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HOW TO: Tinting tail lights, The right way (PICS)

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by THExBUSxDRIVER, Apr 1, 2010.

  1. Feb 8, 2014 at 6:06 PM
    #481
    slaphappy

    slaphappy Mama didn't raise no fool

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    Acetone+elbow grease
     
  2. Feb 16, 2014 at 1:44 PM
    #482
    Rocketball

    Rocketball If The World Didn't Suck, We'd All Fall Off

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    I used a 5" random orbital sander with 400 grit paper. Yes, I really did. Since you are sanding off tint, it's easy to tell when you are thru the tint and need to stop sanding, plus, the sanding gets the surface ready for the new tint.
     
  3. Feb 16, 2014 at 4:57 PM
    #483
    slaphappy

    slaphappy Mama didn't raise no fool

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    I'm not brave enough to try that
     
  4. Mar 9, 2014 at 12:36 PM
    #484
    KevinsTaco

    KevinsTaco Member

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    Looks great. About to do mine right now!
     
  5. Mar 9, 2014 at 10:17 PM
    #485
    THExBUSxDRIVER

    THExBUSxDRIVER [OP] Victory is reserved...

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    Not enough.
    No reason it couldn't be done BUT more reason that it shouldn't be done.

    You'll lose light output and possibly get yourself a ticket.
    :thumbsup:


    Great to see folks still doing this simple mod!:)
     
  6. Mar 24, 2014 at 8:31 AM
    #486
    swalters

    swalters Well-Known Member

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    Just did my 3rd brake as a test run! Highest grit I used was 600 because that's all I could find and I wanted to get it done. For the tails I'll use 2000 like the op says. I like how it came out. This is two coats.
    haqynede_dbc2abbedc6970df443899cb46dc5ea5ab295521.jpg
    tasa2ama_dbbdbf38b61c8031a4d8aaeac9fa72e3e8a5e8a4.jpgehuqeqy2_edb5e9c6573ecb4213beaf221ecbbcfdf7de9a3d.jpg
     
  7. Mar 26, 2014 at 7:07 PM
    #487
    Lindsey Walrod

    Lindsey Walrod Well-Known Member

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  8. Mar 26, 2014 at 7:08 PM
    #488
    Lindsey Walrod

    Lindsey Walrod Well-Known Member

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    Ummm... Did NOT mean the angry face! :)
     
  9. May 19, 2014 at 6:47 PM
    #489
    Detective_Dan

    Detective_Dan "Place original and witty user title here"

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    Little bit of a thread revival here, but how did you get here lights so shiny? I'm using a mothers Powerball and rubbing compound and plastx to buff and polish but I could not get them to shine like yours did even after over an hour of polishing. Going to sand them down this weekend and redo it to get the high-gloss finish because the VHT did not come out how I wanted.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2014
  10. May 19, 2014 at 9:05 PM
    #490
    slaphappy

    slaphappy Mama didn't raise no fool

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    Did you clear coat? And if so how much clear? Cause that will make it or break basically
     
  11. May 19, 2014 at 9:26 PM
    #491
    Detective_Dan

    Detective_Dan "Place original and witty user title here"

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    Yes I cleared. About 8 light coats. It's not that big of a deal, because the vht came out way darker than I wanted, so I'm going to strip it regardless. I didn't have any 2k grit sandpaper, only 1k. So I'll pick some up and see if that helps, which it probably will
     
  12. May 19, 2014 at 9:55 PM
    #492
    csuviper

    csuviper Moderator Moderator

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    3" Toytec Ultimate Lift, 315/70R17 Duratracs, RW Wheels, Grillcraft Grill, Toyota "Raptor" Lettering and more
    Worked for my tundra too
    u6atequv_30f3f68e104726c93f7ecb7eb45ab371bde5915f.jpg
    u6y6yta9_f01382c454572ee1ebcfa1eaf38149a195262d39.jpg

    Didn't put the clearcoats on though. Also taped the centers and did one less coat for better light visibility at the rear. Did the same helping @sean266.

    Helpful hint: make sure the VHT is warm. Don't try to paint cold. If it's colder out put the can on the heat vent and warm it up. Heat gun also works to cure the VHT a lot faster.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2014
  13. Aug 4, 2014 at 4:24 AM
    #493
    Half Caf

    Half Caf Well-Known Member

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    Sub'd for reference. Working on mine now -will post pics when done!
     
