Hello, I am new to the forum as I have just purchased my first 80 series land cruiser (1994 FZJ80). Apologies if my etiquete is off as I am pretty new to forums in general. I have a question regarding tailgate license plate mounting. From my understanding they came from the factory with some sort of threaded insert to screw into. My tailgate does not seem to have those anymore so I was wondering what the best way to mount a plate is? I thought about adding some m6 rivnuts but it seems like they are too big for the holes and m5 is too small. It looks like someone tapped the holes previously but I’d prefer not to do that again to eliminate any more corrosion. Let me know what you think! Thanks.
Tailgate License Plate Trouble
- Thread starter pazoory
- Start date
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Welcome to the forum. Most of what can happen has already happened and documented on here. Search "This Forum" for "License Plate" and start clicking.
Found this:
There should be "captured nuts" on the inside of the paneel. These are welded in place. It looks like both of yours are gone, which is strange. How the the PO (previous owner) attach the plates?
The plastic panel on the inside comes off with careful prying using trim removal tools. The cover beneath unscrews to allow accesss to these nuts.
Be careful putting the panel back on. These 30 year old plsstic clips are fragile.
"Tailgate Storage" posts can let you see what is going on beneath the surface. One popped up seven links down on the home page.
Found this:
There should be "captured nuts" on the inside of the paneel. These are welded in place. It looks like both of yours are gone, which is strange. How the the PO (previous owner) attach the plates?
The plastic panel on the inside comes off with careful prying using trim removal tools. The cover beneath unscrews to allow accesss to these nuts.
Be careful putting the panel back on. These 30 year old plsstic clips are fragile.
"Tailgate Storage" posts can let you see what is going on beneath the surface. One popped up seven links down on the home page.
ppc
M Go Blue
There are all kinds of solution to the problem. A licence plate doesn't require a high strength mounting. This truck doesn't look like a beauty queen.
1). Open up the tailgate and epoxy some nuts to the backside.
2). Use one of many different types drywall anchors including plastic anchors, molly bolts.
3). Like most states that rarely change the plates year to year, open it up and use a bolt, lock washer and nut.
4). Use some double sided 3M trim tape and just stick it to the paint.
1). Open up the tailgate and epoxy some nuts to the backside.
2). Use one of many different types drywall anchors including plastic anchors, molly bolts.
3). Like most states that rarely change the plates year to year, open it up and use a bolt, lock washer and nut.
4). Use some double sided 3M trim tape and just stick it to the paint.
Edited once I remembered my own thread from a couple years ago 
The original threads were M6x1 so assuming the original nuts are still there you might try running a (larger) metric tap into what's left to cut new threads into the factory nut that's welded into place.
Here's what one factory nut looks like inside the tailgate. It shows a snapped off screw/bolt, after a lot of fiddling, drilling, etc got the broken shaft out:
The threads were not gone so I just ran an M6x1 tap (original size) into the threads to clean them up:
After cleaning and painting:
TIP: once you figure it out consider installing stainless steel screws/bolts and apply a thread sealer to the threads to help prevent future corrosion
The original threads were M6x1 so assuming the original nuts are still there you might try running a (larger) metric tap into what's left to cut new threads into the factory nut that's welded into place.
Here's what one factory nut looks like inside the tailgate. It shows a snapped off screw/bolt, after a lot of fiddling, drilling, etc got the broken shaft out:
The threads were not gone so I just ran an M6x1 tap (original size) into the threads to clean them up:
After cleaning and painting:
TIP: once you figure it out consider installing stainless steel screws/bolts and apply a thread sealer to the threads to help prevent future corrosion
Last edited:
It looks like the nuts are there, just drilled out. If it were me, I'd try gently tapping new threads into what's there first.
