Rear License Plate Installation, Gen III

I decided to install my Gen III rear plate with a solid 4 point mount instead of the stock 2 point mount. The labels on the pictures should make them self explanatory.

I also but some EPDM rubber weatherstrip on the back of the plate to keep it off the paint.

Because of tools and material I had on hand, I added two #10-24 Riv-Nuts to pickup the lower two license plate mounting holes. The two stock upper mounts are M6x1.0 thread and I would have had to bought new tooling and Riv-nuts for my Riv-nutter to match them.

There is about 2 inches clearance after you drill through the sheet metal, so with a small amount of care you won't run your drill into anything.

The Riv-nut tool I used was a Harbor Freight Item#1210, 45 Piece Threaded Insert Nut Riveter Kit for $16.99.

I got the HF one because it would have cost me more than that just to buy the right sized nut fixture and nuts for my high end Riv-nut tool.

Riv-nuts (Threaded insert nut rivets) are similar to the blind rivets (Pop rivets) that you can buy in any hardware store and many car parts stores. Unfortunately, riv-nuts and the installation tool can be hard to find. The difference between Pop Rivets and Riv-nuts is that Riv-nuts have a threaded hole in them that can be used to screw conventional screws into. They are useful tool if you are ever want to securely attach a screw to sheet metal. Image 4 is a closeup of an installed Riv-nut and you can see the threads in the center of it.

Nicely done.

Don't know that I could bring myself to put holes in my new Prius, but that does look slick! I'm thinking of putting a couple rubber bumpers along the bottom back side of the license plate to stop it from bouncing and possibly scratching the paint.

The dealership, when putting on my plates the night I bought my car, well, let’s be generous and say the shop tech was not the brightest bulb in the room. He put my plates on with regular, 10-24 or such screws, cross threading the metric plate nut in the rear hatch of the car. In fact, the one on the right was snapped off of the aluminum panel the hatch is made of. See, the reason I know all this is the plate was loose and rattling and when I went to tighten it up, the one screw was just spinning. I had to remove the inner plastic hatch panel to get my vise grips up in there to grasp the broken off plate nut before I could remove the bolt. I just used a plastic plate nut from Autozone to resecure the plate.
The stock “nut†is just a round, threaded piece of steel broached to a short strip of aluminum which is then spot welded to the hatch panel. It holds up well when the correct bolts are used, but trying to jam in the wrong bolts (probably with an air tool) snapped it right off the hatch panel. Of course, the guy that did it is NOT going to come forward and say “Duh, I broke your plate nut off the hatch because I jammed in the wrong sized bolts with the air driver wrench and there is NO WAY TO RESECURE IT. Sorry, we should replace the rear hatch for you, but because I’m an ignorant slob and you’re just a customer, you lose, sucker!â€
He also left a large smear of greenish axle grease on the dash when he stuck the inspection and registration stickers on the windshield. That has never come out; it left a nice stain on the dash.
Dealers suck!

You might consider putting the bumpers on the paint instead of the plate, that way they don't keep bouncing off the paint as the plate vibrates.

I put 3 layers of electrical tape on the back of the plate, on the 2 lower corners--works great.

I think you are asking too much to expect a Toyota tech to know that Toyota uses metric fasteners.

I used plastic bolts on the bottom with a plastic nut. It will not scratch the paint.



If you do not seal the front and back of that rivet the metal from the car will rust.

The aluminum rivet would act as a protective anode if I were in a rust area and that panel on the car were made of steel, but it isn't, it's aluminum as is the rivet.

Sealant is generally a good idea, it just isn't needed in this case.

awesome job!

Is that a clear plastic cover over the plate? I can't quite tell from the pic. I think that may be a state-by-state option; in California that's illegal. I've thought about a cover to protect my 'ham radio' plate though...

Yes it is a clear plastic cover. It does not have a boarder. I taped of the section I wanted clear and spray painted the area that is black from the inside. The front does not have the boxes cut out for the stickers.

The law on plates does vary by state, but generally you are required to keep the license number and state name visible.

That said, what you did doesn't bother me and looks good.

I don't run a front plate at all on my other car (they are required where I live) and haven't been bothered about it by the police in the 6+ years I have been going without.

Impressive job, thanks for sharing!

Thanks much. I'll try that soon. Appreciate it.

I prefer the cleaner design of leaving the bottom holes alone. Better (thin) license plate frames have notches against which the bottom of the plate can rest. I threw away my screw covers as they're way too big and stick out like a sore thumb.

Lmao. Why?

Just the white plate would look better than all that black, which sticks out like an eyesore.

The plates are not white. There is yellow, red and blue under the black.