Rear number plate rivets

[Porteo]

Can anyone tell me the best way to remove these? Swapping number plates over at the weekend and one of the screws that go into the threaded rivet had rusted solid and would come out no matter what I tried. Ended up drilling the thing out and buying a new rivet from stealers to replace the damaged one but then I've been thinking about removing the other 3 and having the plate just flat to the bodywork.

 

[Porteo]

Or indeed how the fit the new rivet?

 

[gegs88]

You need a rivnut insertion tool m8. Or look on utube and you can fit the using a set screw and an oversized nut.
Personally i would blank the holes off and use tape to stick the plate down. Looks a damn site neater.

 

[Codger49]

I have just had a similar experience with my W209, except the number plate bolt just wouldn't tighten in the rivnut thread.

When I asked for a rivnut at my local dealer, I was given a plastic fitting (000 998 26 85 - BOXF5 NUT) which looked like the base of a push pin trim clip, except it accepts a 5mm bolt to secure it instead of a push pin.

When I got down to fixing the number plate, I found that a 5x15 bolt protruded just far enough through the rivnut to accept a 5mm nyloc nut. This is probably because I used a Wurth number plate frame whose back is a bit thinner than a number plate. In any case, judicious choice of bolt length would allow for a nut to be fitted.

I guess I was fortunate that my bolts had not seized in the rivnuts, but it did save me having to remove the rivnuts, and the number plate is definitely secure now.

 

[Porteo]

Good old araldite has done the trick this morning, thanks for the replies fellas!