Tint

[workerant]

HI guys... *put on flaming shield*

I've search all over and everyone make it sound so easy. But I am having a few issues with tinting my car... I don't have the extra $ to let other do it and I really want to learn to do it myself.

Here are the issues:

1) How do you slide the tint under? Can't speak for all but my Camry have two rubbers in the window. The external can be touch and easily fold back to slide the tint in, but it kept jamming so I look closer and there is another rubber under and it press pretty hard on the window glass. The tint is too soft to press through. So how do you guys do it without removing the door panel? Or do I have to really remove the door panel?

2) The bubbles on the glass in the back. People say the tint won't stick to the bubbles, but what about the flat smooth surface of the black silk at the edge? Look like it also made of the same stuff as the bubble but the surface is smooth so I wonder if the tint will stick to that. I don't want to remove the bubble but I also don't want to leave the gap. What are you solutions dealing with this bubbles?

3) The 3rd brakelight... yep, U knew it's coming. How do U do it? It don't just have a small housing for the 3rd brakelight, but the 3rd brakelight is part of the entire back panel.

U can flame, call me a bitch or whatever... just give me some good info on these problems.

Thanks in advance.

Please refrain from leaving useless, non contributing posts. You know who you are. All posts are welcome even the one with the name calling but with useful info with it please.

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

This is legitimate...if they flame i'll take'em out back and beat them

[bandit]

Tint shops use this rubber piece that has a tip to it. They use it to smooth out the tint as well as get into crevices. You can try using a credit or something but may risk damaging the tint.

[MrSo0h0o]

1. Like dcemureviews said, tinters use a squeegee type tool to press out the water and also slide in the tint under the rubber surroundings.

2. On my car, the tint sticks to the matrix fine.

3. From what I have seen, the tinter lays out the unpeeled tint on the outside of the rear windshield and cut out the 3rd brake light. actually. this is how I have seen them do all of the windows.

[bandit]

Originally Posted by MrSo0h0o

1. Like dcemureviews said, tinters use a squeegee type tool to press out the water and also slide in the tint under the rubber surroundings.

2. On my car, the tint sticks to the matrix fine.

3. From what I have seen, the tinter lays out the unpeeled tint on the outside of the rear windshield and cut out the 3rd brake light. actually. this is how I have seen them do all of the windows.

What you mean cut out the 3rd brake light?

TJHammer might be able to tell you how the 3rd brake light is done on a gen6. His tint guy cut out the 3rd brake light but looked bad so he went back and the guy added a piece of tint to it.

[MrSo0h0o]

edit... dcemureviews clarified things for me..

[ledebuhr1]

There are several place on-line that sell precut window tints custom made for your car. This will make it much easier. I can tell you the rear window is very hard to get look right unless you have done a lot of them.

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

I just had my front tint redone and the place i took it to, actually takes the door panel off to gain full access to the window.

[bandit]

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

I just had my front tint redone and the place i took it to, actually takes the door panel off to gain full access to the window.

The place where I got my tint done did the same thing. They took off the door panel. Some others dont have to and will just put tints and use their squeegie to force the tints done into the window.

[workerant]

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

This is legitimate...if they flame i'll take'em out back and beat them

Thanks buddy.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

Tint shops use this rubber piece that has a tip to it. They use it to smooth out the tint as well as get into crevices. You can try using a credit or something but may risk damaging the tint.

I was thinking about that but it look a bit too thick. I will try it tonight.

Originally Posted by MrSo0h0o

1. Like dcemureviews said, tinters use a squeegee type tool to press out the water and also slide in the tint under the rubber surroundings.

2. On my car, the tint sticks to the matrix fine.

3. From what I have seen, the tinter lays out the unpeeled tint on the outside of the rear windshield and cut out the 3rd brake light. actually. this is how I have seen them do all of the windows.

1) The inner rubber is what I have issue with.. I'll try the credit card...charge it.

2) That is the defogger right? I was talking about the bubbles around the edges.

3) dcemureviews and many others said cutting out is ugly. I've seen ppl done it without cutting out. I want to know how they get in that thin crack to squeeze out the water.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

What you mean cut out the 3rd brake light?

TJHammer might be able to tell you how the 3rd brake light is done on a gen6. His tint guy cut out the 3rd brake light but looked bad so he went back and the guy added a piece of tint to it.

