4ank

I got my car tinted only about 1-2 months ago, but they could not tint behind the 3rd brake light. They tried....twice.

I thought I was ok with it, but after 1-2 months, it bothers me every time I walked up to my car.

I want to re-tint my rear window, but don't want to pay them to remove the old tint. I figure I can do it myself.

Here are the steps that I have, but can use advice as I have never done this before:

1. Take an edge to the current tint and try to get the tint off in one piece
2. Take soapy water, and a (softer) steel wool brush and work at it until it is clean.

I have taken out my rear shelf and heard that I could use paint thinner to help with the process. Any other tricks? Also, should I worry about the defroster lines?

Thanks.

gaping46and2

iTrader: (2)

I've used some tint remover and it worked pretty well with a razor blade. I've seen the stuff at Wal-Mart and Autozone, comes in a spray bottle. Make sure you've got some old rags laying around too, that adhesive is disgusting. Why not try and just place some tint around the 3rd brake light area cut to the right size? Don't know if you'd even be able to tell the difference when it was put back in place if you lined up the edges correctly.

CJams

First of all! Do not blame the tint guy in the future if any of the old glue is found under the new tint. There is a reason we charge what we charge to do the job RIGHT. This is the same as you doing the body work and complaining to the guy that paints the car that you can see where the bondo is once it's painted. Not his fault at all.

With that being said....

It looks as if you used Llumar (aka Llucifer) tint. Lllumar has great glue so removal can be easier if done right. Sometimes you can pull Llumar's film all the way off without any glue being stuck to the window at all. Although, if you're not a tint guy this will more than likely not be the case. So... to remove the glue your best bet is going to be rubbing alcohol and steel wool or simple green with either the blue or white scotch brite pad. Do not use the green scotch brite pads, they will scratch the crap out of your glass. Once you "think" you've removed all the glue from the glass scrub the whole window again since you DIDN'T get it all. DO NOT USE A RAZOR BLADE ON UNLESS YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR DEFROSTER TO EVER WORK AGAIN!!! Another way to remove that film is get a clothes steamer and steam the film, then slowly pull the film off. Slowly! Slowly! SLOWLY!!! Once again, that's a trick you shoudln't try at home.

And i'm sure I don't have to tell you to leave your back deck out for the tint guy to tint behind the brake light this time.

Last week I retinted "GREENMONSTER'S" car and got behind the brake light without having to take out the deck. It was not easy at all, but i gots da skeeells!

Good luck!


FYI- I charge at least $50 for back glass only film removal. It normally takes me 1-1.5 hours to get the film removed and cleaned for future film.

GreenMonster

Not GreenMonster... Greenmachine

Couple of cartalk threads about this (cl's aren't the only cars to get tinted):

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/how-take-off-tint-348959/

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/tint-glue-some-horrid-stuff-339240/

CJams

ooopsy....greenmachine....ha ha ha

GreenMonster

But, if you want to drive the 3500 miles or so to come tint my car, feel free

Lord Helmet

I was gonna say... Greenie doesn't have tint, he's stockalicious.

superfob

This site has an article on tint removal. It seems pretty informative.

http://www.tintdude.com/remove.html

ScottinSoCal

I'm sure cost plus a modest fee would make that happen.

Lajit-CL

Simple green and a sharp razor, take your time and be careful not to scratch the window. Let the simple soak in to the glue.

BigLizard

CJams got me hooked up...

roll to the west side of the US if you want a good job done

"He da man!"