Hi! I've been scrolling through the forums, and most of the discussions I've seen are kind of the opposite of my issue. I just bought an '05 Wrangler X (my second one, actually) and it came with the license plate mounted in the center of the spare tire. I, personally, don't like this look, which yes, everyone disagrees with. I also don't like that it interferes with getting my spare tire off. I don't really like the bent license plate look either, and it's questionable whether it's legal here in Washington State. So, my plan was to install the plates in the factory standard location, with a Close-to-OEM holder.
Now for the problem. I stare at the spot where the plate should go and there's no bolt holes. There's no armor or guards over it, it's just painted steel body with no attachment points for a license plate (the dealer put their logo decal there, so thanks for that guys...). I'm guessing that a previous owner replaced the rear corner with a special job to eliminate the holes, or filled them in and painted over them, but no matter what, there's no attaching the standard plate holder. Rough Country sells a holder that works for the location, but attaches underneath the brake light. That's probably what I'm going to go with, but if I was feeling energetic, is there a way to attach the OEM style bracket? Is it tough to replace the corner guard? Will drilling new holes cause a problem I'm not seeing (like probably not being straight)?
Now for the problem. I stare at the spot where the plate should go and there's no bolt holes. There's no armor or guards over it, it's just painted steel body with no attachment points for a license plate (the dealer put their logo decal there, so thanks for that guys...). I'm guessing that a previous owner replaced the rear corner with a special job to eliminate the holes, or filled them in and painted over them, but no matter what, there's no attaching the standard plate holder. Rough Country sells a holder that works for the location, but attaches underneath the brake light. That's probably what I'm going to go with, but if I was feeling energetic, is there a way to attach the OEM style bracket? Is it tough to replace the corner guard? Will drilling new holes cause a problem I'm not seeing (like probably not being straight)?
