Boat Trailer License Plate Bracket

[Bass Turd]

I need help with a heavy duty license plate bracket or some other way of mounting my boat trailer license plate. A very nice policeman pulled me over early Sunday morning and pointed out I had no plate on the trailer. The bracket I bought at Academy had failed at the joint. It was sandwiched between the trailer and drivers side tail light. It hangs down in the wind and water behind the tire and I bet it just flexed and flexed until it broke. Anyone have a better solution? I don't really want to relocate the tail lights but I will if necessary. Thanks in advance.

[A-Jay]

Here's a couple of options ~

A-Jay

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOAT-TRAILER-LICENSE-PLATE-BRACKET-HOLDER-GALVANIZED-59101-/191950400831?hash=item2cb122ad3f:g:pZgAAOxydgZTG92W&vxp=mtr

 

https://www.amazon.com/Boater-Sports-Galvanized-License-Bracket/dp/B005NIZM70/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488904572&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=galvanized+boat+trailer+license+plate+bracket

[Fishing Rhino]

Most plastic brackets are junk.  I lost a license plate in PA on my way to Pickwick on my brand new rig.

 

No more.  I made a bracket out of flat fiberglass.  Made it the size of the plate plus extra above the top of the plate so it could be bolted to the trailer frame.  I can bend the bracket ninety degrees back and forth.  The plate is bolted to the fiberglass panel with four ss bolts.  

 

I got some stainless steel picture hanging wire.  Loosen the nut (aircraft locking style) at a bottom corner, wrap a turn around the bolt and tighten it down.  Loosen the bolt above and repeat.  Then up to the bolt that connects the bracket to the trailer and repeat.  Follow around the plate and do the same to the rest of the bolts.  

 

If the bracket should somehow break, the plate will not get lost.

 

It has been on since 2010 without a problem.

 

Lexan should be an adequate substitute for fiberglass.  1/16th to 3/32nd inch thickness should work.  Anything thicker will not flex as freely.

 

Here's a couple of images.  The first is washed out.  I had to brighten it to the max so the bolts and wire could be seen.  By the way, do not use single strand picture hanging wire.  Use twisted strand stainless steel wire.

 

You can also see that the fiberglass panel goes up at about a 45 degree angle where it meets the frame.  Follow that up and you'll see, if you look carefully the two bolts that fasten the assembly to the trailer.  The wire goes up and around those bolts and then down the other side.  This is what keeps the plate attached to the trailer should the fiberglass panel break.

 

 

[Al Wolbach]

You guys need to move to Tennessee, no plate required.

[joefish]

Find an old tire and cut out a square from sidewall, drill holes and mount it under tale light, mount license plate on the lower half of the rubber.

[Fishing Rhino]

4 hours ago, Al Wolbach said:

You guys need to move to Tennessee, no plate required.

 

You are correct.  Even better, if a woman marries her brother, she can keep her maiden name.

 

While no plate is required, insurance is.  At least that's what I was told when I went to a marina near Pickwick to get a mounting bracket for a plate.  The fellow behind the parts counter looked at me like I had two heads when I asked about the bracket.

 

According to him, all that is required for a trailer is proof of insurance.

 

Interesting tidbit.  When I noticed the plate was missing, a PA state cop followed me along I-78 for several miles, but did not stop me.  Called my wife and told her I lost the plate.  She asked what I was going to do.  Told her one thing I was not going to do was to turn around and head home.

 

Wasn't I worried about getting in trouble?  Not at all.  The worst that could happen was that I'd have to affix some type of temporary plate with the numbers and the state on it.  Never did get stop after driving over two thousand miles through ten states.

