Definitive S Refresh Front Plate Bracket Removal

[Hookemhorns]

Removed mine today. Used a set of angled needle nose to loosen the bolt, then a metric socket fit it well and got them out. Pretty easy, really.

The hard part was getting started pulling it out from the tape. Couldn't get a good hold on the plate with enough force to pull it off. So, I grabbed the black plate with some pliers, pulled out the corner, while my wife cut the exposed tape with a hard plastic pallet knife. She got a few inches free, then I was able to get my fingers behind the plate and pull it off, slowly, with a lot of force at first. Gets really easy as it goes. Then just a couple of minutes to peel off the remaining tape. Came off easily and cleanly. Ball up the sticky tape and use that to dab off little specks of tape left when you peel it off.

15 minutes tops, and the result is beautiful.

 

[kngsylr]

thanks for the advice on this thread. got my amazon pliers today. after unscrewing the bottom screws pulling off the plastic from below worked well. minimal glue remained on the bumper and easily pulled off. total time using this method was around 20 minutes. looks 100% better now.

 

[wilheldp]

The hard part was getting started pulling it out from the tape.

I agree. Getting the screws out was definitely the easy part (although I did manage to drop one in the plastic cowl below the trunk...I might eventually take the cowl off to retrieve the screw). I was having to apply an uncomfortable amount of force to the bracket to loosen the tape, and when I pulled on it, it looked like there were screws back there. I freaked out, thinking that they had changed the design and now it wasn't removable without leaving screw holes in the fascia. I removed the Zero Emissions plate and chrome trim, then removed the painted plastic part of the license frame...just leaving the black plastic part taped to the fascia. I didn't see any screw heads poking through that pieces, so I just slowly rocked it back and forth until it came off. It took a bit of picking at the tape on the fascia to remove it all. I didn't want to use any solvents on the paint, so I just did it by hand.

I did use Goo Gone on the black plastic piece to remove all the tape residue. I'm thinking about rigging a mount for the front license holder to use as a cable organizer for my UMC in the garage, and perhaps a 24' HPWC when/if I get one.

 

[ZeroDarkSilver]

thanks for the advice on this thread. got my amazon pliers today. after unscrewing the bottom screws pulling off the plastic from below worked well. minimal glue remained on the bumper and easily pulled off. total time using this method was around 20 minutes. looks 100% better now.

So freakin' hot.

 

[PlugNPlay85]

Can anyone confirm that The Law front plate bracket works on a refreshed Model S?

 

[Mark K]

Many thanks to ZDS for organizing this thread, and to all the other helpful posters who chimed in with subtleties.

What prompted me to look was the apparent lack of knowledge about all this by the delivery specialists.

Your thread spared me lots of fruitless discussion.

Third Model S arrives in a couple weeks.

Despite the two S's already in the driveway, I again find myself inexplicably, irrationally excited.

 

[Cnasty]

So has anyone needed a quick fix to reapply the plate if needed?

Seems involved to try and put it back on which I hope I'd never have to do

 

[ZeroDarkSilver]

Many thanks to ZDS for organizing this thread, and to all the other helpful posters who chimed in with subtleties.

What prompted me to look was the apparent lack of knowledge about all this by the delivery specialists.

Your thread spared me lots of fruitless discussion.

Third Model S arrives in a couple weeks.

Despite the two S's already in the driveway, I again find myself inexplicably, irrationally excited.

Glad to hear from another satisified customer. Enjoy your new S!

 

[ZeroDarkSilver]

So has anyone needed a quick fix to reapply the plate if needed?

Seems involved to try and put it back on which I hope I'd never have to do

Easy. Buy some 3M automotive adhesive and stick the bracket back on the same way it came installed.

 

[jelloslug]

I don't know if this has been posted yet but if you pull the tape parallel to the bumper (think 3M Command strips) it comes off with no residue or effort at all.

 

[Xenius]

FYI, used the amazon 90 degree pliers posted here and with a little elbow grease and a hair dryer set to "hot" got the front plate off. No residue left. Looks sexy as hell.

 

[TSLATed]

The Orlando Tesla dealer refused to remove the ugly front plate when I took delivery of my new Model S a couple weeks ago, so I had to buy an angled needle nose pliers to remove the security screws and the rest of the mount myself. The entire process took me about 10-15 min and the result was perfect. If any Central-Florida Tesla owners need help removing the ugly front plate, feel free to contact me and I'd be glad to assist!

 

[akudrath]

Thanks for all the info. I removed my front plate yesterday using the 90 degree needle nose pliers, phillips screwdriver, and blow dryer. The blow dryer helped a lot to get the molding tape more malleable which allowed me to pull out a corner and stick my fingers behind the plate frame to start pushing and rolling the tape away from the car. I barely had any residue left on my bumper.

I doubt I'll use these these 90 degree needle nose pliers again anytime soon. If anyone wants them for their removal, just pay for shipping and I'll send them to you. The only caveat would be that you send it to someone else when you're done.

 

[glusc2002]

I removed mine too but unfortunately after cleaning all the residue from the double sided tape, i found indented line from the top of the plate deep enough in the paint making it noticeable and it was the length of the plate too. If it was white or silver car it would be harder to notice. Oh well, still looks great with out the plate frame.

 

[miriel]

We took off the front plate holder this afternoon. Hard part was loosening the bolt, even with the amazon pliers. Once those were off, used a hairdryer in the hot setting and pried off the holder from the bumper. There were some glue residue left but I balled up piece of adhesive from the holder and used it to dab onto the remaining residue.

Love the front bumper with the holder!

 

[theslimshadyist]

I live in a state that doesn't issue front plates and I don't want a front bracket mounted to the car prior to taking delivery. Does Tesla mount them by default when building the car or can I simply request not to have a front bracket mounted prior to the build?

 

[James Anders]

These are mounted at the factory. They won't consider shipping cars without the holder and most service centers will not remove them.

It isn't too big of deal - but it is annoying.

You can use angled needle nose pliers or can order a little tool I had made up for removal. Just need a 1/4 inch hex key (allen wrench).

Tesla License Plate Socket Adapter by SlippinJimmie on Shapeways

 

[dehydratedH2O]

I live in a state that doesn't issue front plates and I don't want a front bracket mounted to the car prior to taking delivery. Does Tesla mount them by default when building the car or can I simply request not to have a front bracket mounted prior to the build?

Tesla requires that the car be delivered with the bracket. You can request it be delivered without it, but they will politely refuse.

 

[theslimshadyist]

Tesla requires that the car be delivered with the bracket. You can request it be delivered without it, but they will politely refuse.

Thanks for the confirmation. Can I just get the SC to remove it before I pick up the vehicle?

 

[theslimshadyist]

These are mounted at the factory. They won't consider shipping cars without the holder and most service centers will not remove them.

It isn't too big of deal - but it is annoying.

You can use angled needle nose pliers or can order a little tool I had made up for removal. Just need a 1/4 inch hex key (allen wrench).

Tesla License Plate Socket Adapter by SlippinJimmie on Shapeways

Awesome and thank you.