CARBONIO 98789 No Drill License Plate Mount Instruction Manual
- May 15, 2024
- CARBONIO
Table of Contents
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
REMOVABLE NO DRILL LICENSE PLATE MOUNT
MONO – CENTER MOUNT INSTALLATION
98789 No Drill License Plate Mount
Thank you for choosing to purchase a Carbonio product. Please take the time to
fully read over these instructions before attempting to install the kit. This
will greatly speed up the installation process and minimize any difficulties
you may encounter.
Notes & Disclaimers
– These instructions explain the procedure to install a No Drill License
Plate Mount on a particular vehicle style. Individual kits are vehicle
specific and may contain pieces that differ slightly from the images contained
in this manual.
– The license plate mount is almost infinitely adjustable comes pre-assembled
with a generic setup. Before mounting the license plate the assembly first
needs to be fitted to the car and sized depending on the particular vehicle
and license plate size that is being used. Once sized it can be removed and
installed without any need to make any further adjustments.
– Installation of this mount involves adhering a low-profile receiver piece to
the undersurface of the front bumper. While this piece is removable, doing so
requires its replacing and replacement units are available from Carbonio.
– All testing for both quality/durability of adhesion along with the ability
to cleanly remove has been done on OEM finishes. All adhesives and
cleaners/promotors included are designed and certified specifically by 3M for
automotive applications. Vehicles with clear bra (PPF film), body wraps, or
non-factory paint on the mounting surface, run the risk of adhesion issues and
should be approached with caution.
– The end of these instructions outline the correct procedure to remove the
receiver cleanly without doing any damage to the mounting surface
– This mount can be used with aftermarket license plate frames and plate
covers
Tools Required:
– Phillips head (star) screwdriver (for North American installs)
– Masking tape
– Pencil
– Measuring tape or ruler
LABOUR ESTIMATE GUIDE
15 Minutes
Step 1: LOCATING THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE
Step 1: Lay a piece of masking tape on the nose of the vehicle (ideally
as close as possible to the mounting location) and mark the center with a
line. A ruler or tape measure can be used to confirm center.
TIP: Most vehicles will have an emblem or a factory detail of some type
that will help locate center. After making your center mark step back and
double check your placement by viewing the car straight on and confirming that
the line is centered. Step 2: TEST FITTING THE MOUNT TO THE CAR
The mount comes pre-assembled and should be first test fitted before
proceeding with the final installation. This is a very important step that
SHOULD NOT BE SKIPPED as it makes final installation much easier and prevents
improperly positioning the mount.
Step 2a: Make sure that the plate holder and mount are in their fully
extended position and that the adjustment screws are just tight enough where
the mount can pivot relative to the plate holder and still hold its position
when released.
Step 2b: Using the center mark (made earlier) as a guide, Locate the full
assembly on the vehicle. Try various depths and angles until you find a
position that you like. The goal is to find a position that is as deep as
possible while still keeping the plate holder about 1cm (3/8”) away from the
surface of the bumper. Try to avoid locating the mounting base where two
different surfaces meet. Be ABSOLUTELY SURE that there are no obstructions or
raised surfaces that would keep the mount from mating 100% FLAT.
Once this is done take a mental note of the area where the red adhesive
backing contacts the vehicle. Even better is to mark the perimeter of the
location with some masking tape. If this option is chosen it is best to do it
BEFORE prepping the surface for adhesion because the adhesion promoter can
react with the tape making it hard to remove.
TIP: It may be helpful to make a small centering mark on the mount to
help line up the assembly to the vehicle. The thumbscrew is perfectly centered
to the assembly allowing it to be used as a reference point for center.
Step 3: PREPARING THE SURFACE FOR THE MOUNT
Having established the ideal mounting point it is now time to prepare the
mounting surface for the mounting base.
NOTE: Your Carbonio mount kit includes an alcohol wipe and an adhesion
promotor packet. These are designed to work specifically on automotive paints
and plastics together with the included 3M adhesive and MUST be used to
achieve a reliable installation. All adhesion must be made on clean and dry
surfaces.
If your vehicle has had ceramic coating applied in the area where your
Carbonio mounting base will be bonded, it is crucial that all remains of
ceramic coating be removed using an appropriate cleaning agent (this includes
PPF which is pre-impregnated with ceramic coating). Carbonio cannot warranty
components that do not adhere to ceramic coated surfaces
Step 3a: Open the alcohol wipe packet and use the included cloth to clean
the mounting surface well. Allow the alcohol at least 30 seconds to evaporate
before proceeding. Step 3b: Open the 3M adhesion promoter packet and use
the included sponge to evenly wipe the mounting surface. Once done allow the
chemical to dry at least 30 seconds.
