Hey all,

I'm in Pennsylvania for starters. I had to get a new rear bumper for my Dakota but since money is tight and all I could find was a bumper from a Ram at the junkyard I used that. I got it mounted fine but now I'm having license plate issues. First it didn't have its own license plate holder so I'm going to have to make something up. This wouldn't be a big deal except that if I hold it there and put the tailgate down it hits the top of the license plate. It sits about and inch too high if I want the full plate to be seen. So rather than struggle with trying to bcome up with something that works I was wonderinh if anyone knows if its legal to mount my license plate to my tailgate.

Obviously if I moiunt it I'll have to run some lighting the the spot but that shouldn't be too difficult. So does anyone know the legality of mounting the license plate to the tailgate? All I could find for laws was mounted on the rear and clearly visible with lighting.

Thanks!

 

Just put it in your back window till you figure out a bumper.
Tailgate is a bad idea. It just is.
Your not opposed to screwing crap to your gate so why not just build a bumper. 2x6x1/8 with a couple brackets to bolt it to your frame.
Them a couple self tapping screws to hold your plate on. Add a light. Done.
Look better than the wrong bumper and a light and plate screwed to your gate.

 

could you just drill mounting holes lower or higher what ever works so the bumper is lower?

 

The license plate on my Dakota is held in my 2 screws that go into the plastic part of the rear bumper...

I know its plastic because I had to drill a new hole to lower the spare tire after I did my body lift.

Like Dakaz said, can you not just drill 2 new holes?

 

...and it's the flimsiest plate mount that I've ever seen on a vehicle.

OP, how about a pic of the rear to help us help you?

 

Hey thanks for the replies, I took the advice and frilled new mounting holes. All is good now mostly. Now I just have to come up with something to hold the plate, it at least will fit correctly now without being crushed by the tailgate.

 

Like two nuts, two bolts, two lock washers and four flat washers ?

 

Kinda lol. There is no back to the bumper where the plate would mount. it dips down for the step but in the back of the step has nothing there. I just gotta cut a piece and drill some holes to mount it. I have a sheet of stainless I'll probably use unless I find something else laying around.