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How To Remove Number Plate Screws? They are plastic and have smooth round heads

#1 User is offline   Jammiedodger23 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 12:34 PM

Hi All,

Seems really stupid but i don't want to damage my car by guessing what to do.

My number plates don't have normal screws with philips heads etc, they have plastic screws that are completely smooth and round on the top, so i have no way of getting them out with a screwdriver. I can't access the rear of the number plate to see if they are nuts / bolts or not.

I initially thought they were just platsic covers that clip over the screws but they are not.

Anybody else had this problem? I've just bought some new plates to replace the original "soggy" ones that make the car look a mess. Guessin the lats person who had it had the same problem which is why they have never been changed.
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#2 User is offline   Pumasparky 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 12:37 PM

That's odd.

Have you tried having a little pry at them?

I have had lots of cars that have had screw covers on the heads of the number plate screws and they usually prise off.
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#3 User is offline   Jammiedodger23 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 12:46 PM

tried prying them with a small screwdriver but its just chipping the plastic. Don't want to take the heads off and have them stuck in permanently. I might have another go, perhaps i'm being too tentative...?
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#4 User is offline   Jammiedodger23 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 12:53 PM

Definitely not covers, just took another chunk off one of them trying to pry them off.

Think the only option may be to try and get behind the bumpers, the rear one seems very high though. Might have to breathe in whilst doing it...........
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#5 User is offline   YOG 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 01:00 PM

Do they look like these? Someone may have turned the screwdriver slot out from the front:

http://www.halfords....tegoryId_165562

http://www.halfords....tegoryId_165562

This post has been edited by YOG: 11 February 2010 - 01:04 PM

Rick

The Haynes Fiesta Manual (3397) can answer a lot of your questions.
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#6 User is offline   Jammiedodger23 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 01:09 PM

They are similar to those but the top is completely smooth, no slots etc for screwdriver.
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#7 User is offline   YOG 

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Posted 11 February 2010 - 03:16 PM

Not heard of that type before, but I would guess they are threaded and held on with a nut in the same way.

I would tend to drill off the head, starting with a small drill and working up in sizes until it comes away. You can then remove the number plate, see what's left and remove it from the rear.

If you're not bothered about damaging the old plate, you could cut the head off with a hacksaw/Stanley blade.

This post has been edited by YOG: 11 February 2010 - 03:17 PM

Rick

The Haynes Fiesta Manual (3397) can answer a lot of your questions.
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#8 User is offline   Jammiedodger23 

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 04:59 PM

Just to close this topic off, i have now managed to remove the number plates using brute force!

They were screws but were rusted so badly that the caps had fused to them and the philips head was completety gone on the screw heads, so i had to use an adjustable spanner and unscrew them that way.

Managed to slip and scratch the front bumper about half an inch long, all the way down to the plastic too!?

Just got to tape on the new ones tomorrow when the weathers abit better. Had to use the 6mm spaced foam pads from halfords as the screw recesses on the bumper are built up so stop the number plate from sitting flat against the bumper.

Thats another "simple" job done....
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#9 User is offline   Dogsbody 

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Posted 16 February 2010 - 05:25 PM

You could always refit using industrial Velcro :)

B&Q sell it by the meter roll in black or white.
Numerous FRP's etc have the plates held on like this, so we can remove when cleaning the car or fitting a special plate at shows etc.
Put the fluffy stuff in the bumper as it won't snag the cloth when cleaning.
If some one is going to pull the plate hard enough to pull it off, they were going to steal the plate anyway.
You can't tell it's Velcroed and not stuck.
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and it does stay on no matter how hard you throw the car about ;)
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