NOTE: USING THE 3M ADHESION PROMOTOR IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP THAT IS NOT TO
BE SKIPPED. NOT USING THE ADHESION PROMOTOR SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENS THE ADHESIVE
BOND AND VOIDS ANY PRODUCT WARRANTY. Step 4: ADHERING THE MOUNT TO THE
VEHICLE
Having located the mount assembly and cleaned / prepared the mounting
surface it is time to adhere the mount to the vehicle.
Step 4a: Remove the red backing plastic from the base to expose the
adhesive surface.
TIP: Removing the backing can be tricky to start. A sharp knife can help
get the backing separated from the tape. NOTE: Be absolutely sure of your
position because the bond between the 3M mounting tape and the car is very
strong and IMMEDIATE.
Step 4b: Do not touch or dirty the adhesive surface. Locate the mount
just separated from its final position and press it firmly in place on the
cleaned / prepared mounting location – Continue to press firmly across all of
the mount’s surface area for 10 seconds, release, then press firmly again and
repeat 5 times. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPOSITION THE MOUNT ONCE THE TAPE
TOUCHES THE MOUNTING SURFACE
Step 5: FIXING THE MOUNT POSITION
With the base adhered to the car it is now necessary to set the position of
the mount.
Step 5a: Use the included Allen (hex) key to loosen the side screws
enough so that the plate holder portion can be slid in and out and up and
down. Locate the plate holder in the position you like best.
TIP: The aim is generally to have the closest point of the plate holder
about 5mm (1/4”) from the bumper surface.
Step 5b: Once the position is set, lightly tighten the side screws with
the Allen key to keep the assembly in position.
Step 5c: Reach underneath and loosen the large black thumb nut 12 turns
and lift out the plate mount assembly leaving behind the receiver on the car.
With the assembly now in your hands, use the Allen key to properly tighten
down the side screws.
Step 5d: Re-install the mount by
fitting the mount into the receiver (reverse of Step 5b) and by tightening the
thumb nut firmly by hand.
TIP: Make sure that the mount is all the way into the receiver before
tightening down. This ensures that the locking tabs all line up and there is
no chance of loosening.
Step 6: FITTING THE LICENSE PLATE TO THE MOUNT
North American License Plates
Using a Phillips (star) head screwdriver affix your license plate to the mount
using the two screws provided. Note: These screws should be long enough to
accommodate most aftermarket license plate frames and there is no issue using
a plate frame or cover with the Carbonio mount. 
Rest of World (ROW) License Plates (must have been specified at
time of order)
Rest of world cars have their license plates adhered to the plate mount using
high strength 3M tape that is pre-installed on your plate holder. In order to
ensure a good bond, the backside of the license plate must be clean. Use
rubbing alcohol or some adhesive promoter (left over from Step 4) on the
backside of the license plate in order to prepare its surface for adhesion.
Once the license plate is prepared, remove the red backing from the mounting
tape and adhere the plate to the exposed tape.
Take your time and be sure that the plate is straight and centered because you
cannot reliably remove and re-position the license plate once it touches the
tape.
Step 7: FITTING PROTECTIVE RUBBER BUMPERS
In order to eliminate the chance of any paint damage, 2 self-adhesive
rubber bumpers have been included.
One or both of these bumpers should be adhered to the backside of the number
plate or mount to act as a safety stop for the front bumper. Ultimately the
final location of these bumpers is up to the discretion of the installer
however the goal of the bumper is to act as a point of contact between the
backside of the plate or mount and the paint of the bumper.
TIP: The rubber bumpers are very soft and can be in constant light contact
with the bumper without causing any damage. When setting the final mount
position (in Step 5) it is ok to set it close enough to the surface of the
bumper (less than the height of the bumper) where the mount has a little bit
of ‘spring’ to it. In this way once the bumpers are installed the mount has a
light force always pushing it into the bumper. This makes for a more stable
mounting that better absorbs bumps and vibrations.
Alternate mount positions
These instructions show the installation of the license plate mount with the
receiver adhered to the underside of the bumper and with the plate positioned
up from there. This is not the only option and it is totally ok to mix and
match orientations by placing the receiver on the topside of a bumper opening
or have the plate holder hang low.
Removal of receiver mount
Despite the very strong bond offered by the 3M tape used, it can be removed
without damage to the vehicle. The best way to do this is by using dental
floss as a ‘saw’ to cut the foam body of the tape between the base and the
vehicle.
Once the tape is cut and the base is removed, the remaining tape residue can
be cleaned off of the paint or plastic with a mild solvent and some elbow
grease. A soft tool like a wooden popsicle stick can be used to help remove
the more stubborn pieces while a light polishing compound can be used to
remove the final residue left behind from the tape.