This goes out to all my 1G brothas. How many of you guys drive around with your license plate lights hanging in the air or dont even have them at all well if you go on Machv.com an order 1 of there OEM license plate bracket this is how you install it! Ok lets get started!
What you'll need is:
8-12mm Wrench
8-12mm Socket with short an semi-long extension
needlenose pliers (always good to have)
flat an philips head drivers
2 vice grips
And about 2 cans of WD-40 or for you impatient ones PB Blaster <<<Prefered
Ok now that you got your tools lets start off by poppin that hatch an start takin out the rug an tire an what not. Take off your plastics surrounding the back of the trunk. Now that your taillights are exposed lets take out those 20 something 10mm nuts that hold the taillights in place, and dont forget to unplug your harness for the taillights. Ok after your done takin all that out it should look like this
After you did that, you can take off your license plate an behind there should be 2 screws going into the bumper support, you can take those out.
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1190.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
Ok now your ready to start goin to town on your bumper bolts hahaha
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1187.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
< attention major PITA
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1194.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
Do not use lightly
im serious lube the 7 10mm bolts up nice, start by racheting the bolts out slowly when they come out a little shoot some pb in there then screw it back in an work it a couple times they'll proably snap anyway but hey its worth a shot. After you get the bolts out an it doesnt look like this
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1188.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
now we can proceed to take off the bolts in the wheel well! I found it easiest to remove the plastic spreading clips inside the wheel well cause its easy to get to the bolt that goes up into the quater panel, an should look somthing like this
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1189.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
ok now that you did both sides have someone help you pull the bumper gingerly out of the retaining hole an the bumper should pop out an wanna fall on the ground, but it should be hangin on there from the bolts on the bottom of the bumper but were not gonna worry about those cause we dont have to take the bumper off completely. Ok now that your bumper is bent back an you can see the old rusted license plate bracket that you just wanna punt across the driveway (mine was litteraly a ball, ill show you in a minute) unplug your license plate lights, I decided to replace with some nice bright white LED lights from superbrightleds.com
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1192.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1193.jpg
Ok now that your set lets get tackling on that bracket! Heres the tricky part, what you have to do is attach vice grips to the back side of the license plate bracket thats all rusted, dont forget are loyal friend Mr. PB blaster! now that you got your grips on it take the 3 10mm bolts out by the license plate and if the bolts come out smoothly very good, mine didnt and ended up like this.
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1191.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
Now that you got that off put the new 1 back in screw in the license plate lights (make sure there plugged in) New installation is the same as removal! If you snapped any bumper bolts off just drill them out as best as you can and put bolts in there with a backing nut and it wont go no where. Well when your done puttin everything back on wait for dusk and look at your nicely lit license plate! Thanks for reviewing my write up!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1196.jpg
What you'll need is:
8-12mm Wrench
8-12mm Socket with short an semi-long extension
needlenose pliers (always good to have)
flat an philips head drivers
2 vice grips
And about 2 cans of WD-40 or for you impatient ones PB Blaster <<<Prefered
Ok now that you got your tools lets start off by poppin that hatch an start takin out the rug an tire an what not. Take off your plastics surrounding the back of the trunk. Now that your taillights are exposed lets take out those 20 something 10mm nuts that hold the taillights in place, and dont forget to unplug your harness for the taillights. Ok after your done takin all that out it should look like this
After you did that, you can take off your license plate an behind there should be 2 screws going into the bumper support, you can take those out.
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1190.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
Ok now your ready to start goin to town on your bumper bolts hahaha
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1187.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
< attention major PITA
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1194.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
Do not use lightly
im serious lube the 7 10mm bolts up nice, start by racheting the bolts out slowly when they come out a little shoot some pb in there then screw it back in an work it a couple times they'll proably snap anyway but hey its worth a shot. After you get the bolts out an it doesnt look like this <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1188.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
now we can proceed to take off the bolts in the wheel well! I found it easiest to remove the plastic spreading clips inside the wheel well cause its easy to get to the bolt that goes up into the quater panel, an should look somthing like this
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1189.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
ok now that you did both sides have someone help you pull the bumper gingerly out of the retaining hole an the bumper should pop out an wanna fall on the ground, but it should be hangin on there from the bolts on the bottom of the bumper but were not gonna worry about those cause we dont have to take the bumper off completely. Ok now that your bumper is bent back an you can see the old rusted license plate bracket that you just wanna punt across the driveway (mine was litteraly a ball, ill show you in a minute) unplug your license plate lights, I decided to replace with some nice bright white LED lights from superbrightleds.com
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1192.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1193.jpg
Ok now that your set lets get tackling on that bracket! Heres the tricky part, what you have to do is attach vice grips to the back side of the license plate bracket thats all rusted, dont forget are loyal friend Mr. PB blaster! now that you got your grips on it take the 3 10mm bolts out by the license plate and if the bolts come out smoothly very good,
mine didnt and ended up like this.<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1191.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>
Now that you got that off put the new 1 back in screw in the license plate lights (make sure there plugged in
) New installation is the same as removal! If you snapped any bumper bolts off just drill them out as best as you can and put bolts in there with a backing nut and it wont go no where. Well when your done puttin everything back on wait for dusk and look at your nicely lit license plate! Thanks for reviewing my write up!http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/Chrisp092087/100_1196.jpg
