Stupid Tinting!

[TeenZombie]

The old lady who owned my Pathy before me put on a lot of really cheap after-market stuff.

 

Like that stripping on the doors that I had to take off.

 

Now I need to take off this stupid tinting thats on all the windows, it has a stupid purple tint to it and I hate it.

 

How do I get this off?

Edited November 29, 2005 by TeenZombie01

[solid snake]

Usually ypu will have to peel it off. Try using the edge of a blade and try wiping the sticking residue off with some type of cleaner that will get rid of that residue.

[Filthy Luker]

Google is a wonderful thing. sly

 

Time: 1-3 hours

 

Materials:

Warm sunny day

Tarp

Large plastic garbage bag

Undiluted Ammonia

Windex (a glass cleaner)

Paper towels

Fine steel wool

Razor blades

 

Tools:

Slotted Screwdrivers

Phillips Screwdrivers

 

 

 

Tips: The difficult thing about removing tint is that most film is constructed of two layers of tinted polyester. When you try to peel the film off the glass, the top layer will usually pull right off leaving the second layer behind. This second layer will not peel off, it will just flake and tear like a price tag.

 

Step 1:

 

 

To over come separation between layers you must soften the adhesive so that both layers peel at the same time. This is very important, if you peel the just the top layer, you may as well just use razor blades as there is no way to peel the second layer off without picking at it for a few hours. You MUST try to peel both layers at once.

 

NOTE: You are more than likely to damage one or more of your defroster lines, when this happens, the cut line will not work anymore. Some cars have radio antennas mounted alongside the defrosters made of the same material. If you damage these, your radio antenna will not work! Be careful! Taking it to a tint shop to be done greatly increases the odds of saving the lines, but even a tint shop can not promise to save your lines, sometimes the film is just to far gone.

 

Step 2:

First, clear the window of any obstructions, like the brake light, speaker covers etc.

 

Step 3:

Next cut open the garbage bag so that it will be big enough to cover the entire window. Spray some water on the outside of the back window and the lay plastic bag over the glass. Cut away excess plastic so that it is now roughly the same shape as the glass.

 

Step 4:

Next, lay a tarp over rear deck and seat, spray ammonia liberally on the inside of the back window. (Ammonia is very strong, I suggest you hold your breath during this step) and cover ammonia soaked tint with the plastic bag so that it won't evaporate.

 

Step 5:

Park the car with rear window facing the sun for about an hour. The film should now be ready to peel.

 

Step 6:

When you are ready to start peeling, leave the plastic in place so the ammonia wont dry. Get the peeling started with a razor blade in a corner where there are no defroster lines. Try to peel film off in one piece. If the ammonia dries as you peel, the glue will get hard again, so spray a bit of ammonia on the area as you peel.

 

Step 7:

Once the film is peeled you will need to scrub the adhesive off with ammonia and fine 0000 steel wool.

 

Mop up scrubbed areas with paper towels before they dry. Finish up with window cleaner and paper towels.

 

Removing tint from side windows

Soaking is not nessesary here. You may want to use a simple razorblade holder. Cut a notch onto the upper area of the film so that you have a piece to pull. Try to peel the film, it will probably come off in two or three pieces.

Spray the remaining adhesive with soapy water, and scrape the adhesive off with a razor blade, avoiding the edges of the glass until last to keep the blade sharp. You may need to use a few blades as they dull quickly. Finish up with window cleaner and paper towels. Inspect for missed glue (its clear and hard to see)

[TeenZombie]

I could not ask for more.

 

Thanks Filthy.

[Guest Big Jim Swade]

I spent most of a day last year removing that stuff. People should really think twice about having it applied.

[TeenZombie]

How much do you think a shop would charge to have it done?

[denisb]

Goo Gone is da bomb. It's a cleaner that will clean pretty well any sticky crap off of pretty much any surface without staining. It's got a citrus smell, so no horible fumes. I have never tried it on this application, but for about $3 a bottle it might be worth a try. Most harware stores around my neck of the wood carry it.

 

http://www.magicamerican.com/products_gg.shtml

 

Denis

[TeenZombie]

I am going to have to remove the windows for this procedure aren't I?

[BigMike]

the ammonia medthod is one of the easiest ive tried. it sofents the polyester and peals right off. a shop is prolly gonna charge any where from 20 to 50 bucks to take it off. if you got nothing else to do on a saturday you could save your self some money and do it your self. heres a site just for tinting http://www.tintdude.com/ but lurker pretty much showed the easiest way.

[denisb]

I am going to have to remove the windows for this procedure aren't I?

If you attempt this yourself I would suggest taking the window off. Reason? because if you get som of the gunk that you are removing from the glass on the inside window seal, it will smear the window crazzy everytime you lower and raise the window.