DIY Tint today lol
04-13-2006, 06:26 AM
#1
DIY Tint today lol
Yep, So ive watched a pro do 5 tint installs, I feel confident enough to try it myself. All I know, is that If i screw it up, I'm only out 40 bucks, and If I get it right, It was worth it.
Pics and updates to follow
Pics and updates to follow
04-13-2006, 07:42 AM
#4
Hope it turns out well. If it's good enough, I may try, too. I need it badly with the black interior 
Oh and to whoever asked, you can get rolls of the stuff at most auto places like Advance and Autozone.
Oh and to whoever asked, you can get rolls of the stuff at most auto places like Advance and Autozone.
04-13-2006, 09:23 AM
#6
i've always wanted to try this but i've been scared that i wont do it right, please post pics and do a lil write up to give us some tips and tricks that the pros use so we can do it ourselves to.....
wish you luck....
wish you luck....
04-13-2006, 11:18 AM
#8
I gave up. the rear roll-downs werent hard at all, any moron can do it. The rear tiny window was a MAJOR PITA because it would bubble like no other, and it was just hard.
I didnt even try the rear window, but you have to do it in strips, and i cant cut a straight line for the life of me, so nothin doin there. I cut my finger pretty bad and superglued it shut.
All in all, im out 40 bucks, and a couple hours, but im sure i'll try again some day. ive got another roll sitting in my garage so why not.
I didnt even try the rear window, but you have to do it in strips, and i cant cut a straight line for the life of me, so nothin doin there. I cut my finger pretty bad and superglued it shut.
All in all, im out 40 bucks, and a couple hours, but im sure i'll try again some day. ive got another roll sitting in my garage so why not.
04-13-2006, 11:36 AM
#10
Yeah, WAY too frustrating. I'll shell out 100 bucks sometime to get it done professionally. Either way, it was a learning experience, and I now appreciate the difficulty of the project.
04-13-2006, 03:21 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: RHODE ISLAND
Posts: 355
hey guys, i recently got a job at a tint/detail shop (www.xtremecleancars.com) and i learned alot about tinting
First off, there is really no major trick to it (except the rear window), its just like a big sticker. The glass needs to be perfectly clean (a razor helps) and pracitly a dust free enviornment. As for the rear window, my shop does it in one piece my measuring the rear window and then cutting it to shape and laying on the outside of the window. When the tint is placed on the outside of the rear window they use a heat gun to shape/shink the tint to the size of the window and press it smooth until it fits perfect with no bubbles. Then they peel it off and stick it on the inside.
All the tint is cut by hand, i asked the tint guy, why not machine cut? and he said all windows are different and its just best to lay it outside glass and cut to shape. Oh yea, and for the side windows, they pop off the door panel and lay the tint with it off.
I tried tackeling the old car and it was a pain and i wasted alot of time but if u got the patience and want to give it a shot, go for it. But u got to remember that once that tint dries to the rear window its not commin off, and if it does its takin ur defroster lines with it.
First off, there is really no major trick to it (except the rear window), its just like a big sticker. The glass needs to be perfectly clean (a razor helps) and pracitly a dust free enviornment. As for the rear window, my shop does it in one piece my measuring the rear window and then cutting it to shape and laying on the outside of the window. When the tint is placed on the outside of the rear window they use a heat gun to shape/shink the tint to the size of the window and press it smooth until it fits perfect with no bubbles. Then they peel it off and stick it on the inside.
All the tint is cut by hand, i asked the tint guy, why not machine cut? and he said all windows are different and its just best to lay it outside glass and cut to shape. Oh yea, and for the side windows, they pop off the door panel and lay the tint with it off.
I tried tackeling the old car and it was a pain and i wasted alot of time but if u got the patience and want to give it a shot, go for it. But u got to remember that once that tint dries to the rear window its not commin off, and if it does its takin ur defroster lines with it.
04-13-2006, 06:06 PM
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by maximus_96
i thought there are websites that sells pre-cut tint films to each particular car. won't those be easier?
search for pre-cut maxima tint...its alot easier.
04-13-2006, 06:55 PM
#16
Originally Posted by RockfordMax
Yep, So ive watched a pro do 5 tint installs, I feel confident enough to try it myself. All I know, is that If i screw it up, I'm only out 40 bucks, and If I get it right, It was worth it.
Pics and updates to follow
Pics and updates to follow
Too much work, and if you screw up, no going back really. Hope it turns out nice, post pics!
04-13-2006, 08:54 PM
#19
i got mine done professionally. they did not cut strips of tint between the defroster lines, they just layed some sheets on top of it.
my defroster actually burnt 2 tiny holes in it which pissed me off SO BAD.
and now i think the damn thing doesnt even work but on 2 lines.
my defroster actually burnt 2 tiny holes in it which pissed me off SO BAD.
and now i think the damn thing doesnt even work but on 2 lines.
04-13-2006, 09:00 PM
#20
Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 111
I tinted all my side windows, except the rear window...I jus lo0ked at it and could tell that it would be hard as **** so I got that done by a pro, I messed up plenty of times but I was just gettin better and better and eventually finished my windows almost perfect, I hate how both my back windows are broken so I have little objects holdin them up and they interfered wit me alil (damn regulators) but overall im happy wit it and it lo0kz go0d 2 me and my friendz who als0 asked me to tint there cars too, it was a nyce project and once u finish it (and do a good job) itz well worth it, now my leather seats arent co0kin me like they use 2...
