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The bolts used to hold my back license plate broke off and part of them are stuck inside the holes-now what?

I was trying to put my new plates on the back of my vehicle, and lo and behold, the bolts were rusted bad enough that they just broke instead of coming out when I was trying to get them out! So the bolts are stuck in there. NOW how am I going to get them out of there, or ever mount a license plate to the back of my car???

I don't want to just tape the license plate inside of the back of my car because it's kind of tinted and I'm afraid the cops will pull me over. Any other suggestions how I can still get my license plate on the back of my car?

6 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    its called a screw extractor and you need a drill to use it. you can buy them at any hardware store and they're very cheap and easy to use. it uses a hardened drill bit to drill into the broken piece then the extractor grips the broken piece and pulls it out. my guess since its a license plate bolt is that the bolt is either 8mm or 5/16 roughly su you will need a 1/8 or 3/16 size screw extractor.

    since its rusted try spraying some wd40 or penetrating oil on the bolt first and let it sit for a few minutes before you try this.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    Licence Plate Bolts

  • 1 decade ago

    Hold the plate in place where it is supposed to go and with a Sharpie mark the lower holes.Drill a small pilot hole at the 2 marks, through the metal.Bolt the plate on using self tapping sheet metal screws available at any hardware store.

  • tvl
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    Traditionally whenever we face a broken bolt, and if home remedies don't work, we drill a hole, convert it squarish by filing and drive in a square dive and take it out.

    There is no scientific method available to solve this.

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Drill some new holes and find some sort of bolt or one of those things you stick through drywall to make it hold tight.

  • 1 decade ago

    Just get a very small nail and a small hammer and just back the nail out of the hole and replace with a different screw.

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