1. Penetration Oil & Patience:
* The best approach: This is your first and best bet. Apply a liberal amount of penetrating oil (like PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, Kroil – Kroil is often considered the best but can be harder to find) directly to the bolt heads and threads. Let it soak for *at least* 30 minutes, preferably longer – even overnight. Reapply the oil periodically. The oil works by breaking down the rust and allowing the bolt to move more freely.
* Heat (carefully!): After the oil has soaked, you can gently heat the bolt heads with a propane torch or heat gun. Be extremely careful! Too much heat can damage the paint, plastic, or even the metal surrounding the bolts. Apply heat in short bursts, allowing the metal to cool slightly between applications. The heat expands the metal, potentially breaking the rust bond. Immediately apply more penetrating oil after heating.
* Turning the bolts: After heating and oiling, try to turn the bolts using the correct size wrench or socket. Use a back-and-forth motion (slightly loosening and tightening repeatedly) rather than just brute force. This can help to break the rust bond.
2. If Penetration Oil Fails:
* Vice Grips/Locking Pliers: If the bolt heads are still intact, try using vice grips or locking pliers to grip the bolt heads firmly and turn them.
* Dremel/Angle Grinder (with caution!): As a last resort, you can carefully use a Dremel or angle grinder with a cutting wheel to cut the bolt heads off. This will require precision to avoid damaging surrounding parts. Wear safety glasses and gloves. After cutting, you may need to use an easy-out tool or other methods to remove the remaining bolt stubs from the holes.
3. Removing Stubborn Bolt Remains:
* Easy-Out Tool: If you've cut the bolt heads off, an easy-out tool is designed to remove broken bolt stubs. These are threaded tools that grip into the remaining bolt and allow you to turn it out. Use caution, as excessive force can damage the threads in the license plate bracket.
* Drill (Extreme Caution!): As a last resort, you might need to carefully drill out the remaining bolt stubs. This is a very risky option as it’s easy to damage the surrounding metal. If you attempt this, use a drill bit slightly smaller than the bolt's diameter and go slowly, to avoid stripping the threads in the license plate bracket.
Important Considerations:
* Protect the paint: Cover the surrounding area with masking tape to prevent scratches.
* Rust preventative: After removing the bolts, clean the area and apply a rust preventative or anti-seize compound to the new bolts to prevent future rust.
* Replacement Bolts: Have replacement bolts ready before you start.
If you're not comfortable performing these repairs yourself, take your Ford to a mechanic. They have the tools and expertise to handle this problem efficiently and safely. The cost of a professional repair will likely be less than the cost of potential damage caused by improper DIY attempts.
