DIY tint

I'm thinking of tinting my 98 extra cab by my self and was wondering if anyone has done this and had any advice to share. I was probably going to just use walmart tint. Any advice on how to cut the tint for the extra cab window and the rear sliding glass? Any advice helps thanks

 

On the fronts, make sure you measure twice, cut once; and go slow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StFgjOD-3sM

follow this (generally). using the outside of the window with the non-adhesive side facing outwards, cut the tint to the shape of the window; but make sure you have extra tint at the bottom (about 1/4-1/2 an inch)

It's a pain to do, but cheaper than having a shop do it.


and don't roll down your windows for a few days. I put 20's on then accidentally rolled down my window; it ripped when i closed it

 

oh snap;

whatsup Ryley! haha

 

If I wasn't on my phone right now I'd link you to a very informative thread about tinting an extra cab. Assuming your rear windows have the factory tint on it, there's a certain % you have to do on the front glass in order to match it. Maybe someone can pull up the thread for you. Also be sure to check with your state laws on how dark you can go

 

to be honest i would just pay the extra money and have a professional do it, plus some places offer a warranty if it bubbles.

 

What's up cody help me tint my truck lol... Majik_man... I don't really need to match the front and back because Hawaii front has to be 35% but back can be blacked out. But I really wanted advice on how to cut the extra cab part.

 

It's really not that hard, I've done a few vehicles awhile back, but I did commercial/residential flat glass for a couple of years, helping a buddy that ran the business. Never touch the side that's gonna touch the glass (after removing backing of course) with your fingers, add a couple of drop of dishwashing soap to your water, but I'd say the most important thing is, YOU CAN NOT CLEAN your windows too much. Trim with a brand new blade in a breakaway razor/utility knife every cut/trim leaving a nice edge. As stated above let it dry for a couple days before using. Don't use ammonia to clean afterwards, as it tends to turn cheap tint purple after a while.

 

for both of them, just make an outline, using the same method for the side windows, using the outside to make a template. Since you don't have to worry about rolling the windows up and down theyre easier to do.

but you'll have to press the tint down onto the glass, and cut away the excess tint from the clips and whatnot that are on the window. if you do it slowly and carefully it should come out

 

Thanks every one for the advice keeping it coming

 

This was recently discussed here, where the consensus was to get it done professionally.

 

I tried it but i made the mistake of doing it on a windy day. In the end I ruined it so I just went to the flea market and paid them 30 dollars to do it.

 

Buy the precut stuff on ebay took me like 1hr to do both front windows first time., Pretty easy came out pretty clean.

 

Most pro shops will pre-cut the tint for you, if they have a plotter. Then you simply clean, clean, clean and stick the tint.

I've been tinting for more than 20 years, and it's all about patience and cleanliness. When you clean the glass, spray the window with your solution, and scrub it good with white (only) scotch brite pads or #0000 Steel Wool. After you scrub it... spray it down again and scrub it again.

Dry all 4 edges of your window with a lint free towel. Take your squeegee and start at the top of the glass and pull the excess water and debris to the bottom of the window. Pull as much as you can to the bottom, and just before you stick your window, rinse down the the bottom 4" of the window. That will allow any leftover debris to rinse down, off of the area you are trying to stick. That will minimize dust bubbles.

If you have a large piece of glass to lay your tint out on, it makes it easier to lay out your tint, trim it, and peel your clear layer off.

Go slow and take a break after each window. If you don't like it, do it over. That's the only real way to learn it.

The films tint shops use are far superior to those sold in walmart and the auto parts store. They are thicker and constructed from much more durable materials with better adhesives. I think it'd be worth it to call around your area and see if any of the shops would pre-cut the entire truck for you. It only takes about 5 minutes for them, so if they're decent people, they wont have any issues with selling it to you.

Good Luck!

 

This is good info. And yes, I forgot to add in my post, that box store tint is inferior to the stuff pro shops use.