Are front license plates supposed to be screwed straight through the front bumper?

[ATX-ranger]

A few weeks ago I picked up a new 24 Ranger Lariat in a nearby state (USA) that requires front license plates. Today I got around to removing the temp plate and holder on the front bumper since I don't need one in my state. I was surprised and a bit irritated to discover that the license plate holder was drilled straight through the front bumper, leaving ugly holes with plastic hanging off. (See the attached image to see where the holes are).
Is this normal or an OEM part? There's no backer plate or clip, just a bolt through the bumper. I thought the front plate holders were supposed to bolt under the bumper so as to not punch two holes through the plastic bumper. Over $40k in a brand new truck just to have ugly holes haphazardly punched through the bumper seems absurd. Didn't have my phone on hand but I can upload some actual pics as well. Picked up from a Ford dealership.

Thanks!

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[TurboDog]

Yep, that's the way they do it up north.

 

[CoryB]

That's the way the plate holder is attached on mine. I can't remember the name of the company right now, but they make little snap-in covers to lessen the visual impact of the two holes.

Edit - Found them. License Plate Plugs I have no direct information about them but I've seen them referenced on other sites in the past.

 

[ATX-ranger]

Oh man that just seems crazy to me that Ford's solution is

That's the way the plate holder is attached on mine. I can't remember the name of the company right now, but they make little snap-in covers to lessen the visual impact of the two holes.

Edit - Found them. License Plate Plugs I have no direct information about them but I've seen them referenced on other sites in the past.

Oh man, that just seems insane to me... but that website was a huge help! They don't have cactus grey, but you led me to another company (Bumper Plugs) that sell exactly what I need. Thank you!

 

[garyo]

A few weeks ago I picked up a new 24 Ranger Lariat in a nearby state (USA) that requires front license plates. Today I got around to removing the temp plate and holder on the front bumper since I don't need one in my state. I was surprised and a bit irritated to discover that the license plate holder was drilled straight through the front bumper, leaving ugly holes with plastic hanging off. (See the attached image to see where the holes are).
Is this normal or an OEM part? There's no backer plate or clip, just a bolt through the bumper. I thought the front plate holders were supposed to bolt under the bumper so as to not punch two holes through the plastic bumper. Over $40k in a brand new truck just to have ugly holes haphazardly punched through the bumper seems absurd. Didn't have my phone on hand but I can upload some actual pics as well. Picked up from a Ford dealership.

Thanks!

Unfortunately yes. But you can purchase plugs for cheap online that are colour coded to ‘plug those holes’.

 

[maus92]

My truck was delivered with the front plate holder uninstalled. My dealer borders two states; one requires front plates; the other does not. The bumper cover has two small indentations that can be drilled out to mount the plate holder. The plate holder is attached by 1/4" blind rivets included with the holder, then the plate itself is screwed into the holder. I've seen some people / dealers screw directly into the bumper cover - sloppy work, lol.

 

[Tobias]

Have you reached out to the dealer to replace the bumper? If they would have used the proper bracket you would not have holes in your brand new bumper.

 

[Morningpride]

That’s how it works for every manufacturer.

 

[Tobias]

Here is the bracket that came with my RR from the factory

 

[ATX-ranger]

My truck was delivered with the front plate holder uninstalled. My dealer borders two states; one requires front plates; the other does not. The bumper cover has two small indentations that can be drilled out to mount the plate holder. The plate holder is attached by 1/4" blind rivets included with the holder, then the plate itself is screwed into the holder. I've seen some people / dealers screw directly into the bumper cover - sloppy work, lol.

Thank you for detailing that. Are you saying the rivets still go in the front of the bumper like in the image I attached?

Aret

Here is the bracket that came with my RR from the factory

Yes THIS is exactly what I was imagining. Seems like common sense... Thanks for the images!

Have you reached out to the dealer to replace the bumper? If they would have used the proper bracket you would not have holes in your brand new bumper.

That was my initial plan, but looking at the replies here it seems like this is the Ford design. If Ford stipulates it attaches through to the front bumper cover I can't really fault the dealer. I was hoping the dealer took a shortcut and slapped a generic bumper cover on and I would have some grounds to request a replacement bumper.

I think I'm going to send a few images to ford corporate if I can, or at least a local dealer, and see if this is an approved method of install.

 

[Morningpride]

I’d have to assume since you bought it in a state that requires front plates, installing the bracket is standard procedure for them.

 

[Tobias]

We had to install it when we got our plates.

 

[SolarWinds]

I guess I'll have to call my sales guy and ask that they don't mount it. I don't want holes in the bumper. Been driving without a front plate in a "required" state for a long time

 

[Slyone]

I guess I'll have to call my sales guy and ask that they don't mount it. I don't want holes in the bumper. Been driving without a front plate in a "required" state for a long time

Police in Texas have never given me a ticket for no front tag and I haven’t had one for probably 20 years. But my RR doesn’t have to put holes in the bumper to mount front tags if I wanted to.

 

[superj]

Lucky guy.

As soon as. Icame home from the army, i got stopped and ticketed for no front plate. Karmann ghias dont have a feont plate bracket with T bumpers so i had to make some thing up with stuff from the hardware store.


My ranger plate bracket just goes into the bumper through those dimples using the plastic thread inserts

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