License plate bracket nuts—best metal?

Post by **JimBee** » 04 Dec 2021, 20:36

Just changed license plates. I want to replace a couple of rusty acorn nuts.

Local big box site indicates it has the 6 mm 1.0 which I believe is the right size—but they're available in steel, chrome, stainless steel, brass and I think another composition.. Which one will stay fresh and least interact with the steel stud?

Post by **abscate** » 05 Dec 2021, 02:12

A rare place for the cheap, Lowe Quality Ss hardware from Home Desparate.

Or regular steel with a dab of no seize

Post by **JimBee** » 05 Dec 2021, 09:17

Thanks!

Post by **volvolugnut** » 05 Dec 2021, 09:27

I would try to find nylon. These may be available in those hardware assortment drawers by Hillman and other brands. I have also seen them marketed especially as tag screw nuts.
volvolugnut

Post by **scot850** » 05 Dec 2021, 11:08

I have just bought some stainless acorn nuts from a local supplier. The problem I have is with the salt here the regular steel nuts react with the licence plates and beauty rings. So I have just bought stainless with stainless washers as the only ones I could find do not have the flared washer end.

Nylon nuts are potentially a good idea if you can find them. Again, the issue is if they don't cover the end of the thread you get the potential issue of the thread ends rusting making removal an issue.

I use copper grease as a back up to prevent the threads corroding.

Neil.

Post by **erikv11** » 05 Dec 2021, 16:38

I bought a bagful of stainless acorn nuts from McMaster-Carr, and a matching bag of stainless washers. With a fleet and 8 license plate nuts per car, it was a no-brainer. They hold up very nicely!

Post by **abscate** » 05 Dec 2021, 16:42

erikv11 wrote: ↑05 Dec 2021, 16:38 I bought a bagful of stainless acorn nuts from McMaster-Carr, and a matching bag of stainless washers. With a fleet and 8 license plate nuts per car, it was a no-brainer. They hold up very nicely!

Ooof. I’m way behind Potato Head on this truck.

Post by **cn90** » 07 Mar 2022, 18:53

Over the years, I have learned that:
- The Volvo factory nut is regular steel and it will rust with time, especially in the midwest with salt.
- It can seize with time if antiseize is not used. Some people break the stud off while removing the nut.

So, I have been using these M6 x 1.0 stainless steel nuts (with nylon insert) for years with no rust.
I always applied some antiseize on the threads, removal is not an issue even years later.
Price for Midwest Fastener 87534 is $0.79/each at Menards hardware stores.
Volvo dealer nut is $3.79.
The nice thing about this SS nut is: you can always spray some PB Blaster or oil before removing it.
The key thing is: don't over-tighten it, just snug it until it hits the license plate, then stop.

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Post by **erikv11** » 08 Mar 2022, 10:33

Acorn nuts protect the exposed threads so they do not rust and look better too. Anti-seize the threads if you want but you don't need to. If you want or need to replace more than one (there are 8 per car) I'd give it a thought ...

About $6 for 20 stainless steel M6 acorn (cap) nuts, less than $0.30 each. Even with shipping they are cheaper! https://www.mcmaster.com/nuts/cap-nuts/ ... pe~metric/

Add on $7 bucks for 100 stainless, M6 washers, spreads the load on the license plate surfaces and you'll use them here and there for other things too: https://www.mcmaster.com/standard-washe ... nt~metric/

Post by **cn90** » 08 Mar 2022, 21:19

Not true,

Every single car I see at junk yard has rusty studs, broken studs.
Acorn nut seized, and studs sometimes broken off when people remove the acorn nuts, simply bc people don't put anti-seize on the threads.
Water has a way to get inside the acorn nut, from behind, from car wash etc.

My cars with the nylon nut mentioned above: no issue at all.
I personally don't like the Volvo factory acorn nuts, they rust, and they trap rust inside, if anti-seize not used.