Front Tag Bracket Mod
 

i think one thing we'll all agree on is that GM got carried away with the design of the front tag bracket on the GMT400 models.

when i had my truck painted last fall, i asked the painter/body man to fill the top two holes on my smoothie bumper.. he asked ".. why leave the bottom two then?" I wanted a Plan B since Virginia is a front-plate state and at the time i didn't plan on running a front plate...until i got warned numerous times and finally ticketed for it. to the tune of $86 for the fine. I was hell bent on NOT using the stock bracket since it looks so boxie and bulky. I looked at different aftermarket mounting brackets but those would require drilling new holes in my newly painted bumper. Since i've shown the truck a few times (in Under Construction) and plan to show her in the future, i wanted a way to use the two stock mounting holes on the bottom and then take the bracket OFF for shows, then throw it back on later.

SO.......... I put my stock bracket (OE to the truck, for the record) on a diet via a ban saw... yes a ban saw. this could be done with a cut-off wheel and a steady hand, but i'm a klutz and my stepdad has a wood-working shop, so i sawed the devil down some.

first pic shows the front view: (the sides were cut off following the seam/line on each side, the top and bottom were cut along the line as well.

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...t/100_1412.jpg

i was worried the top mounting "square" areas would rub the paint at highway speed (remember, the top bolt holes were filled...) so i cut those off as well.

back view:

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...t/100_1413.jpg

side view:

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...t/100_1414.jpg

later on, the bracket will be color matched. i think it will look better this way and not draw your attention to the black plastic bolted against the green bumper.

results:

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...0704021823.jpg

http://i703.photobucket.com/albums/w...704021822b.jpg

the ban saw had a fine-tooth blade on it... which left minimal burring. I proceeded to remove the burrs with a table-mounted belt sander with fine grit paper.

front tags suck... but now i don't have such a bulky box displaying mine.

any questions, lemme know.. peace!

EDIT: wanted to say that cutting all that plastic away didn't weaken it in the least.
EDIT again: for the painted bumper guys... i put two rubber washers (the plumbing kind) between the bracket and the paint..then used stainless steel nuts/bolts/washers to reattach it.

i know Indiana isn't a front plate state..but wanted to share for those effected by these hideous brackets.

mines in the windshield untill the 5-0 says to mount it haha and if/when they do i will do this!

in the windshield isn't legal in VA... i paid an $86 ticket and decided to hang the tag back up front. i'll just take it off at shows and stuff.

That is awesome! WI is also a front plate state I bookmarked this thread I am sure I will use later! Right now my boxy one looks right because the truck is mostly stock.

cool... if you switch to a smoothie bumper, be it chrome or painted, that plate box will stick out like a sore thumb. (IMO)

Ohh yea that I don't doubt at all! I think it just adds to the factory "Bubbah" lip these trucks have from the factory.

Nice upgrade !!!