All About Car and Truck Front License Plate Brackets

When it comes to displaying your license plates, the correct part, strength and sturdiness is key. Many things can cause a license plate bracket to go missing getting into a fender-bender, and aggressive carwash, or the neighborhood thief.

Most states now require a front license plate bracket. You will need to have a bracket installed if you live in one of the states, or if you live close to the border of one of the states. The Highway Patrol and local police are really cracking down on this lately. Fines range from anywhere from $50 up to $600 in some states.

Luckily getting a new License bracket is not really expensive. You would think that a license plate bracket is very simple, that is quite far from the truth. There are many companies from China selling cheap universal license plate brackets. You do not want to get one of these brackets and the reason why is it will not fit right and definitely does not look good on your front bumper, check out the reviews of these brackets and these companies you’ll see what we are talking about.

Some brackets Do not include Hardware

Unfortunately some car manufacturers have decided to sell the brackets without hardware.

There are two options that you can use for hardware. The first in the most simple is to just go down to local hardware store and get some self tapping screws. You can drill some pilot holes in the bumper and just use the self tapping screws to install it directly into the bumper.

The second option would be to go to a new car dealer and get the correct hardware. I would be cautious about this the reason being that they sell each piece of hardware individually. Usually when buying the hardware, from the dealership you will pay more than the price of the bracket for the hardware. Again this is a game that they play to get you to spend a ton of money for some nuts bolts or screws. If you have a small amount of technical skill you can find the correct balls that you need at a hardware store and do it yourself.

In order to install your license plates you should:

• Purchase the correct size screws. Ask the local hardware shop or auto parts store for help if you’re unsure which will hold securely.
• Find the right sized screwdriver. Using an ill-fitting tool can strip the screw of its heading and make it difficult to remove or tighten correctly.
• Make sure screws are tight. Righty tighty until you’re sure the plate isn’t going anywhere (without damaging the plate or the vehicle as well). This way you can be sure your plates are secure and properly in place.
• If you need to drill sure to use the correct size drill bit to make the pilot hole.

When installing a license plate, remember these simple tips to ensure you’re doing it correctly and avoiding a repeat performance. If you find that you are having trouble installing these on your own, make sure to take the job to a mechanic to ensure the correct installation.