How did he get into that brake light to work on the tint?

Originally Posted by ledebuhr1

There are several place on-line that sell precut window tints custom made for your car. This will make it much easier. I can tell you the rear window is very hard to get look right unless you have done a lot of them.

So far I have no issue with the cutout. The putting it on is the issue.

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

I just had my front tint redone and the place i took it to, actually takes the door panel off to gain full access to the window.

I did take the back door panel off to see. I might end up doing this for all the doors. I afraid I might brake things. I've seen many ppl doing it without taking the panel off.

[bandit]

Originally Posted by TTM77

2) That is the defogger right? I was talking about the bubbles around the edges.

You'll need a heat gun to eliminate the bubbles.

3) dcemureviews and many others said cutting out is ugly. I've seen ppl done it without cutting out. I want to know how they get in that thin crack to squeeze out the water.

Use a squeege or something thin

How did he get into that brake light to work on the tint?

Thats something you'll have to ask TJHammer as he probably saw the tint guy go in there.

So far I have no issue with the cutout. The putting it on is the issue.

Soapy water and heat gun. Do a google search on how to tint.

I did take the back door panel off to see. I might end up doing this for all the doors. I afraid I might brake things. I've seen many ppl doing it without taking the panel off.

Because they have the right tools and know how to do it. thats why they dont need to take the panel but at the same time, taking off panel ensures proper tint installation.

Doing it yourself as you know can be troublesome and at the same time, a crappy job. Paying someone to do it, will produce a better result and if a problem arises such as bubbling or peeling, the shop should cover it.

If you're dead set on doing it yourself, go look at video by searching the interweb. I bet there are plenty floating around.

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

Yea when i had them done the first time (all of the windows) they never took them off, just the place i went to get the fronts darker, they do take the panels off.

[workerant]

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

You'll need a heat gun to eliminate the bubbles.

Not that bubble.. guess I should call it dots... the black dots.. asking ppl that have done it if I can tint it beyond the dots to the black area. If the tint will stick to that. I know it won't stick to the dots.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

Use a squeege or something thin

The 3rd brakelight is too wide and squeege is too big to get in there. So what do you guys use to get in there?

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

Thats something you'll have to ask TJHammer as he probably saw the tint guy go in there.

PM sent. Hope he reply.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

If you're dead set on doing it yourself, go look at video by searching the interweb. I bet there are plenty floating around.

Done that but didn't see any solution to my problems. I've look at youtube over and over and websites too. Seem like they pick an easy car to show.They easily slide it in while I keep having problem.. so here asking tips/helps.

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

Yea when i had them done the first time (all of the windows) they never took them off, just the place i went to get the fronts darker, they do take the panels off.

I wish I have a garage.. my tint was flying like a flag.. ohhh the horror. I tried the credit card idea.. didn't work well.. the tint sticking to the glass too much to slide it down and the CC couldn't pull back the inner rubber enough for the tint to slide either.. I had to give it a goooooood wet spray and ran into the house for screw drivers to remove the panel.. to add salt to injury, my spray bottle broke..had to fix the bottle too. So.. now only the driver window is done. Will do the rest of the windows and maybe I'll learn some new tricks to do the back too.

[TJHammer]

After I was unsatisfied with the look of the 3rd brake light cut out, I went back and had him measure out a piece and lay it in there. Thing is, I had to remove the rear deck for him to do it and lay some towel and the speaker covers over my aftermarket speaks bec I didn't trust him to put a tool down or lean on them. It's IMPOSSIBLE to do the full rear window in tint on a Gen 6 without removing the rear deck. You need access to the window the 3rd brake light pretty much prevents you from accessing.

There is an art and skill to effective quality tinting. As far as DIY's go, I leave that to the experienced ones....and even that, there are quality experienced guys and "claimed to be good" installers as well. So imagine the shotty job I'd do. I've watched and said to myself, I'd have to screw up many a try before I got it right.
Hope this helps from what you needed from me

[workerant]

Thanks TJHammer .. it's what I was thinking too. It'll be a pain in the bottom and all over.

How did he deal with the black dots around the glass? Did he sand it / tint over it or cut close to it leaving gaps?

I really want to do it myself because I will be re-doing the clear bra thing and it is extremely similar to this.