C Class reg plate mountings

[Casanunder]

Hi all.

I've had a new number plate made up for the rear of my coupe and the original one began to separate / delaminate and generally looked a bit dog-eared.

This afternoon I have tried to remove the old one, but the screws turn a couple of times then the heads snap off. I've tried WD40 and other release sprays with no effect. Is this an anti-tamper measure?

There are four aluminium-like mountings fitted to the tailgate and the screws are parallel-threaded screws i.e. not self-tappers. Anyone else had this problem?

 

[television]

Hi all.

I've had a new number plate made up for the rear of my coupe and the original one began to separate / delaminate and generally looked a bit dog-eared.

This afternoon I have tried to remove the old one, but the screws turn a couple of times then the heads snap off. I've tried WD40 and other release sprays with no effect. Is this an anti-tamper measure?

There are four aluminium-like mountings fitted to the tailgate and the screws are parallel-threaded screws i.e. not self-tappers. Anyone else had this problem?

Strange you should post this today. I have been drilling out one screw this morning and ran a tap down the hole.

New number plate holders are free from MB dealers, They are nice as they open up and the plate goes inside

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=20957


Malcolm

 

[Casanunder]

Thanks for the reply, Malcolm. I'll phone Pentagon Mercedes tomorrow and see if they do the mountings free-of-charge (I assume it's something all main dealers should honour).

If they don't, I'll but some galv. screws, and copy what you've just done. Out of interest, what size did you re-tap the mountings?

 

[Blobcat]

Thanks for the reply, Malcolm. I'll phone Pentagon Mercedes tomorrow and see if they do the mountings free-of-charge (I assume it's something all main dealers should honour).

If they don't, I'll but some galv. screws, and copy what you've just done. Out of interest, what size did you re-tap the mountings?

Stainless steel screws look good if you don't have the free surrounds.

 

[television]

Not easy to drill out free hand, I went through with a small drill first as a pilot hole,it has to be dead center and there is lass chance of the drill wandering off center with a small drill, its also easy to carrect. the hole is 10mm tread on mine so you need to end up with a drill for 10mm tapping. On mine the broken screw came out when using the taper tap (Its a blind hole)
If Pentagon do not give away holders, let me know and I will get you two MB southwest holders.

Re screws I do not see why it needs 10mm screws, if you get a problem why not drill all the way through and use 5mm nuts and bolts with coach type washers.

Malcolm

 

[Blobcat]

I think these free number plate surrounds are for the millionaire SL owners. The garage knows they will be getting big ££££££ so give them away as a loss leader.

 

[television]

I think these free number plate surrounds are for the millionaire SL owners. The garage knows they will be getting big ££££££ so give them away as a loss leader.

Oh no no no, I went on the bus as my pension is not due till the end of the month:cry:

Malcolm

 

[Casanunder]

Thanks for the kind offer, Malcolm, I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[Ron Palfrey]

Drill size for tapping M10 thread is 8.5mm.

Ron

 

[television]

Drill size for tapping M10 thread is 8.5mm.

Ron

Ron, what a man you are I use to know all of the BA,UNF and BSF/whit sizes once, but alas it is all of no use today, I know there are 2 TPI sizes in metric, OK that sounds dutch. I need to empty some of this useless info stored in my head,to make room for something useful.


Malcolm

 

[Casanunder]

Thanks - Zues book to the rescue, eh? (I assume Zues is still the standard in thread data books). However, I think M10 is a whole lot larger than the thread required. The existing screws are M6 at the very most. I'll get a vernier on the broken screw tomorrow...

 

[television]

Re the size, that was the size on my car, An SL. as you say do it the size that you need.

malcolm

 

[television]

Sorry, having lived in Sweden for a fair time, and I went metric living there, bolts are sold there by the flats on the heads, in this case 10mm as in the case of socket sets.

Yes the shank is 6mm, if you went through with a 4mm drill, the best should come out

Malcolm

 

[Casanunder]

Right - update. Pentagon Mercedes do not issue the number plate surrounds unless the car was sourced from them at first registration. I managed to remove one of the screws in one piece (three of the four were completely siezed and fell apart after being shown a screwdriver) and I was able to identify the thread as M5 x 0.8 using an M5 die.

So - I still have three other mountings with broken screws stuck in them. After removing the trim from the inside of the tailgate, I see the mountings are aluminium and they appear to be pressed into the tailgate; after installation, the insides are deformed so they don't pull back through. Without the specific deforming/compression tool, I can't see how these can be replaced.

In order to secure the number plate and continue using the car, I have had to drill these mountings out and replace them with nut-and-washer arrangements. (It was while drilling these out that I realised that the tailgate appears to be fibreglass or some non-metallic material - I never realised!)

Back to my point - has anyone been successfull in replacing the original pressed-in fittings?

 

[Blobcat]

You could cut the screws off with a dremel type grinder then use the double sided number pate tape to fix the plates back on. Cheapest option.

 

[Casanunder]

Thanks, Blobcat.

I had considered using self-adhesinve rubber pads to secure the plate to the tailgate then gluing sawn-off screwheads to the front of the plate with Araldite for the authenthic "screwed-on" look. Now the more I think about it the better it seems!

 

[television]

I though that mine were alli by the corrosion and white powder. the screws fitted were nickel plated, and that the last thing you need in an area that gets wet and takes time to dry. They are opposites on the voltage table. When I get my new plates made up, I will use plastic screws.

You can either leave it with nuts and bolts, or I can get you a holder that you could attach with nuts and bolts. A new single plate only cost £5 from Car Parts Co.

the choice is yours. malcolm

They must give you a holder if you have just bought a new car from them

 

[sankey]

Drill the old ones out and fit[ riv nuts ]in place,then you can fit a set of stainless bolts in place.

 

[Casanunder]

Nice thought - but can you use riv-nuts on a fibre tailgate, or would it just crush through? I suppose you could use a washer on each side, but the maximum panel depth on the fasteners I've seen so far has been in the region of 1.0mm.

Thanks for offering to get a holder for me, Malcolm, but I'll just stick with the nut and washers, although I will replace them with stainless. Thanks everyone!