Hinged rear licence plate

[fourfourto]

I started working on a hinged rear licence plate.
I had to use a grinding wheel to flatten the factory screws a bit so it would close flush.
I have cut a piece of piano hinge to 10 1/2 inches
Drilled holes into it and have 2 tapered screws to mount plate.(I will cut them down to size and paint black.
I wanted to use a magnet so it dont flap in the wind but stainless steel is not magnetic .
I ended up using 3M interlock.

[fourfourto]

I mounted it and realized the 4 1/2 inch pieces are not strong enough to hold plate from flapping.
I will go get some more and put a 1 1/2 inch piece on both ends and a 4 to 6 inch piece in the middle.
My wife went back to work with the 3 and Im leaving to go upstate as soon as she gets home so I will list final results next week.

I noticed a bunch of you here mangled your rear plate

Pic with it attached to bumper

[Desert Dan]

I was thinking of moving the license plate up about an inch behind the light and bolting the lower edge to the bumper?

I wish there was a resessed area in the bumper for the plate.

Too bad thay didn't put 2 tow hooks on the bummper and put the plate on the tire up and out of the way

[Ipedog]

Hinge at the top and add rare-earth magnets to the bottom at the bumper. The magnets will be strong enough to hold against any wind but will allow the plate to hinge up when pushed upon by earth or rocks.

You can get rare earth magnets from most good hardware stores, woodworking stores, or online. I know for a fact that www.leevalley.com has them.

NPI (new product introduction) maybe? Nice work.

Front plate is best kept at all times in the storage compartment for the jack, no fear of damage that way.

S.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by Ipedog

Hinge at the top and add rare-earth magnets to the bottom at the bumper. The magnets will be strong enough to hold against any wind but will allow the plate to hinge up when pushed upon by earth or rocks.

You can get rare earth magnets from most good hardware stores, woodworking stores, or online. I know for a fact that www.leevalley.com has them.

Magnets do not work with stainless steel


I bought 3M dual lock Hi Strength Hi temp superlock fasteners Very strong only needed 4 small squares.(much stronger than the clear stuff.
I will put plate on when wife comes home and then upstate I go.
I dont think I will need it this time around,but you never know.

I will list pics of install when I get back.

Removing front plate is a must,I snaped it off in Georgia backing off a hill.

[ree]

Originally Posted by fourfourto

...3M dual lock Hi Strength Hi temp superlock fasteners...

I bet they'll be great until you get some mud packed in them while wheeling. But you'll be able to razor them off and replace if the mud doesn't clear.

Lookin' good.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by ree

I bet they'll be great until you get some mud packed in them while wheeling. But you'll be able to razor them off and replace if the mud doesn't clear.

Lookin' good.

Thats what a power washer is for


Any other ideas.
Magnets wont work
cabinet holders ? glued on snap ? pop out retaining clip
only 1/8th inch opening
I will keep my eye out at home depot

[Ipedog]

No, no, nooo...

Okay, the piano hinge is SS, but the bumper and the plate aren't. If you place rare-earth magnets on the bumper itself and then let the plate hinge down to them they will stick. My plate is aluminum. I imagine that yours is as well. Attach a nut and bolt through the lower holes in the plate and position the rare earth magnets such that they are located where they contact with these nuts/bolts. The greater mass (I'm no engineer so don't quote me) of the bumper steel will hold the magnets better than the small mass of the nut/bolts on the plate. When the plate is acted on by the ground or rocks it will be pulled free and swing up. Once the obstruction is gone the plate will swing down and catch on the magnets again. Done deal.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by Ipedog

No, no, nooo...

Okay, the piano hinge is SS, but the bumper and the plate aren't. If you place rare-earth magnets on the bumper itself and then let the plate hinge down to them they will stick. My plate is aluminum. I imagine that yours is as well. Attach a nut and bolt through the lower holes in the plate and position the rare earth magnets such that they are located where they contact with these nuts/bolts. The greater mass (I'm no engineer so don't quote me) of the bumper steel will hold the magnets better than the small mass of the nut/bolts on the plate. When the plate is acted on by the ground or rocks it will be pulled free and swing up. Once the obstruction is gone the plate will swing down and catch on the magnets again. Done deal.

I will look into that thanks.I figured you knew SS is not magnetic (I mentioned it also )
I beleve the lower screws/bolts are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches from the bumper.I guess I could have a bolt pertrude behind plate and use 2 magnets.
Ill see how the interlock works out for now.

Have a nice weekend Im off to upstate

[lotus4s]

442, is "interlock" a fancy name for velcro?

Looks good, I could have used that a couple of weeks ago...

We need some video of a real world test, go drive up the outside of your house or something.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by lotus4s

442, is "interlock" a fancy name for velcro?

Looks good, I could have used that a couple of weeks ago...

We need some video of a real world test, go drive up the outside of your house or something.

Intelock is plastic on both sides and snaps in tighter than velcro.
Its what they give you with EZPASS .
Only a small piece is needed.

I was going 80mph for a while and hit 90mph and the plate stayed in place.
A little tug pops it off and it swings back,its one off those things that you dont need it till you need it.
Low cost insurance from damaging plate/plate frame or mounting nuts.

I will post pics tommorow of the hinged plate installed and at 90 degrees flaped open(wife took the 3 today )

[Alan06SUT]

On a lot of muscle cars, for sure on a 73-74 chevy nova, the plate frame is hinged and sprung. This acts as the gas door as the filler spout is behind it in the center of the car. Try to get one of these and modify it for your truck, or put a spring on the hinge and the end of it pushing the plate firmly against the bumper. if it hits it will overcome the springs force and allow it to move out of the way, they it will spring back into place after the obstacle is cleared.

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by Alan06SUT

On a lot of muscle cars, for sure on a 73-74 chevy nova, the plate frame is hinged and sprung. This acts as the gas door as the filler spout is behind it in the center of the car. Try to get one of these and modify it for your truck, or put a spring on the hinge and the end of it pushing the plate firmly against the bumper. if it hits it will overcome the springs force and allow it to move out of the way, they it will spring back into place after the obstacle is cleared.

I have that plate bracket on the 442.You would have to drill into the H3 bumper.
Interlock works fine I ended up using 1 piece 1 1/2 inches long in the middle(didnt like snapping it 3 times) snap and its secure.



final result

[fourfourto]

45 degree angle

[fourfourto]

90 degree angle.

[hmrlvr]

Good job, should save the plate and frame. 1st thing I bought for mine was a plate frame. It lasted less than 2 hours on the 1st offroad trip. Maybe I'll try something similar.

[Hmmm2]

Originally Posted by fourfourto

I started working on a hinged rear licence plate.

Looks great! Why hasn't anyone else thought of this for off-roaders? Patent it!

[NEOCON1]

great idea wish id known about it a year ago , i have beat my plate flat soooo many times now

[Sewie]

Originally Posted by NEOCON1

great idea wish id known about it a year ago , i have beat my plate flat soooo many times now

That's just part of the routine now.