License plate install, help!

Sorry to put this on the 4Runners forum, but you guys are the smartest and most resourceful vehicle owners on the planet! I bought my wife a Highlander. The previous owner installed those tamper-resistant license plate bolts. I asked my mechanic to remove them since I didn't have the special allen wrench. I disposed of them and decided to purchase some regular stainless steel M6 license plate bolts. The problem is, they will only thread in about three thread lengths and then stop.

Any thoughts on why that may be? Thanks for your time and wisdom!

 

You will need to find out if you should be using a coarse or fine thread bolt. If you have the correct threads, you may have to run a tap through them to clean up the threads before tightening down the bolt. Good luck!

 

Front or back?!

 

Hey,
TrailSpecial has great wisdom indeed.

Dang too bad you disposed of the previous fasteners. Without knowing the depth or thread pitch, the key is to stop turning when the screw tells you I’m not turning any further! Once you strip those suckers you’ll be faced with the horrifying situation I put myself in on the back of my 4R;
The Philips head stripped on my cheap plate cover screws when I replaced the cover…Screw Extractor tool failed, and I had to drillbit the screw heads off, pre drill a hole into the screw shaft, and sunk self tappers in as my new plate screws HAHA. Savage.
But now my wife and I get honked at all the time:

 

And dont forget a dab on antiseize on the bolt. You’ll thank yourself later.

 

Just a little dab of anti seize

 

That's what I look like after every time I use it.

 

too funny!!

 

Thanks for all the replies. I ran an M6 tap through and it worked! It was the back license plate. You guys are the best!