Hot weather, sticky tape and reg plates
Another cautionary tale!
We have a standard perspex type yellow number plate for our caravan, and as there are no screw holes it sticks on with double sided tape, as sold by a local motor shop for that purpose. I'd cleaned the whole area, and the plate, and it worked fine for about a year, and a few thousand miles, but sitting facing a bit S of East on our drive in this sun has been too much for it. The poor thing has just dropped off, all stickiness exhausted.
I'm wondering what else to use, and also aware that if I use double sided tape again I'll need to check & replace it more often.
It wasn't just a couple of blobs either, the whole area was covered in strips of the stuff.
Has anyone else found they're suddenly anonymous this way? Lucky it was on the drive when it fell off!
Comments
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Try sticking it on with silicone
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We had a similar issue as the rear of our van is in direct sunlight. We cleaned off the existing 'stickiness' and started again with fresh lengths of double sided sticky tape. No problems since.
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You were just unlucky I think. As many above, my caravan & cars' plates have been stuck on with the double sided pads for years with no problem. Either use the purpose made large sticky tabs or a packet of sticky tabs from a stationary ..... even if you use the complete packet, they'll probably still be cheaper than from Halfords/etc
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My caravan has got 3 number plates, one on top of the other, all stuck with double sided tape and never had a proplem. As MM says, you were just unlucky.
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Thanks for all these. It seems like indeed I was just unlucky, then. I'll try a fresh set of sticky pads, or tape, and do a thorough clean-up before applying.
Incidentally, the lack of screw holes is in the van, where it's fibreglass, rather than the plate, so I'm reluctant to introduce extra holes into the shell by drilling my own.
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H, I used hot wax from a glue gun as I had a similar issue with Dbl sided tape. When I sold the LV I just used a hair dryer to soften the wax until it came off. It stuck for approx 16months from putting it on til removal. As an extra, a mate is a window/conservatory fitter He uses the dbl sided tape for fitting windows, He reckons you won’t get stronger👍🏻. Good luck.
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I always try to avoid Halfords if possible - we've got a lovely independent local motor accessory shop, and I've got a thing about supporting these - tho' I think the stuff I used here may just have been from Halfords! So not going back there anyway!
Local independents sometimes cost a little more but their benefit to the local community is usually far greater than a big shed concern, which having hoovered up the local jobs by out-competing them can then just decide to relocate somewhere, as we're sadly finding here in Northampton, with the first county council to go bust.
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Many caravan manufacturers use "plastic" mouldings for front and/or rear panels and make fittings to them. Bailey front lights, for example, are fitted using a black rubber plug with a threaded brass insert known as a "well nut".
A slightly larger size would allow for fitting a rear number plate. But buy more than you intend using as if dropped inside the panel may never be seen again!
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I always screw the plate on, I think it is more secure
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The person who bought my van has about four or five "spares" that have dropped down inside the panel following a bulb replacement exercise. It's probably OK for a number plate but an abominable fixing method for light clusters.
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I too have been experiencing the number plate falling off in the sun. I have tried many different suppliers and sizes of double sided tape. Even when the number plate has fallen off the tape is still sticky and can be put back on and the plate holds fast. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the heating and contraction of the different plastics, that results in the plate falling off.
It has never happened when on my travels only when parked on my drive with the caravan in Full sight of the sun.
I like the clean look of a un-drilled number plate so have now resolved the problem, by fixing a plate surround on the caravan and the plate is held on by this.
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Ok so we've had a very hot spell that has resulted in this happening, but what happens 'over there' where hot temperatures are the norm? Do they use a better adhesive that can cope or are their plates screwed on?
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Buy a roll of body panel adhesive tape (3M) is good. Buy from a trade outlet rather than ebay, halfords etc. your local car paint supplier would be worth visiting.
I agree about not drilling holes to fit it.
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Totally agree,
3M double sided 16mm trim tape,
Clean area with something like panel wipe, or even nail varnish remover that has acetone in it (or just use acetone!)
Stick it to the number plate first, peel off the backing heat gently with a heat gun/hairdryer and press firmly onto van, I advise you use some masking tape and mark the position first.
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