So I was switching over my tags and installed the front Z bracket...Then I go around back and there's two simple screws in back for the other license plate - I unscrew one fine...Then the other one gives me hell, and I can't seem to figure out how I'm supposed to get it off.

I turn it to the left and it will sort of pop, like it's catching on a a lugnut in back or something and it isn't taught enough to screw out of it...So I opened my trunk and took out my spare tire blah blah to see if I could see the back of the screw/lug from the inside...no luck.

So I'm lost...how am I supposed to get the screw unstuck?

 

pull on your plate while loosening the screw.

 

I tried that initially...did the same thing, it was just a little harder....Should I pull harder?

 

try to drill it out, use a drill to break the screw, i've done that a lot...

 

The anchor nut is spinning in the back. You can but the bolt off with high-speed Dremmel cutter, but that still leaves you with an unusable anchor nut. I've never taken off the rear bumper, but my guess is that you will have to. There's no access to the back of the bumper from inside the trunk, even if you remove the rear trunk panels. Good luck.

 

Same thing happened to me a couple of months ago, but both bolts. Ended up using a recipricating saw(overkill), tin snips etc

This is what was left.

 

lol okay....

How am I supposed to break the screw with a power drill when it won't catch on anything? Also if I bolt it off and hope the other end can be pushed out the side can I screw a new bolt back in? If so could anyone tell me what size bolt I need to acquire?

 

You're going to have to replace the anchor nut in the rear. You're going to have to get behind the bumper to do this. The easy part is getting the stripped bolt out. The hard part is installing a new anchor nut. Me personally, I'd remove both bolts, go buy some 3M double sided tape @ Home Depot, and tape the license plate to the bumper. That $hit is strong. It comes in deferent tensil strengths. I have some at home that's capable of holding 5 lbs..... Nuff said.

 

thing is I'll be switching plates again in 4 weeks - I have a personalized plate coming in... I guess I could go-gone it off and try again eh?


Say I wanted to go ahead and anchor bolt...how would I even take the bumper off - are there any tutorials and instructions around?

 

I'm sure there's one somewhere. Start in the DIY section or do a search. Good luck...

 

I tried getting it out some more...I really don't have any heavy duty bolt cutters, although i tried with some weaker ones. I can't screw it back in anymore because it's the same story as when I try to unscrew it - the bolt moves...So I can't really strip the bolt out either.


You guys have little black clips that house a bolt in the back right?

The one I took out:





The one that is stuck - it's out pretty far, but it's not going to move.

 

Check out my thread from awhile back..
https://my350z.com/forum/the-lounge-off-topic/201362-look-what-i-bought-last-night.html

Buy one of these. Problem solved....

 

I'll do that later tonight... I noticed the cheap dealerships plate scratched some of the top part above where the license plate is while I was trying to get the screw out...Grrr - oh well; impossible to see unless you bend down and have the plate off

 

The problem is that Nissan used a metal screw and nut, and a plastic holder for the nut. If the nut and screw become corroded at all, the plastic holder gives way, making the screw and nut a rivet. It is poorly designed to say the least. I guess it would be suitable for a car kept in a garage and only driven on sunny Sundays. I purchased some metal U-shaped nuts and bolts and replaced the worse than garbage ones Nissan had used.

And I might add that the wonderful NISMO plate holder came with some real garbage plastic screw caps, when I tried to take them off they turned to powder in my fingers. Good thing I didn't buy a replica.

 

What size u-nut do I need?


edit:

I did end up sawing the bolt off with a dremmel saw and pushing it out the back.

 

grrr i went to the hardware store to try to find clips and the guy gave me the biggest clips they had and they are about 1/4th inch shy...not to mention i had to spend 15 minutes bending them to fit on the damn bumper... I guess I'll just 3m tape it because this has been a flipping nightmare across the board... That and I don't really understand the sizes, and nor cna i find one

 

Just go to a Pep boys or any auto parts store, they have a rack with bolts and nuts for license plates. Bring the old one in to compare sizes. You can get them in all plastic, all metal, all stainless steel, etc. They are made specifically for mounting plates.