04-14-2006, 06:33 AM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 324
Originally Posted by Crushed
I tinted all my side windows, except the rear window...I jus lo0ked at it and could tell that it would be hard as **** so I got that done by a pro,
I was going to do the side windows this weekend, and then get the rear window done - but when I called up this store here in jersey (auto image) i was told they would charge 95$ just for the rear window. I thought the price was kinda steep just for one window. What do you guys think is a reasonable price just to get the rear window done?
Thanks..
04-14-2006, 07:15 AM
#25
Alright. Got the left rear roll down done, but got a pretty bad cut right down my whole thumbprint-area. I threw some superglue on it and i hope itll stick for a while...lol
How long should I let it dry before trying to stick it back in the door? its still kind of slippery (aka i could still pull it off if i wanted to). is an hour good?
SHYTTTTTTTTTt./.. nevermind, i scratched the hell out of it trying to get it back in the door. try #3
How long should I let it dry before trying to stick it back in the door? its still kind of slippery (aka i could still pull it off if i wanted to). is an hour good?
SHYTTTTTTTTTt./.. nevermind, i scratched the hell out of it trying to get it back in the door. try #3
04-14-2006, 07:25 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: RHODE ISLAND
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by mendon99
take your windows off the car, it would be much easier this way. org member Immasquashyou did his own tint this way (besides rear, got that done pro) and it looks great. professional even..
That sounds like a good idea, Is it easy to take off the side windows? this may sound silly but i have like 2 grains of sand stuck in the rubber that my window slides up and down on and iv tried everything to get it out, including blasting down it with a air hoes, so i might have to rip the window out to get at it
04-14-2006, 07:34 AM
#28
Mini write-up for window removal
First, remove the screw inside the door grab (philips head), remove the door grab. Next, remove the surround for the lock/handle. CAREFUL, i broke mine.
After that, stick a flat head screwdriver under the rear side of the window switch, pop it out. Then, reach around the bottom of the door panel, and just pull. there are 4 or 5 clips holding it in, dont worry about breaking them, mine didnt have a problem.
Then there are a bunch of 10mm screws holding some metal bracing on, remove that, then remove the 4 screws that hold the motor track onto the door. After that, there are 3 bolts holding the regulator/motor to the door, remove those, unplug it. Remove the 2 10mm bolts holding window to the track, and pull the track assembly out. Then, fanagle the window out of there.
Getting the window back in sucks, because itll scratch the tint on the door panel metal.. I'm planning on masking it off for some padding.
Either way, 3rd time's the charm, this window came out perfect. If i screw it up I'll be VERY mad though.
First, remove the screw inside the door grab (philips head), remove the door grab. Next, remove the surround for the lock/handle. CAREFUL, i broke mine.
After that, stick a flat head screwdriver under the rear side of the window switch, pop it out. Then, reach around the bottom of the door panel, and just pull. there are 4 or 5 clips holding it in, dont worry about breaking them, mine didnt have a problem.
Then there are a bunch of 10mm screws holding some metal bracing on, remove that, then remove the 4 screws that hold the motor track onto the door. After that, there are 3 bolts holding the regulator/motor to the door, remove those, unplug it. Remove the 2 10mm bolts holding window to the track, and pull the track assembly out. Then, fanagle the window out of there.
Getting the window back in sucks, because itll scratch the tint on the door panel metal.. I'm planning on masking it off for some padding.
Either way, 3rd time's the charm, this window came out perfect. If i screw it up I'll be VERY mad though.
04-14-2006, 09:18 AM
#30
Whooooop! Drivers side is completely done. Looks PERFECT. I cut it too short in 1 spot, so i had to throw another sheet on, but its not noticable unless youre sitting next to it.
Then again, I ran out of tint, so im using my 20 dollar autozone gift card to get some more.... oh well. I'm pretty sure I'll have the rear window done professionally, because 1) its 85 degrees out, and 2) i dont have that kind of skill or patience. 65 bucks sound like a fair estimate for that? Thanks so far, I'll steal my neighbors digicam to snap some shots when i finish!
Then again, I ran out of tint, so im using my 20 dollar autozone gift card to get some more.... oh well. I'm pretty sure I'll have the rear window done professionally, because 1) its 85 degrees out, and 2) i dont have that kind of skill or patience. 65 bucks sound like a fair estimate for that? Thanks so far, I'll steal my neighbors digicam to snap some shots when i finish!
04-14-2006, 10:32 AM
#32
i'd love to see some pics of the outcome. I understand that the side windows can be done relatively easily by someone using the diy method. the rear window is what causes problems. Now I would figure that the rear window costs around $60-$70 to have done professionally where sometimes you can get the entire car done for a little over a hundred.
04-14-2006, 10:57 AM
#33
Whoop! Just finished the passenger side.
Everything looks good, and im not going to even think about trying the rear window, i dont need that headache. All in all if you have patience, it turns out ok. USE A HEAT GUN, it solved a ton of problems. Thanks for all the help/suggestions, by all means try this. I'll make a write up and throw it in the sticky's later today.
Everything looks good, and im not going to even think about trying the rear window, i dont need that headache. All in all if you have patience, it turns out ok. USE A HEAT GUN, it solved a ton of problems. Thanks for all the help/suggestions, by all means try this. I'll make a write up and throw it in the sticky's later today.
04-21-2006, 07:09 AM
#37
Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Alexandria, VA, & Central Jersey
Posts: 2,647
you can do it. I did it myself. All except the back window. The guys do it use one sheet and i can't, i tried n failed miserably. As for all the other windows.. I just cheated n took all of them out, including the small back one..-= )
04-21-2006, 09:02 AM
#38
yeah i just did mine yesturday.... took out all the windows, then cut back around edges about a 1/4 of an inch so it doesn't peel... im getting a pro to do the back though.... way too hard, especially because of the rear defrosters.