  14. Aug 6, 2014 at 7:34 PM
    #494
    PreTSS

    PreTSS Well-Known Member

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    Tri-Fold Tonneau, 265/70/17 BFG KO2
    Did a test run on mine with plastidip to see if I like the layout I want..

    IMAG1029_1_zpsmhlaqezn_73c6ef9beb432d7684ea6c7c7c3093818f354dfc.jpgIMG_20140802_094236_zpsqq4xcvhp_2444191868320b4f6c93d29be19c881e8f82cd67.jpgPhotoGrid_1406660323415_zpsikbyfgsw_a316f1abe2d02dbcb2c9cb461c8df81c1f44eccc.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2014
    TomHGZ likes this.
  15. Sep 19, 2014 at 10:05 AM
    #495
    Yuk1985

    Yuk1985 New Member

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    Anybody done this to headlights? Only noticed tail lights...
     
  16. Oct 19, 2014 at 7:19 PM
    #496
    swalters

    swalters Well-Known Member

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    Apache Junction, AZ
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    Did my new truck. Three coats of tint and 6 I think of clear. Came out great! I hand waxed too.
    d60825b2d75088ecb9dadcd952d2bb70_cfda1ddacfea534f0fffebb50a7c46ce9e313750.jpg
    238c2c197ba76006e0bfdb032dc0bac9_e753efa906f5184316c0a022f40b75750a3bc06a.jpg
    64726049e7faea2848c799874c74dc65_bf59761c3916b37f3d647fa846cd0731fc1654e6.jpg
     
  17. Jan 24, 2015 at 9:41 PM
    #497
    YotaGuy

    YotaGuy Well-Known Member

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    Stuff n junk
    Came out very nice! I just got done doing mine , I used the clear krylon fusion and it didn't come out as glossy. But I did it all at night (and 50 degree weather BTW - came out fine) I'll post pics tomorrow.

    This writeup was very helpful, should be a sticky in the diy section:cool:
     
  18. Jan 25, 2015 at 12:05 PM
    #498
    YotaGuy

    YotaGuy Well-Known Member

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    Okay so just for future people who use this how to... do NOT use krylon fusion clear as it will not leave a glossy finish. It Leaves a matte finish. Even with wet sanding all the way up to 2000. And using the 3 step buffing/polishing with a drill... so I stripped off the tint and my clear in 5 mins with this video http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd76ekCXjKA

    Also 3 coats of vht is more of a "black out" look and cured quite dark which could give you some problems with law enforcement. I re sprayed mine with 2 coats and it is more "smoked out" look and used the krylon regular clear and it came out much better with a glossy look
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2015
  19. Jan 25, 2015 at 6:57 PM
    #499
    YotaGuy

    YotaGuy Well-Known Member

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    Stuff n junk
    So Here are some pics of the aftermath. I used the same sanding and buffing process in both. And both feel as smooth as baby's bottom, though the fusion clear came out very cloudy and matte like finish. I Used the Krylon Regular Gloss the 2nd time and came out MUCH better.
    807a93d8-888e-4b15-ad19-6da49dd4c155_zps_ad8f8c136d28d9c3e4e02c869562eeab644e66b0.jpg
    96f3d735-7ea4-4b1e-9d43-2fa2077b67bc_zps_1f02873b79e03ee7828ff07f4bd4abfc8b79ad67.jpg
    1baa5fce-5dbe-4cd5-a382-5735ba2f98fc_zps_65a66927e073c138f3f7b553e02f3becbaed0e6b.jpg

    2nd Attempt

    9d4d93bd-a698-4a43-bd44-f2c762a0a4e1_zps_6c246943186f588b61d8f7114faffc267d35557c.jpg
    4e7d0d0b-1642-4532-bd65-0676d763e70c_zps_0345df8bc6c751130f38e4c8fa4118af80db3019.jpg

    0e397d6c-7617-4327-8d01-07f3b89de21b_zps_fc53e92bece50f1ea6c5b7576f7dbcd0ac336a75.jpg
     
    SamGoingHam likes this.
  20. Jan 25, 2015 at 8:59 PM
    #500
    HB Taco

    HB Taco Well-Known Member

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