help with 3rd brakelight tint
 

I just ordered the 3rd brakelight tint from stangmods and the cut of the tint is about 3/4 of an inch too wide. Is it supposed to be like that and I'm just supposed to fold it over the top? I was going to try it, but I didnt want to screw anything up.

no its not supposed to be like that, its supposed to be a tad smaller than the brakelight, the tint is a film that stretches, but you could try it. I would contact cust. service and talk to a rep there. they should send u a new one

blah, Ive had the worst luck with this stuff. First it took me 3 months to recieve my taillight tint from autobadges. Now this....Oh well

that's why you order the spray stuff, take the brake light off, apply it, wet sand, and repeat until you get desired darkness, then you take some clear spray paint and put on as a final finishing coat, and wet sand until smooth and polished.

then you don't have to worry about the retarded tint film crap, and air bubbles and it being too big or too small, or it cracking or any # of other stupid things.

http://www.v6z24.com/howto/tintedlights

you need 800 & 1500 grit sandpaper
1 can of clear spray paint
http://i17.ebayimg.com/04/i/07/0a/43/cf_1_b.JPG
newspaper to lay the taillights on
rubbing alcohol and cotton balls or squares to clean the taillights up real good before you tint them.

I see a post coming from Jack in the near future about his experience with spray tint hahahah

if you do it right it will come out good...i've seen several done with spray, just requires a lot wetsanding, spraying, wetsanding, spraying, until you get the desired effect, then you spray clear on to seal your work, and let it dry for 6 -8 hours.

I've seen enough spray jobs go wrong so im not going to be doing that. The thing with the tint is you can just feel it off if you don't like it. I contacted them, and they are going to send me a new cut of tint.

just take your time, keep your coats even and light, and you'll be good to go.

here's some taillights that were tinted using VHT Night shades.

he just put a few coats on, nothing extreme, just darkened them a little bit to accent them.

sounds like too much work. the tint is faster and removable.

yeah and it also looks like garbage with air bubbles, and when you see the edges of the tint paper, and then if it gets scratched then you have to take the tint off and replace it.

don't have to worry about all this with this. but unfortunately most people would do the tint film on the tail lights, because they are too lazy to do the other way...wouldn't want anyone to do "too much work".

as for removable, you won't need to remove it if you tint it moderately with the spray, not too much, but just enough to make it look good.

Agreed! I have used the third brake light vinyl tint before, and even after carefully applying the vinyl... it still had air bubbles and the edges where the tint ended looked horrible. I used the VHT nite shades for my taillights. I can't say it was "too much" work because i think the results were amazing! I sprayed new clear taillights i bought to get the darkest black look that still had alot of light shining through. The only bad thing i noticed about the VHT niteshades is that it looks purple at certain angles.:dunno:

only reason they look purple is because you bought clear's. if they had been regular stock red taillights, they wouldn't have the purple effect to it. but damn they still look pretty good.

Just because you've had a bad experience with tail light tint doesn't mean it sucks...I've never heard of anyone else mentioning air bubbles that didn't flatten out, like they're supposed to do.

Not all tint is made equal, that ebay shit doesn't cut it. Autobadges' tint and maybe Stangmods are the way to go in most cases.

the process you put down would take a whole day if you didnt sleep. to me thats just too much work... if you spent a quarter of that time mixing a spray on glue solution and carefully laying the film on and than squeegeeing out the bubbles for the same effect.

i never used taillight tint so i wouldnt know first hand how bad the edges look. i just heard around the forums that the taillight tint is pretty good. first negative i had seen so far.

im sure if the tint is applied right than there shouldnt be any air bubbles.

for the OP cant you just put a razor blade to the excess tint to make it fit? whoever you bought it from just had poor quality control.

Is the best way to prove your argument is with racial slurs?

its greg coming back in true form....

that's all people like him know how to do. he's a newbie tool with less than 100 posts...oh and he'll drop the "you don't know who i am line" on you...so watch out. He might sue us.

he's telling it like it is. what reason was their to bring up anything racial? this is a post about tinting, not racial degradation.

anyone who uses that stupid tint strip crap on their taillights is a ricer, and a half assed lazy peson.

takes a whole lot to use a squeegie and put some tint on, not to mention it looks like total hammer duck shit.

but it takes some attention to detail, elbow grease, patience, and a little bit of skill to use the spray stuff and have it come out looking right.

Yeah... I'm a newbie... check out the profiles greg@94gt and greg@sn95...

I just call it how it is...

you're calling it like a tard.

:rolleyes:

Hmmm
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...038_2_full.jpg
Hmm
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...38_14_full.jpg
Hmmm
https://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d...o/DSC01098.jpg
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Attachment 23935
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All ricers and lazy people, eh?

Yeah right? rofl...

Some people like to take short cuts... I could care less really. Not my money and I ain't got drive the thing when the tint washes halfway off in the rain.

Oh and how can I forget
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4...c002472wx1.jpg

This guy's a total ricer!

SVT Cobra? My ass! It's a honda in a ford wrapper!

Whatever happened to Lance?

I haven't seen him in a long as time... shoot... I haven't seen alot of guys...

Not sure.

Yeah... well, I guess its hard for him to drag his old bag of bones to the computer everyday...

Haha..maybe he can't afford to keep the computer running with all the gas his Z71 is sucking up

Oh man... I bet his neighbors hate him. Hope he's in an old folks home... Would suck for some kid to accidentally see his old wrinkly ball sack fall out of his jeen shorts as he climbs into his truck...

um that's why you clear it with the clear spray paint...so it doesn't wash off in the rain :rolleyes:

if you let it all dry for the proper amount of time (6 - 8 hours)...then you won't have any problems.

but if you're in some big ass hurry, and you don't apply it right, and you don't allow it to dry, then you get crappy results.

