DIY: JDM Front Plate Relocator

[FastTimesAtFGHigh]

Bare with me as this is my first attempt at a DIY. I searched and couldn't find a DIY for the "JDM" front plate relocation. Some people purchased a JDM front plate relocator either through ebay, cusco, or the password jdm part but not me. After analyzing those parts *cough*inflated prices*cough* I decided to make my own with tips learned over at clubrsx.

Here's what you'll need:

2 x L-brackets (2.5" x 5/8"), purchased from Home Depot
2 x 1/4" hex bolts
6 x 1/4" flat washers
4 x 1/4" stove bolts (round head) to mount plate to plate cover
6 x 1/4" locknuts

You'll need a drill and something to mark the holes you will be drilling. A measuring tape would help for where you want to drill. I mounted my plate with a clear plate cover but that's obviously optional.



Step 1: Remove your front plate from the OEM/dealer mounted location. Remove the plate from the plate holder. Mount the L-brackets to the back of your plate/plate holder with the flat washers, bolts, and locknuts. I used some Loctite to ensure the nut/bolts would stay threaded as driving can cause it to vibrate loose.



Step 2: Take your L-bracket mounted plate and locate the area you would like to mount the plate to. Take a marker/pencil and mark the holes you would like to have the L-bracket mounted to.

Here's the tricky part, you will have to flex the horizontal black grill outwards so you can drill two holes for the L-brackets. I needed someone to flex it outwards while I drilled. I don't think one person can do it, at least I couldn't.

Drill the two holes. Remove the mounting clips from the original plate location and clip them onto your two new holes. These will help with the threading of your bolts and lend some extra reinforcement to the semi-flexible plastic grill.



Step 3: Now that the holes are drilled you are ready to position the plate with the L-brackets onto the plastic grill.

One problem - it is EXTREMELY difficult to position the bolts/washers/locknuts into the hole. In fact, I ended up dropping the bolt into the air-dam, which is obviously sealed underneath! DOH! I didn't want to remove the bumper to access the air-dam and grill from behind so I compromised by removing the push fasteners holding the air-dam under the car. It's easier to do this by jacking up the car, so that's exactly what I did.



After that, I went ahead and removed the push fasteners used to hold the air-dam underneath the car. You'll need a flat-head screwdriver to gently pry them out. If you have the U-shaped tool they use to remove fasteners then you're one step ahead. After the push fasteners are removed, place something in-between the air dam so it is wedged open. This will allow you to position the bolts/washer/locknuts with your hand behind the plastic grill.



Step 4: Position the plate with L-brackets and fasten the bolts into the plastic grill. Check for clearances.



Replace push-fasteners for the air-dam. Lower car from jackstand and admire your handiwork! Grand total for this mod was no more than $10!



The plastic grill isn't that rigid and I noticed my plate with plate cover was flexing a tad bit. Being meticulous with my car and what touches it, I decided to place some adhesive foam stripping to the bottom of the back plate. This relieved the load on the bottom and gave the lower painted lip of the car something soft to rest against instead of bare metal from my plate



Now you can join the ranks of other JDM Front Plate Relocators! I hope these other members (06blaksi) don't mind me displaying their pics!

[1chin3s3_b0i]

looks good

[whos_1st]

nice work, + rep

[ethlar]

moved to interior exterior DIY

[07Ex]

Awesome! Makes me think if I shouldn't do this for my sedan as well.

[olieebur]

ive done this mod before but without the l brackets. i just moved it more to the right and used the left part of the hole on the plate and put it on the right part and screwed it in real tight. it was alright for a while. but i wanted it more offset.

[SiNISTER SiNDY]

Looks good, also you can use the original plate housing and do the flip. You have to drill 1 hole, then use 2 zip ties. +1 rep for a good write up.

Here's mine, using the original plate housing.

[Rocha_2706]

i am glad that georgia does not require a front plate, that looks like a lot of work but good job though
+rep

[07mugencivic]

just dont have one

[07mugencivic]

[K20_Turbo]

looks tight, but no plate ftw!

[SiLVER Surfer]

nice diy!

i plan to never use it...but i still enjoyed it. i guess now i know where i can go if i ever get sick of those pesky fix it tickets.

[blue07dx-g]

Originally Posted by SiNISTER SiNDY

Looks good, also you can use the original plate housing and do the flip. You have to drill 1 hole, then use 2 zip ties. +1 rep for a good write up.

Here's mine, using the original plate housing.

im down withthe zip ties as well !!!!

[vincentek9]

would it be more of a hassle if i were to just take the front bumper off?

[FastTimesAtFGHigh]

^ i hate removing the bumper because so i decided to simply unplug the fasteners to the airdam. that allowed me to position my arm for installation and fitment.

however, if you removed the bumper it would make the installation of the L-brackets 10x more easier and you wouldn't have to lie on the floor.

[krazy2o6]

what did u do about that little hole in the middle where the plate used to be?

[FastTimesAtFGHigh]

I'm going to address that in the summer when it's warmer. I have a small bumper plug which I painted with touch up paint. I want to repaint it though because there is an issue with the FBP shades not matching between 2006 and 2007, which the parts dealer denies. However, codes don't lie.

[bigmac02]

what plate housing did you use?
it doesnt look like you used the original one so i was wondering if you used something else or not?

[SiLVER Surfer]

that sucks your front bumper was drilled! i dont understand why they do that...mine wasnt drilled; i took it right off and it looked so clean with no plate and no hole that i just left it off.

[FastTimesAtFGHigh]

it was some generic clear license plate frame by a company called HDI. i'm sure you can find it at pep boys or any automotive store.

Originally Posted by bigmac02

what plate housing did you use?
it doesnt look like you used the original one so i was wondering if you used something else or not?