Recently we modified the front of our JL so we could tow it behind an RV. In doing so we found that our electrical connection and emergency braking system interfered with the Stealth license plate bracket we had previously installed.
We started looking for mounts that would be located higher up and decided that a bracket that attached to the winch fairlead would be easiest. The EZ-Plate license plate bracket from JeepsNeeds looked like a product that fit the bill so we ordered one up.
Fit, finish, and materials.
The fit and finish of the product was as expected. The 16 gauge steel is strong enough to withstand the pressure of a winch thimble without easily bending and the gloss black powder coat with stainless steel hardware will help keep it from rusting.
There are two variants available on the website the 2.0 and the 3.0. The 2.0 offers full backing for the license plate and it is not adjustable. The 3.0 only has backing for the top portion of the license plate and is hinged so you can adjust the angle. I ordered the 3.0 and made a hybrid of the two by adding my own full metal plate to the entire back of the license plate.
Probably unnecessary, but I have a habit of beating up and bending my license plates. I figure having an extra piece of metal behind the entire tag may prevent that.
2.0 
3.0
Install and tip.
Mounting the EZ Plate is easier than falling off a ladder. There is a channel that fits around your winch line and then is held in place by pressure.
Be aware that your standard cable hook will pass through the hole in this bracket because it was designed for use with winch safety thimbles. We were able to make it work with our standard hook by adding a stopper rubber cushion. (The red part below.)
The wrap.
If you need a 50 state legal license plate bracket that is easy to mount this is a great option.
The 3.0 we purchased is $65. That is an above-average price for comparable products on the market. Unlike the less expensive brackets, this one allows you to quickly adjust the angle of the plate.
I do think JeepNeeds would do itself a favor by just having one model of the EZ-Plate that is a hybrid of both the 2.0 and 3.0 options offered by having a hinged model with a full mounting plate behind the vehicle tag.
From Alex Cho at JeepsNeeds
The primary reason for having 2 versions of the EZ plate is to provide an option to have both versions, some customers prefer the back plating, some customer prefers/require the adjustability features of the EZ-plate 3.0, but all in all, it came down to keeping shipping cost and production cost to a minimum, so the savings can be passed along to the customers.
Once the Wrangler JL was released, the fixed angle of the EZ-Plate 2.0 wouldn’t work with the JL’s flatter lower front profile, so adjustability was critical.
We also found that the bulkiness of the EZ-Plate 2.0 required a bigger packaging which cost more for shipping, so in order to keep shipping costs lower, we decided to streamline designs for the EZ-Plate 3.0 for smaller packing to reduce shipping cost and offset the additional cost for the adjustability features, while keeping the price somewhat equivalent to the EZ-Plate 2.0.
The EZ-Plates are designed to be removed easily so that the license plate can be stored in the vehicle while off-roading, to prevent the plates from getting lost in the trails or dirty to a point where the License plates are illegible (license plates are required to be clean and legible by law). So we naturally assumed that customers would not have a preference of having the two versions into one since the license plates were to be removed and there would be no damages to the license plate without the metal plating on the EZ-plate 3.0.
Alex Cho – President Jeeps Needs.com
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