Yeah... Thats what Jack the Ripper did... Go tell him that... He'll knock your block off... lol

Another alternative is to do it how everyone else does it... Put some actual tint on... Just don't install it like a clown, and you wont have any bubbles... or have to wait for it to cure... or have to worry about the rain washing it off...

You had good luck with it... good for you, I'm glad... But I've heard from every other person that its a waste of time and money. Theres a feller on sn95forums that tints taillights... He can actually color match his tint for headlights, or any lights, to the factory paint...

He does professional work, he doesn't use tint in a can, and he has recommended the same thing as I countless times to countless people.

Hey virg, have you figured out a solution for your 3rd brakelight tint? if not... focus on the suggestions... not the arguements...:rolleyes:

He said they are sending him a replacement:D

yup haha. But in all honestly, the tint is just the better choice, and in my opinion it looks better. And i dont want to hear that I'm just too lazy and the paint it too much work....trust me i know, I painted my freakin RIMS!

Swervo's taillights were professionally painted, and I believe Brandon's were as well.

Not that it's worth all of this arguing, but it all depends on personal preference. The tint overlays usually look fine and are very easy to put on and take off. Another benefit is if you end up being asked to remove them by the police, you don't have to buy a new set of taillights. However, the painted ones tend to look better and can be done as lightly or as dark as you want them.

swervo's taillights look bad ass.

Some of you people obviously suck at putting on vinyl tail light tint. It took me about 20 - 30 minutes taking my time with soapy water to get these perfect. I've had them on for about 10 months, washed my car countless times and have never had any problems or bubbles.

http://jdorrah.googlepages.com/rearC...rCar-large.jpg


Back to the original question...
I bought the 3rd brake light too...it was a wierd shape and folded over the top of the light like you mentioned. I ended up taking it off. It is dark enough without it plus I figured if people have trouble seeing the tails because of the tint at least they would be able to easily see the 3rd.

Absolutly that spray on shit is just that. Shit.

The stuff is worthless. Now, my experience was just with the single brand sold by AMERICANMUSCLE.COM, and that stuff is pure garbage.

As for not doing it right...? Yeah.

I took off both tail lights, brought them inside, cleaned them with 409, then cleaned them again with windex and just to be save wiped them down with achohol. Waited 20 min to make sure they were 100% dry.

Applied the worthless junk in steady even side to side motions (yes i know how to paint, im an airbrush artist) and got a very nice uniform distribution.

I put them in a spare room where they sat for 2 days before i put them back on.

First impression was that they looked fantastic. Nice, Glossy, very even distribution, and i even put some friskit film over the reverse lights to keep them from being tinted, all in all looked damn good.

Did not drive the car for several more days, (was crappy weather) and finally took it out of the garage and drove it to and from work a few times, it started to get a bit dirty so i washed my car in the same normal careful manor i normally do.

Washed it up and when i got home i noticed the left tail light looked darker than the right? WTF? i had them DEAD ON. How did this one get lighter? And WHY do they have the texture of felt? where is the glossy shine? Are they still dirty???

So i grab some detailer mist, spray a small area and wipe with a microfiber towell. Low and behold, the towel had tint on it and there was a lighter area where i wiped it. As time went buy the texture got even worse, and the tail lights were ruined.

Bought a new set off ebay several months later and installed some AUTOBADGES 50% blackout tint.

Anyone who suggests i did not properly prep the area can go ahead and forget about that. Anyone who said i was in a hurry need not think so. Anyone who says i did not properly apply that stuff can kiss my ass. And there is ZERO mention of using any type of CLEAR COAT... they shouldnt NEED a clear for this junk either.

I cannot speak for ALL BRANDS, but after ruining my tail lights you bet your ass i will never drop another penny on bullshit spray on tint.

RIGHT WAY = dropping 60 bucks on quality tinting from Autobadges.com Durable, quality, and worth every penny.

CHEAP WAY = shitty american muscle tint spray.


As for saying that "Tinting strips" are the cheap way, last i checked using 3M tinting sheets is the standard in window tinting.

I dont think i have EVER heared of somebody having thier car windows tinted with spray on crap.

I wish i had AFTER pics of the tint, but at first effort it DID look real nice.... untill i washed my car.

EDIT: As much as i despise the company AmericanMuscle.com, i have to say after i told them the result of the spray on stuff they DID refund my money in a very timely manor.

This is RIGHT after i installed the lights.
http://b3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/0...56820793_l.jpg

The VHT Nightshades when applied and cleared with spray paint won't run off.

Sucks you had a bad experience with the American Muscle stuff...but they do sell the cheap crap that's not worth a darn.

VHT Night Shades is actually pretty good stuff.

also I would never spray on window tint...that stuff will run badly. Glass and plastic are 2 different things.

I really wish someone would come out with Knight Rider Style Windows...you press a button and the window tints, you press it again...the window goes clear.

that would be so much fun to jack with the cops. they see you with tint so they pull you over, come up to the car get your info, then they go back to their car to run your name and as they are walking back to their car, you press the button, and the windows untint. then cop is like WTF? sorry copper, you can't give me no ticket.:D

They do... didn't you ever see that movie Knight Rider?

They also got space ships the size of a moon, light sabers and lazers.... didn't you never see star wars?

Come on man... It was in the movie... It gots to be real...