License plate bracket fleet side

[Hx16457]

Anyone bought a new license plate bracket for a fleet side, with a chrome OEM bumper & had to modify the bracket to lower it?
I am just holding it in place by hand right now but the license plate is bolted to the bracket.
The actual license plate is hitting my tailgate at the bottom.
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[theastronaut]

I had to lower the one on the '65 I restored.

[Hx16457]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

I had to lower the one on the '65 I restored.

You wouldn't happen to have a picture would you?
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[theastronaut]

Installed without spacers:




After spacing it down and bolting the tag on. I think I had to drop it around 3/4" - 1".

[Hx16457]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Installed without spacers:




After spacing it down and bolting the tag on. I think I had to drop it around 3/4" - 1".

Yep, that's exactly what I have! It looks like that black tongue (upper portion) will hit the tail gate and when to plate is adde it will for sure.
I was thinking of drilling a couple new lower holes to mount the license plate lower, then throw a spacer on the bolts to get it even lower.
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[newbe351]

I have the chrome bumper and brackets from Brothers. The black tongue (upper portion) actually goes behind the lower lip piece below the tailgate. I drilled a couple of hole in the lip portion below the tailgate for the license plate. The light still lights it up but I can't attach the plate to it....

[jonzcustomshop]

I seem to remember having to lower the bracket as well so that the lp wouldn't hit the gate.

[Hx16457]

Well, all I need now is the carrage bolts.
I did drill the license plate holes again but lower than where the original holes where.
I did the to lower the license plate.
I have to get some standoffs (3/4"lg), to allow me to lower the away.
But after said and done i will have to have lowered it (approx) 1-3/4".
I'll get the parts and try to take pics
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[Hx16457]

Here I just went ahead and used another plate for pics


You can see the spacers
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[TS&TRacing]

Who would be a good source for one? I seen one say they got thiers from Brothers. I have a buddy who frequents swap meets but strikes out much of the time on certain things & ive spent enough money on mail order Taiwan parts. Thanks in advance.

[theastronaut]

So how were these mounted from the factory? Were the bumper brackets just adjusted lower?

[ray_mcavoy]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

So how were these mounted from the factory? Were the bumper brackets just adjusted lower?

The plate brackets were just bolted directly to the bumper from the factory. Here's a pic of Dad's 66 that I cropped/zoomed in on to show the plate area:

This is with a used original GM plate bracket bolted directly to the bumper and it has somewhere close to 3/4" of space between the top of the plate and the bottom of the tailgate.

I think you might be onto something there with the bumper height adjustment. It's kind of hard to tell due to the photos being taken from different angles, but in my pic above the top edge of the bumper is down below the bottom edge of the rear cross sill. In the pics you and Hx16457 posted it appears as though you both have your bumpers adjusted a bit higher so the top edge is even (or slightly above) the bottom of the rear cross sill.

[Hx16457]

Well this bracket came from LMC, it works fine just not without making some spacers for it, oh and drilling some lower plate mounting holes....
I have learned that these two words are bad for our trucks!
1. Aftermarket
2. Custom
Those words mean "you are going to have to make this work for you because it is all we have to offer"!
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[badriand]

i attached mine to the rear cross attaching the 2 bed sides. Holes were already there from previous owner so why not....

[kerber63]

I had the same issue as you guys, but I just trimmed off the top 1/4-1/2" of the license plate. The top of the plate still ends up hidden behind the tailgate, so it's never visible, and the tailgate doesn't rub.
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[Hx16457]

Could be, I used the factory holes.
I was leaning more on the bow area of the bracket not being as much as a factory one.
I would be interested to see the aftermarket one next to an OEM bracket!
I bet there is a difference, there too
The good thing is you can make it work!
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[TS&TRacing]

I tried to put my original fenders in the boxes my new mail order fenders came in & they didnt fit. The new fenders didnt fit the truck as yall probly know. But they did fit in my ol buddys swap meet booth! How could we expect to get quallity license plate holders?

[Hx16457]

You can't really
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