[Way2slow]

I use a the hinged ones like this  http://www.raneystruckparts.com/universal-hinged-mount-1-license-plate-holder-by-roadworks/

 

Or you can get a heavy duty metal bracket and hinge and make your own, like this. http://www.socal-fishing-hunting.com/BOAT-TRAILER-LICENSE-PLATE-BRACKET-HINGED.html

[WIGuide]

6 hours ago, Fishing Rhino said:

Wasn't I worried about getting in trouble?  Not at all.  The worst that could happen was that I'd have to affix some type of temporary plate with the numbers and the state on it.  Never did get stop after driving over two thousand miles through ten states.

Plus this is something you'd rarely get pulled over for. Thanks to states like Tennessee and Wisconsin and others that don't require titling of boat trailers, unless the popo happens to see your vehicle licence plate, AND your boat numbers, AND you're in that state it's pretty much impossible to tell if the trailer needs a licence plate. 

[J Francho]

Zip Ties are what I use.  Anything rigid fails or bends when backing into the water.

[TOXIC]

With another brand of boat I had the plate mounted behind the trailer light.  I tried both plastic and metal hangers and lost plates with both of them and the metal plate holder took my tail light right along with it.  In the lovely commonwealth of Virginia you "can" get ticketed for your plate being attached with any type of hinge allowing it to free swing.  I relocated the trailer plate light (also a legal requirement) and mounted my plate directly to my trailer frame.  My Ranger came from the factory with that type of setup.  It's amazing how much pressure you put on the plate launching and loading your boat.  

[RHuff]

I put a couple of zipties on but looked in my side mirror one day and saw my plate hangin sideways nearly scraping the pavement. Went to Lowe's and got a couple of locking bolts with the inner plastic ring in the nut that doesn't loosen. Works like a charm. 

[Fishing Rhino]

My fiberglass panel is less than a sixteenth of an inch thick.  One layer of 3/4 ounce mat and one layer of 1603 stitched roving.  Even if the plate mounting panel was to crack the long strands of glass in the mat would keep it together. While it can flex ninety degrees if it pushes against something solid it will not fold up due to air pressure against the plate at highway speeds.  The fastest being 75 mph.

 

That mount has been on my rig for seven years, averaging about four thousand miles (conservatively) per year.   The only part of the assembly that is cracked is the gel coat.

[MickD]

I'm done with plastic brackets, too.  In MI the plates are so thin that they can become damaged too,so I glue (gorilla glue) an old plate onto the trailer plate to double its thickness and use many zip locks to hang it.  Redundancy!

[webertime]

Use a magnet on the back of the plate as insurance should a screw back out or a zip tie get cut.  The Tire idea above is pretty slick.

[PECo]

Go flexible. A piece of tractor-trailer mudflap will bend when hit, not break.

[Tin Man]

I'm going to do the diy hinge mount myself. I don't need a plate in TN but I thought a vanity plate or custom graphic of some sort would look good on my rig. First and last boat so a little something to commemorate the buy.

[Bass Turd]

On 3/8/2017 at 4:25 AM, Way2slow said:

I use a the hinged ones like this  http://www.raneystruckparts.com/universal-hinged-mount-1-license-plate-holder-by-roadworks/

 

Or you can get a heavy duty metal bracket and hinge and make your own, like this. http://www.socal-fishing-hunting.com/BOAT-TRAILER-LICENSE-PLATE-BRACKET-HINGED.html

Thanks. I've got one coming from So Cal. I zip tied it for the weekend.

[nosdog2]

I mounted mine directly onto the wheel well with some stainless steel bolts, it really isn't the legal spot but I have never been hassled with it.  It can easily be seen from behind and isn't going anywhere.  

[Sporteus]

On 3/7/2017 at 10:25 PM, joefish said:

Find an old tire and cut out a square from sidewall, drill holes and mount it under tale light, mount license plate on the lower half of the rubber.

Looks like someone made this idea into a product....

 

https://www.amazon.com/SurePlate-Trailer-DM16004-License-Deluxe-Max/dp/B01MSX02R2

 

Expensive, but I don't have any old tires laying around.

[joefish]

Could probably get a old tire from a tire shop for a coupler bucks.