Front license plate bracket removal

[Hcopter]

I found a "reasonably" priced, 2022 Lariat, AWD at a Missouri KIA dealer last week. I'm in Kansas where we don't have front plates so I wanted to remove the front bracket. I found a pretty easy way to remove the rivets so thought I'd share for others looking to do the same. The bracket is attached to 1/4" holes drilled in the plastic bumper using plastic rivets. I was ready to try drilling the tops off the rivets but figured they'd just spin so I tried a punch to drive the pin out of the center of the rivet and that worked great. A couple of smacks with a hammer and the pin drove into the rivet, releasing them to be easily pulled out.

I purchased a couple of zinc plated, 1/4" hole plugs from Home Depot to plug the holes in the white bumper but they were made for much thinner material so they wouldn't lock in. I was able to straighten the "fingers" on the back of the plug and use a length of 1/4" dowel to make the plugs long and large enough to press snuggly into the holes in the bumper.

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[Sembazuru]

If it were me, I'd put googly eyes on the heads of those plugs. But you probably aren't me.

 

[Hcopter]

If it were me, I'd put googly eyes on the heads of those plugs. But you probably aren't me.

Now you have me seriously considering it.

 

[Mike215]

bumperplugs.com will paint match plugs that slide right in.

 

[Montana]

Mine is attached with only the bottom fasteners. No screws into the painted portion of the bumper. I did put some rubber bump stops to keep the bracket from rubbing the paint at all. I will likely add some rubber stripping around the edges of the bracket itself if possible in the near future. Added to my list of things to do.

 

[Hcopter]

I also considered using a couple of these to snag on anything that got too close.

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