# Trailer license plate holder - hinged or not?



## jaegermeister (Sep 30, 2003)

My boat trailer license plate bracket is beat up. It still works, but if there is a better solution I want to use it. 

I noticed hinged or swinging-type license plate mounting brackets. Are these any good? Or are they a solution to a barely existing problem? Do they fall apart, and the hinge (and license plate) comes loose?


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## natureboy2534 (Dec 11, 2013)

A piece of THICK rubber works great..
Have them on all my trailers and never lost one..Tilt trailers also...


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

Most of them now are just a fairly soft piece of plastic so it just deflects out of the way if you hit something.

https://images.app.goo.gl/kG7BqjmDHWdFXdZb7


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## ebijack (Apr 20, 2009)

I agree, cut a piece of truck bed mat, mud flap a bit larger than your plate to allow bolting to the trailer. Any rubber with fiber strands thru the rubber. Use lock nuts etc. 
One and done.


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## crossneyes (Sep 26, 2005)

Mounted mine on a stainless steel hinge. No worries.


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## The Nailer (Feb 7, 2000)

natureboy2534 said:


> A piece of THICK rubber works great..
> Have them on all my trailers and never lost one..Tilt trailers also...


That's a great idea! I don't know why I didn't think of that. I use rubber truck mats to shield my shed and gate locks from ice and snow at camp, but this never crossed my mind. Thank you!


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## MossyHorns (Apr 14, 2011)

ebijack said:


> I agree, cut a piece of truck bed mat, mud flap a bit larger than your plate to allow bolting to the trailer. Any rubber with fiber strands thru the rubber. Use lock nuts etc.
> One and done.


Been doing the same thing for 15 years after I lost a plate off a snowmobile trailer.


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## natureboy2534 (Dec 11, 2013)

Best thing I found was the rubber and also the cheapest. Was tired of bending the tin/metal ones and breaking the plastic ones. No worries anymore with this style. .The tilt trailers were the worst for those other ones, if it wasnt the ground it was snow banks bending / breaking them.


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Fellas, rubber works great BUT it can and will fail sooner or later. Sunlight, left over road salt and just age will make it fail one day. I have a checklist I use every spring when I'm getting my boat ready for the season and one item on the list is to check the tag holder rubbers for signs of cracking and excessive wear. Just a tip, having a rubber fail can be embarrassing!


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## natureboy2534 (Dec 11, 2013)

MossyHorns said:


> Been doing the same thing for 15 years after I lost a plate off a snowmobile trailer.


15 years is a pretty good run. Ill take that over replacing them all the time. And never seen a mud flap rot away from salt and sun just the wheel well that's its attached to..I have a pretty good run with my luck on trailers..


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## ebijack (Apr 20, 2009)

I have used the truck mud flaps on 2 trailers over 25 yrs. Never had either fail or rot. But even if I had to replace one after 15, 20 yrs, I'd take that over replacing yearly.
Never had any purchased plate bracket last more than 2 yrs.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Are there any ready-made "rubber mat with cords in it" type of license plate holder? Don't have time, availability or interest to make my own. A link to a vendor would be nice. Thanks.


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## cliftp (Jan 13, 2007)

kroppe said:


> Are there any ready-made "rubber mat with cords in it" type of license plate holder? Don't have time, availability or interest to make my own. A link to a vendor would be nice. Thanks.


Hi kroppe, saw this link on Walleye Central this morning. Looks great, I'm having a hard time getting past the price. I'm on plate number two on my trailer. https://www.sureplate4u.com

Paul C.


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## natureboy2534 (Dec 11, 2013)

All I do is cut a piece of rubber mat or old floor mat from truck a little bigger than my license plate size and put in between the frame of the trailer or where the lights bolt to the trailer with some washer and a lock washer threw the rubber mat. I personally dont have any plastic or metal bracket on my trailers just the rubber in between the metal frame or the light bars.If that makes sense...Ill post pictures after work, if I remember to tonight. .


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## tito (Apr 27, 2012)

Heres one walmart has it cheaper. It will take lots of hard bends. Mine has been on 20 yrs and I store mine outside in the winter https://www.amazon.com/Wesbar-00321...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7RB1CJE4P18B36787BAN


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## natureboy2534 (Dec 11, 2013)

Could possibly add a strip of metal on top section where 2 bolts are..This is off duck boat so it hits everything from logs to cattails..Been on for over 5 years with no problems. .


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## drwink (Oct 15, 2003)

tito said:


> Heres one walmart has it cheaper. It will take lots of hard bends. Mine has been on 20 yrs and I store mine outside in the winter https://www.amazon.com/Wesbar-00321...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7RB1CJE4P18B36787BAN


Pretty much what I have, it's been on with no problems since I bought that lifetime $17.00 plate whatever year those came out. I checked and all is still good!


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