Hey,

I just got the new plates for the car, and I have an irritating issue. One of the two screws holding the rear plate won't grip inside, if you know what I mean. It leaves the plate at an angle as one screw holds it on. It looks stupid. When I removed the temporary plates I discovered the dealer had wrapped some kind of rubber junk around the screw that went into that hole as a temporary fix. I dunno what happened inside, but the screw just won't stay in. It's not an issue with the screw itself, as I tried a different one. Anyone have any idea how I can solve the problem?

 

It surprised me that the only attachment for the rear plate was to use drill screws through the plastic panel. I addressed this with a product called "Rivnut". Installed two rivnuts carefully spaced. Permanent fix after using s/s screws. These can be purchased with kit at Harbor Freight.

Gary

 

Thanks for the info Gary. I wasn't able to find a product called "Rivnut" using the search on the Harbor Freight website. Also, I'm such a girly-man, I don't know what s/s screws are.

 

Harbor freight number is 1210-ovga...cost $14. s/s means stainless steel. Screws come out easily later, no corrosion.

Regards, Gary

 

Thanks a ton, pal.

 

The point is that some Chrysler technician has used the license plate screw to destroy the nut that should hold it.

My experience has been that every time a Chrysler technician touches the car they do more harm than good.

 

I keep hoping I'll read a good post from you stating that a dealer fixed something for you, but no such luck , I feel for you and reading your posts makes me pray I never need warranty work.

 

There is no nut, only a dimple in the plastic panel as a template for drill screws.

 

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The screws used to hold the plate on are short.
If you do a test with a small diameter drill at the existing hole you will find a second layer of bumper inside of the outer skin.
Drill through it with the small diameter drill and use a new and longer stainless screw that holds in the inner panel.

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

I'm glad to see that others have already spotted this strange flaw in the Crossfire's design. Of all the places to go cheap, having to mount a license plate by drilling sheet metal screws into unsupported plastic panels is as amateurish as they get.

I don't know how common this is, but when I wash my car, I like to take the license plate off to clean and wax the entire panel. I'm guessing my Crossfire won't hold up to more than a half dozen tag removals before I have to resort to Velcro, glue or Bubble Yum. I like the RivNut idea that was mentioned, but I'm going to experiment first with a more substantial fix. Has anyone tried hot-gluing a couple of nuts (no jokes, please ) behind the panel to receive the stainless steel screws?

Just a thought. I'll let you know if I come up with anything really clever and permanent, but I'm not the best mechanic on the planet. One of the forum's more skilled tinkerers should probably invent and reproduce a very simple bracket that could be fitted behind the panel to serve this purpose. I would spend $15 to make this fix.

SPEDWAY

 

Adding something behind the panel sounds like the way to go to me.

I wouldn't, however, use hot glue to glue a nut to the back as it's guaranteed to break loose later (especially when it gets cold). Using it in the hole may be ok as it's not going to be required to stay stuck to anything.

I put in those green expanding thingies designed to screw into drywall in. They've held up for a few years now.