 x about 18mm long with a slotted head for a flat blade screwdriver, (or a coin).

Too long a screw and the shank tries to screw thru the paint and metal of your lower hatch.

I changed the slotted head nylon screws to a metal Torx head M6x1.00x16 to make it harder to remove the plates. I also use copper grease on the threads to make the screws easier to remove - do I detect a contradiction here?

https://www.belmetric.com/zinc-plat...296_297.html?zenid=eccdvi3dql31qc1kktjk7octm0

 

[TopCat]

Yep, the shanks on the upper two penetrated the paint. Yay!

I found nylon screws at AutoZone that worked. Metric. Not too long since I put a frame and clear cover over the plate.

Do people really steal license plates so often that they need to be secured with special screws? Wheels I understand. Tags???

Cheers!

 

[victorhess]

I had the same issue. Roverparts has a replacement bracket for $25.