License plate relocation

Xpress · Feb 17, 2012

So I think most of us know that the stock OEM location for the YJ license plate is basically a failure. Spring loaded with the gas cap right behind it so you had to hold your foot ontop of the plate just to be able to pump gas.

Since my last plate got stolen, and they took most of the bracket with them, I decided just to ditch the wretched thing entirely. I thought about where I'd like to put it the most and I see most people putting them on their bumpers or bumpettes, or mounting it permanently to where the OEM location is and relocating the filler nozzle to where the TJ's is. But I rarely see people mounting them in the middle of the spare tire.

I happened to have a handful of these T shaped fence mounts lying around so I decided to use those. Took about an hour to cut one up to fit inbetween the top 2 lugs for the spare, then I bent it up and bent another one up to hold the plate. Bolted the 2 pieces together, drilled some new holes in the plate and bolted it all in.

Going to have to re-drill some holes to push the plate bracket out a bit farther so I can fit a wrench up in there. Have an LED light ordered up, should be here by saturday so I'll post a full writeup on a DIY license plate relocation.

'92 vegas YJ · Feb 18, 2012

looks good.

im going to have to do something like that when my PSC corners come in.

oldognewtrick · Feb 18, 2012

Xpress, whats to keep this one from being stolen?

Xpress · Feb 19, 2012

^Nothing, any LP can be stolen within 15 seconds or less. All it takes is a high speed drill and a common phillips/flathead screwdriver tip. Or they could be yanked off, like mine was.

$19 to replace, including a new registration sticker (not a renewal sticker, unless you want to go that route).

Will do a writeup on monday, my light won't be here until tuesday so I've been taping this small white 3v LED light to my light mount, which lights up the plate just enough to be legal. That's when I go out at night, which i normally don't (not on marked roads anyways).

I tell you what though, felt so good to not have to stick my foot up ontop of the LP to keep it from smacking closed when I went to get gas the other day. Even though I had to hold the pump upside-down, it didn't feel awkward at all. Just need to get some bondo or something to fill in the holes where the old bracket bolted to. and paint, although I think I'll just wait until I MONSTALINE the whole thing.

'92 vegas YJ · Feb 19, 2012

Xpress said:
I tell you what though, felt so good to not have to stick my foot up ontop of the LP to keep it from smacking closed.

i think I'd rip a groin muscle even trying to hold my LP with my foot

Chris · Feb 19, 2012

'92 vegas YJ said:
i think I'd rip a groin muscle even trying to hold my LP with my foot

I can't lift my leg that high.

Xpress · Feb 20, 2012

So nobody here has a little Captain in them?

darkproximity · Feb 20, 2012

i rather like the location of the stock plate, most people dont realize theres a gas cap behind it which is nice, also its not that hard to hold it out of place.. i typically wedge the gas cap to hold the plate down or use one hand and put the pump in. i've yet to think of it as inconvenient.

Otahyoni · Feb 20, 2012

I thought you ( xpress) made that little arm to hold the plate down......

Chris · Feb 20, 2012

I am in the process of putting a TJ filler in and am leaving the plate in the stock location.

havasu · Feb 20, 2012

Chris has the right idea for them YJ plate problems.

Xpress · Feb 22, 2012

And God said, LET THERE BE LIGHT!

Works well. Need to get some bolts to button it up properly, and to grind down the edges of the bracket so nobody sues me for cutting themselves...

havasu · Feb 22, 2012

That light looks pretty bright. As a former traffic cop, what is the CP of that bulb?

Chris · Feb 23, 2012

And why does that plate have no numbers?

havasu · Feb 23, 2012

So nobody knows it is him when he robs the bank!

Chris · Feb 23, 2012

I publicly display my plate all over town, here is no different for me.

Xpress · Feb 23, 2012

havasu said:
That light looks pretty bright. As a former traffic cop, what is the CP of that bulb?

CP? It's a SuperBrightLEDs.com license plate light:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-...pPage&category=TRUCK&Page2Disp=/specs/LPC.htm

It's got a soft white kind of color. Makes the plate pretty visible, but it's not obnoxious.

RikRotorhead · Feb 23, 2012

CP = Candle Power. Does it have a shield to block rearward glare?

havasu · Feb 23, 2012

Nothing irritates grumpy cops more than fancy added lights that screw up their night vision. At least that's what I've been told.

RikRotorhead · Feb 24, 2012

Pfft.... Cops!..... Who need's 'em?!

License plate relocation

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