licenece plate screw

[melders]

it seems one of mine is stripped, and is loose, how do i fix this so my plate doesn't fall out? its actually not the screw, its the hole that it goes in to. I thought maybe some silicone in there, but then i wont be able to get the screw out if i need to take the plate off

[ToolGuy]

I think you are stuck here... The bolts thread into the car and the car does not have separate nuts but the cars metal itself has a nut like welded to the back of the hole. Once stripped, you would have to re-tap it. Or you could get a self tapping screw that is oversized and crank it in the hole. But it will have to overcome all the threads on the car which again are really a nut that is welded behind the hole and is a few mm thick. Another option is remove the small plastic panel in the hatch to access the license plate bulbs and try and get a nut behind the hole while someone else threads in the bolt. This way is time consuming though and once one you will have to do this again to remove it since the nut will either fall off once loose or just spin with the bolt without being held. Last option is to take a plastic insert like a dry wall plastic insert, a small one, shove it in the hole and then add the screw to the plastic. The screw will of course be smaller sized but it will hold the plate.

[melders]

dang...ill just have to keep checkin it to make sure its not loose enough to fall off. I just put my new Dale JR frame on it, and noticed it was loose.

[ToolGuy]

LOL!!!! I am a JR fan too! You know I would try a new bolt. They are metric I know because I changed mine out to stainless but I do not know the size off hand just took one to the hardware store and got a few bolts with threads that were close and one fit.

[melders]

now both of the screws are out...i closed the hatch, and boom...the plate fell off, just happy it didn't happen on the road.

[ToolGuy]

Here is another idea... From inside the hatch, push a bolt through the hole. Put a nut on the bolt and tighten down. Then put your plate on and put another nut on the bolt. Double nut-ed but you will only then remove the one for the plate. Possibly use Lock Tight on the first nut to prevent it from spinning. Use Stainless Steel nuts and bolts that way the bolt and nuts will not bond together like rust with metal nuts and bolts.

[Whelan]

I would just re-tap it.