Came to fit the new numberplate surrounds on the mrs' Fabia vRS today but found that the original dealer made a right hash of fixing the plates onto the car.

Firstly the front plate was held on with three screws. Now to say these screws must have been of a pretty poor quality in the first place is saying something!!!! All were rusted to high heaven (Only just 3 years old!!!) but i managed to get two off after a few minutes fiddling with them but the last one just disintegrated so had to chisel off the plastic cap so as to get a good hold of the screw with pliers and get it off that way. I also had to drill holes in the plate surround as none of the three holes were near the numerous openings on the holder etc....

Now the problem....................

The rear plate is held on by two screws. One came off easily but the other is locked solid. I've tried a bit of WD40, Pliers, two screwdrivers, (It actually broke the first screwdriver i used) and even a socket set with screwdriver bits and it just won't budge. Unfortunately the screw head is now knackered and the screwdriver doesn't get enough to grip against. Because they haven't bothered using proper numberplate screws with the caps on the screw head is also right up against the plate so i'm unable to get any leverage on it with pliers like i did on the front one.

The only two things i can think of are to break off the plate..... This could obviously damage the car though and what are the chances of it breaking right across the hole round the screw???..... I would hopefully then be able to get a good grip with pliers to try unscrewing it.............. Or to possibly drill it out....... I've no idea how to go about this as i'm not a DIY kinda person. If it was just a case of wanting to put the surround on i'd leave it but the rear plate is starting to de-laminate and i don't think it'll make it through the next MOT so i'm gonna have to take it off somehow anyway.

Any volunteers in the Sheffield area who know what they're doing when it comes to removing screws / bolts or drilling them out etc.....

Cheers

Dave.

the screw goes into a sort of captive nut , you could try tapping the screw head with a smallish hammer, this may release the screw , it also could flatten the screw enough for you to get some purchase on it with a good screwdriver

you could also drill a hole just above the screw and spray some lube into the nut , hopefully freeing off the screw

Another option is to drill the ends off to release the plate and use some strong double sided sticky tape instead of screws (but this would probably end up being permanent).

Some people really rate something called plusgas, (I got it off ebay from PLUSGAS DISMANTLING LUBRICANT 400ml Liquid Wrench on eBay, also, Hand Tools, Garage Equipment Tools, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 27-Sep-08 13:38:32 BST) ).

I know this may sound daft, but have you tried tightening the screw, this seems to break the seal that corrosion has formed. I use this trick quite often when repairing taps. It also works on wheel nuts.

VICTORY!!!!!!! :D:D

Managed to crack it just now.

I dremmeled a slot across the top of the bolt so as to make it a bladed screwdriver bolt etc.... Then managed to get the bolt unscrewed using a socket and big bladed bit. Tried the bolt in the other thread and it went in fine so was obviously the thread inside the nut etc. that was knackered. Then as the bolt head was working fine as a bladed head decided to dremmel off 2 to 3 mm off the end of the bolt so that it screwed right in but didn't get to the knackered part of the thread and jobs a good 'un.

Gonna have to get a couple of new plates so as to get the smoooooth look especially as the rear plate is clipped in and just has two holes in it where the bolts used to go but that's something that can be done some time soon.

Thanks again for all the help..... Brisky members get the job done yet again. :thumbup::thumbup:

Cheers

Dave.

I've no idea how to go about this as i'm not a DIY kinda person.

Seems to me that don't give yourself enough credit. You did a good job

VICTORY!!!!!!! :D:D

Woo and Yay!

Consider putting some copperease on it

i had the exact same issue when i got my car, i ended up snapping the plate off then spent a long time removing the bolt. almost had me in tears

double sided tape ftw!

My neighbour had the same with a Bora. In his case, mole grips FTW.