Why is this so hard?

April 21, 2007 1:21 PM

Anybody know how to change the license plates on a '95 Honda Accord?

I know this procedure is usually idiot proof, but the top two bolts on the front plate are just just spinning and appear be held from behind by some kind of nut (not that I can see anything to verify this is the case). Trouble is, if there are nuts holding it in place they are well into the bumper assembly totally inaccesible from the engine, on top or underneath.

Curiously, changing the plates is not mentioned in the owners manual, the 1400+ page service manual and Google is a big zilch.

FWIW, bolts are very rusted. Thanks for any help you can give.

posted by Heminator to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

Phone a Honda dealer?
posted by Neiltupper at 1:43 PM on April 21, 2007

You definitely don't need to get in behind the bumper to do this. You're going to have to hose down the bolts with WD-40 or other lubricant, let that set for a couple of minutes, and then apply pressure (pull them towards you) was you turn them. Hopefully this will give enough friction against whatever is behind the bolts to let you pull them out.

Buy a new set of license plate screws to replace these. You can get ones that come with white plastic snap-in jiggers, which go into the holes in your bumper. Then the screws thread into those. Much easier to remove in the future.
posted by autojack at 1:45 PM on April 21, 2007

Ex-95-Accord-owner here. Mine were the same way: rusted, spinning. I had to work at it with a while with a pair of needle-noses before I got them off.
posted by bjork24 at 1:49 PM on April 21, 2007

"I had to work at it for a while with a pair of needle-noses before I got them off."
posted by bjork24 at 1:54 PM on April 21, 2007

If you can't get them off, I suggest drilling the old bolts out and replacing them with molly bolts or the like.
posted by Kwantsar at 2:08 PM on April 21, 2007

If all else fails, a local garage or mechanic might do it for you for free. This happened to me when I moved from DC to California in the early 90s and I could not get the old DC plates off my Mazda to put on the new CA plates. The garage a couple blocks from my apartment did it for me at no charge, although they also put there license plate frames on. They also won me as a customer for as long as I lived there.
posted by Robert Angelo at 2:36 PM on April 21, 2007

If you can't do it any other way, you should be able to cut or grind the heads off the bolts with a Dremel tool.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 4:02 PM on April 21, 2007

See if there is a way to work your hand up in there to the other side of the plastic bumper. If you can get a pair of pliers on the retaining clip in there, or even your fingers, you might be able to just turn the screw right out. But if you can't, the easiest way to pull and turn the screws is with a pair of Vise-grips (it's a brand-name, like "bandaid," that is used for all locking pliers). Soak with a penetrating oil first for best results.

Personally I'd probably follow SCDB's Dremel suggestion, because it's more fun, but if you don't have any tools a pair of vicegrips is cheaper than a Dremel (although you can pick up off-brand ones at big-box stores pretty cheap). And cutting off the screw heads gets the old license plate off, without solving the problem of how to attach the new one --- you would still have to extract the screws...
posted by Forktine at 4:59 PM on April 21, 2007

A hack-saw would be cheaper than a Dremel, and as effective in a pinch. I now remember that I used that method once, many moons ago.
posted by autojack at 5:37 PM on April 21, 2007

I suggest putting a large flathead screwdriver between the plate and bumper to apply pressure while turning the bolts. If this doesn't work you will definitely need to grind them off. The up side of this is that they'll be easy to drive into the bumper with a punch, leaving you with a nice pair of holes that will fit some self tapping screws. On the downside, there will be a couple of headless bolts rattling inside the bumper assembly forever.
posted by IronLizard at 5:38 PM on April 21, 2007

Um...if the bolt is spinning like that, sawing or grinding the head off will only result in you being able to remove the plate. You'll still have the bolt (minus the head) lodged in the receiver...but now with nothing to grab onto in order to remove it.

I second the suggestion to soak the bolts with WD40 for good long time and then try to remove it. Use the plastic tube to direct the spray under the heads of the bolts.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:44 AM on April 22, 2007

You'll still have the bolt (minus the head) lodged in the receiver

Right. So you knock it in with a punch. If it's stripped, it won't take much to drive it INTO the bumper. Or, if you prefer, drill them out. See above.

I second the suggestion to soak the bolts with WD40 for good long time and then try to remove it.

If it's already spinning freely, what do you think WD40 is going to accomplish? The threads are gone on the central part of the bolt. Presumably, there are threads behind the bolt that will still 'bite' of you pull and twist simultaneously. This would be the preffered method but if it doesn't work your only option is to drive them IN and out of the way for new bolts. Again, there will be a couple of bolts rattling in there if it comes to this.
posted by IronLizard at 3:07 PM on April 22, 2007

Or, if you prefer, drill them out.

Drilling out a headless screw that turns freely won't be easy, trust me.

The threads are gone on the central part of the bolt. Presumably, there are threads behind the bolt that will still 'bite' of you pull and twist simultaneously.

I would be very surprised if what you describe -- a stripped screw -- was the case. Much more likely, the "nut" (most likely a stamped metal clip with two layers of metal, and that "grabs" onto a piece of plastic) has come loose from whatever it attaches to, allowing it to spin freely instead of allowing the screw to turn out. So when the screw is turned, the "nut" turns as well, instead of what you are describing -- where the nut is fixed but the threads are buggered, allowing the screw to spin. What you describe is possible, but is unlikely. The reason pulling and turning works is because pulling provides friction between the nut the backing plate, allowing the screw to turn inside the nut.

But either is possible, and I still suspect that it may be possible to fit a small hand up in there to feel around and figure out what is happening.
posted by Forktine at 3:38 PM on April 22, 2007

very surprised if what you describe -- a stripped screw -- was the case

Very likely, especially if there was an overenthusiastic previous owner. These are bolts the OP mentioned, and probably grade 0 at that. What you're describing happens as well and I'm not familiar with hondas at all.

it may be possible to fit a small hand up in there

In most modern vehicles, the actual bumper (under the plastic facade) is a length of square aluminum tubing that you can't get at without removing the entire plastic mess over it. Even then, it's too small in diameter to reach into.

Drilling out a headless screw that turns freely won't be easy, trust me.

It's no picnic, but it can be done by drilling on the edges and, in the end, enlarging the hole somewhat. Again, though, if it's spinning freely it should be no problem to just knock it into the bumper and out of your way.

Another option is to grind off the heads and relocate the mounting holes slightly over to the side.

The reason pulling and turning works is because pulling provides friction between the nut the backing plate, allowing the screw to turn inside the nut.

Right, prying on the plate does this and lets you use your regular socket/wrench instead of something more likely to slip and round off the head, like a pair of pliers. This is even more important with screws since they rarely offer a good grip on the head, even with vise grips.

That said, there's a dozen different ways to do anything.
Cheers (and with any luck this particular problem is solved already).
posted by IronLizard at 5:16 PM on April 22, 2007

and with any luck this particular problem is solved already

I would hope so -- it should be faster to fix the problem than it was to type all this...
posted by Forktine at 5:54 PM on April 22, 2007