Soo my license plate was stolen or broke off..know what

[Cheyanna83]

Pic below was last year before we put it on but gives u a idea were it was it was a plastic bracket ..yesterday I noticed the whole bracket is broke off ( did it break going down road or did someone snap it off is unknown) and no plate to be found sigh, I ordered a new plate but know I'm stumped how to attach!!! Ideas? I hate to bolt into the fiberglass. I could zip tie to bumper but how long that will stay who knows

[Tom Trostel]

I would buy some thin aluminum sheet, cut it in the T shape of the old bracket and bolt it through the under side of the tail light assemble.

[Byron Kinnaman]

There are several options.
1. Use 3M VHB tape and glue it the back.
2. Try to find a replacement tail light with the bracket.
3 Replace both tail light so get a new license plate bracket.

One thing to remember it needs be illuminated at night. (laws)

[floyd]

When we first got our trailer I thought the plastic might break so I put metal plumber's tape behind it to reinforce it.
I'm sure your plate is languishing in a ditch somewhere with the remnants of the plastic bracket still attached.
When I changed over to LED taillights, I made a new hanger bracket using a scrap piece of a hard plastic mudflap similar to Tom's idea. It looks great no need to paint and it is tuffer'n elephant butter.
I recently installed new lights on a friend's utility trailer. I just cut the supplied bracket off (easily done with my razor knife) and made a new stronger one.
The one's which come with trailer lights are not impressive, in fact most trailer lights supplied on RV trailers are kinda pathetic to say the least.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

There are several options.
1. Use 3M VHB tape and glue it the back.
2. Try to find a replacement tail light with the bracket.
3 Replace both tail light so get a new license plate bracket.

One thing to remember it needs be illuminated at night. (laws)

Lighted license plates on a trailer....that is not required by law in all of the 50 states and all USA territories.

From the AAA website: http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/trailer-lighting/

I will be adding in a plate light during my remodel. But strangley enough even though a light is required in Oregon my trailer was brought into Oregon and licensed there only a few years ago without having that light on it. I guess they don't do inpsections

The cargo trailer we bought new in Washington a couple of years ago did not come with a plate light.

But rules change every year and many times there are exemptions stated for vintage vehicles such as 40 or more years old don't require such and such. Every state has its own rules.

But in the long run why have a condition that gives law enforcement an excuse to pull you over and issue a ticket you might have to fight if you are going to be traveling out of your own state.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by k corbin

Lighted license plates on a trailer....that is not required by law in all of the 50 states and all USA territories.

From the AAA website: Trailer Lighting - AAA Digest of Motor Laws

I will be adding in a plate light during my remodel. But strangley enough even though a light is required in Oregon my trailer was brought into Oregon and licensed there only a few years ago without having that light on it. I guess they don't do inpsections

First off I didn't say it was required in all states and provenances. Second in WA it is required.
This is one of those laws that might be required even if your trailer is registered out of state or out of country. Good idea to check.

No inspections in Oregon.

[mary and bob]

When I worked on big trucks the plates always tended to crack and break off, so we mounted them on pieces of mud flaps. Generally using all 4 bolt holes to attach the plate to the flap

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Cheyanna83

Pic below was last year before we put it on but gives u a idea were it was it was a plastic bracket ..yesterday I noticed the whole bracket is broke off ( did it break going down road or did someone snap it off is unknown) and no plate to be found sigh, I ordered a new plate but know I'm stumped how to attach!!! Ideas? I hate to bolt into the fiberglass. I could zip tie to bumper but how long that will stay who knows

The bumper is metal. You can drill into it to screw on a bracket to hold the license plate above the bumper.
Photo example of that setup here: http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o...seplate001.jpg

They make plate frames with built in lights which can be used in conjunction with a bracket mount.

[Jack L]

Etrailer has several lighted license plate frames to choose from.

[Iowa Dave]

In Iowa we have thin flat license plates, no ripples on the edges for strength. After two split off the Escape bracket, I took three plates, two from the Honda that had been replaced with new ones after ten years and made a three thickness "plate". No problems after that. In addition, in Iowa the license plate must be illuminated and if there's two bulbs both must work. If not, probable cause, and an unwanted hassle at times. Hic
Dave

[Sue and Henry]

We didn't lose the plate, but the tail light/license plate holder ended up breaking our tail light cover - probably just from wind movement while traveling. Our solution was mounting the plate on a cut to size board and attaching it with three hose clamps around the bumper.

The picture below is the "after" shot of the plate/bumper attachment - photo from above the plate. I'm happy with the solution.





The next photo is the previous spot the plate was attached. This was our last replacement rear light cover so we didn't want to take a chance. These covers are very hard to find! I've been searching for a just-in-case backup.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Sue and Henry

We didn't lose the plate, but the tail light/license plate holder ended up breaking our tail light cover - probably just from wind movement while traveling. Our solution was mounting the plate on a cut to size board and attaching it with three hose clamps around the bumper.

The picture below is the "after" shot of the plate/bumper attachment - photo from above the plate. I'm happy with the solution.

Attachment 96749



The next photo is the previous spot the plate was attached. This was our last replacement rear light cover so we didn't want to take a chance. These covers are very hard to find! I've been searching for a just-in-case backup.

Attachment 96750

I'm curious. WA requires the license plate to be illuminated. I don't see any signs of illumination in your pictures. Could you describe how you illuminate the license plate?
Thanks

[Sue and Henry]

But yikes! According to Byron Kinnanan and AAA we are out of compliance for Washington. We rarely take it on the road after sunset. I wonder if daytime driving would be a problem without the lit license.

[Sue and Henry]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

I'm curious. WA requires the license plate to be illuminated. I don't see any signs of illumination in your pictures. Could you describe how you illuminate the license plate?
Thanks

Hi Byron, I was typing my "OMG" while you were posting the question. Thank you for the heads up! I wonder if I could do a battery thing 3m'd to the bumper on my rare night drive? Otherwise I guess I'll need to take it in for rewiring. Not a solution I really want to do. Ideas?

[Donna D.]

You can buy a metal license plate bracket lots of places, here's one: Bargman Trail-Lite #5 License Bracket

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Sue and Henry

The next photo is the previous spot the plate was attached. This was our last replacement rear light cover so we didn't want to take a chance. These covers are very hard to find! I've been searching for a just-in-case backup.

Attachment 96750

They're hard to find because a lot of us have gone to the 7" LED bus lights and took these covers and threw them away! The daylight lighting is horrible to the rear when using these lenses with the standard bulbs. I always worried when anyone was behind me. Do they see me stopping or turning!?!?!?

[stevebaz]

You can get license plate bolts with led lights built into them. Used alot in the motorcycle trades.

[Cheyanna83]

OK so I went in and they said on the bumper was ok its close to my light but they didn't say a thing about needed to be lit up we rarely drive it at night any who loli think my friend is mskeing a bracket to attack to bumper..love all the ideas and so forth greatly appreciated !

[Sue and Henry]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

You can get license plate bolts with led lights built into them. Used alot in the motorcycle trades.

That is a great idea Steve. Great easy solution - I won't have to arrange for bail! Yay