Install Front License Plate Bracket Rivets
Gonna need some help from peeps on this one hopefully someone here has installed this before, if need it will be a learning experience for me lol I never thought I'd be putting together a how to regarding this topic since I despise front license plates lol but since I just moved to Minnesota they require one booooooooo.(missing AZ already haha) I am bummed that I have to put one on since I love the way the Equinox looks in the front, but I am telling myself its not the end of the world haha. Hopefully this will help others. I will prob make a video or have some helpful pictures.
Part number is GM# 25798733 I paid $27.05+tax at local Dealership, you might be able to find It online cheaper, I could not since shipping or fee's online was the same for me. It did not come with any mounting hardware, which I found was strange. The bag was sealed and I asked other dealers to see if theirs came with bolts or rivets and they all have just the bracket itself.
Funny cause the instructions say to use rivets, but none are provided. Maybe dealers just use their own hardware. Oh well I was going to use stainless steel bolts anyways or long sturdy plastic bolts. My question is, has anyone ever installed this on their 2010-13 Equinox? I searched the forum and found a few peeps did on their Terrain, but our bumpers are different. Wanted get an idea of how long of bolts I will need.
I assume there is a foam price behind the bumper so the bolts will have to past this point. Anything is helpful. Along the way I will post tips and compile it all Into a nice how to like my other threads. The instructions are printed on the plastic bracket itself, kinda hard to read but I typed it out to help. I am glad it does have side grooves were the plastic bottom front unpainted fascia piece meets the painted bumper part, this will make it really easy to align straight FYI 6mm is very close to 1/4inch & 25mm is close to 1inch long It reads 1. Center the Bracket to the center feature line of the fascia.
Use the notched areas at the 2 lower outer locations to match the angled surface of the unpainted fascia (up/down location) 3. Using the upper 2 holes in the bracket as a template, drill two 6MM dia.
Holes (25 MM Deep) through fascia. Ensure license plate bracket is centered prior to riveting the bracket to fascia at the upper 2 holes 5. Using the lower 2 holes in bracket as a template drill two 6MM dia. Holes (25 MM Deep) through fascia. Install the final 2 rivets.
Install license plate under the 2 upper tabs and drive the supplied 2 lower screws to the bracket. So the 4 metal rivets GM uses when installing these are GM Part number 11516807.
Very expensive for each rivet they are $4-5. Totally not worth it since you can use other 3/16 diameter rivets. Prob get a box of 25 for less than $5. So gonna have to dust off my rivet gun, also looking at other ways to mount it. I don't trust any double sided tape since the front will get slammed with wind, salt, snow and rain. I can feel a thick metal bracket plus some wiring all in plastic loom behind the bumper. Not sure if there is enough room to tighten up a bolt from behind.
So now it makes sense why GM dealerships rivet these on. I might just have to do it or use stainless steel self taping screws. We will see, I was hoping someone else has installed this before, but looks like I gotta figure it out lol. Can't stress enough Make sure the darn thing is straight before those rivets go in Just traded my 2010 for a 2013 and the dealer I got it from put the darn thing on a little off, I notice it salesman says once plate is on you will never know. WRONG option: take it off and put more holes in bumper cover or live with it. Living with it as its only slightly offSince the bracket is made of plastic it would be easy enough to shape the holes in the bracket to adjust it and you do not need to make more holes in the bumper cover.
The front license plate holder/bracket comes with steel pop rivets to attach the holder to the bumper (after drilling some holes). If the dealer used the pop rivets, you'll need to carefully drill the head off the rivet. Fortunately, my selling dealer just gave me the bracket to install. Instead of the steel pop rivets, I used some removable, plastic body panel 'rivets' I got from the parts dept of my local dealer so I can remove the bracket if needed. 27712772 Humph, didn't realize some dealers would have riveted the holder to the bumper but guess I shouldn't be surprised. Guess I got lucky. Yeah, mine has the four rivets instead of just the two simple screws.
I wanted to clear bra the bumper, so I hope the installer can take it off and then I will have to buy the body plugs. I just had the clear bra put on mine and the installer took off the front plate holder, put the film on and then the plate holder back on top of the film.
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While I like the look of no front plate I'm not sure I wouldn't just as soon have the plate as opposed to body color plugs, which might be difficult to get to match exactly. Humph, didn't realize some dealers would have riveted the holder to the bumper but guess I shouldn't be surprised. Guess I got lucky.The rivits are provided with the bracket from factory. The dealer will typically automatically install the bracket durng PDI in states/provinces that have a front plate requirement. Generally the only time screws would be substituted would be if there was some issue obtaining a rivit gun or possibly just time/convenience.
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Running in screws (no drilling) is a LOT faster than sperate drilling 3/16' holes then riviting. A reminder to those that purchase from a state that requires a front plate.if your state does not require a front plate, then remind your salesman to leave the bracket OFF. Even if they do require a front plate, you can request the dealer not install it (so you can do it yourself.not hard), or you can request they use the plastic (removable) body panel rivets instead of steel. I drilled the holes, had the clear bra installed, then added the bracket.
The push pin plastic rivets where easy to install. I also live in TX and I've been ticketed only once since spring 2004 (nearly 9 years now) in my Redline Vue, which isn't exactly a sports car (and neither is the Volt), but it's definitely not something you see on the road very often. Unfortunately, my Volt came with the front plate holder installed, so I'm going to have to patch up the darn holes in the front bumper. I just hate the looks of the front plate, but it can't be helping the aerodynamics either. The Vue was a rolling brick, so it didn't make much difference, but how many wind tunnel hours are being spoiled by that stupid front license plate, I wonder. I instructed the dealer (CA) to not install the front plate holder and had to sign a release acknowledging this. I did get a fix-it ticket from a CA Hwy patrol (CHP) who was having a slow morning and stopped me just for the no front plate!
Luckily I did keep the plate holder, and I used velcro to attach the front plate and had the fix-it ticket signed off at my local law enforcement station. The officer asked me what infraction was I stopped for, and I told him 'no front plate' and he could not believe that I got stopped just for that! I now keep the front plate handy with the velcro in my garage-just in case.