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For some people, a vehicle is more than a mode of transportation. You can detail your car to represent your personality and tailor it to meet your individual needs.
While most modern vehicles include treated safety glass, in line with federal and state laws, you can apply more extreme versions of tinting after you purchase a vehicle. You can modify your car’s tinting by referring to a company or doing a DIY installment.
Are you considering installing tail light tints on your car? Here’s everything you need to know about this fun and rewarding process.
Tinting is a method that prevents certain levels of light from passing through the safety glass of a car, such as windows and windshields. Headlights and tail lights go through a similar process. Tinted tail lights are standard tail lights with tinting material installed to create a dimmed effect.
State laws regulate a car’s level of tinting. The level of light transmittance means how much light passes through the glass and how much visibility the tint provides drivers.
Calculating the degree of light transmittance may be a difficult task when installing your own tail light kit. As such, you can refer to a licensed professional or government inspector to make sure your lights stay compliant with state regulations. In most cases, tail light tinting on the average car is illegal. The only permitted exceptions are off-road vehicles and show cars.
You can apply tail light tints for a variety of reasons. Here are a few benefits of doing so.
Changing the opacity of your tail lights creates a custom look and feel to your vehicle. For example, you may want to install a darker tint for a more ’90s feel to your retro car or a sleeker look to your Camaro. No matter your reasoning, tail light tinting enhances the image of your vehicle to fit your style and your car’s personality.
Providing a tint on your headlights or tail lights protects them from UV radiation damage.
Car tints, in general, protect your vision from harmful glares and direct sunlight while driving. More specifically, tail light tints can prevent cloudy tail lights that may also affect how well you can see while driving.
Applying a tail light tint prevents you from buying entirely new shaded tail lights.
Whether you are capable of installing your own tail light tints or you rather refer to a professional, both options provide beneficial outcomes.
DIY projects are satisfying to complete. If you have the correct tools and are good with your hands, you can achieve similar, if not the same results as a professional. Here are some advantages of installing your new tints this way:
While installing your own tail light tints is not impossible, it is undoubtedly difficult. Research DIY details and make sure to follow the kit directions carefully. Installing tail light tints require its own set of skills.
Because car tinting has strict regulations in different states, be sure you apply legal levels of tint. The rules for each state and county may vary.
Applying a tail light tinting kit requires a clean environment, free of dust. Although it may seem nearly impossible to rid every garage of air particles, it’s important to keep the space between the tint and tail light clean.
If you are not good with your hands or don’t have enough patience to install a tinting kit on your own, pursuing professional installation offers just as many benefits, such as:
Finding an experienced shop that provides a clean working environment is crucial — otherwise, you may be out of luck. The quality of your tail light tint installation may suffer if you do not find a reputable professional.
Three primary methods used to install tail light tints are film tint, plasti dip and covers. Here are the steps in applying each one.
Applying vinyl to your tail lights will give you a seamless finish and is the most accurate method. Here is the process for applying film tint:
Plasti dip is a colorized, insulating rubber coating applied to tail lights to modify vehicles. It can easily peel off if you wish to change the color or go back to your original tail light. Here’s a step-by-step installation guide:
Using tint covers does not always produce a sleek finish as with film tinting, but it is simple to apply. Covers have similar properties to a large sticker, and you place them on your lights using double-sided tape. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Tint film is the most accurate type of tint to apply to your tail lights and gives your tail lights a seamless finish. Tail light film is also durable and protects your tail lights from cracking. It is customizable and comes in an array of different color styles. Vinyl tints are the most long-lasting tints and are easy to clean.
On the other hand, plasti dip is an insulating rubber coating applied to tail lights to modify vehicles. It is thicker and harder to create an even layer. Plasti dip is also more prone to staining and chipping from bird droppings and rocks, and is more difficult to clean. Compared to tint fillm, plasti dip comes in limited colors and has a matte finish unless you apply glossifier.
Tint film is an accurate type of tint that gives your tail lights a seamless, sleek finish. Tail light film is durable and protects your tail lights from cracking, and comes in an array of different color styles. Vinyl tints are the most long-lasting tints and are easy to clean.
Tint cover can be made from a variety of materials, such as plastic, metal or polycarbonate. Covers have similar properties of a large sticker, and you place them on your lights using double-sided tape. Although easy to apply, covers are more likely to pop off your tail lights. Covers are also more difficult to accurately place on your lights.
As mentioned above, pre-cut tints provide an advantage for installing your own DIY tail light tint kit. But if you have the patience and skills for a universal sheet, the results can be just as satisfying and accurate. Here are some things you should know about pre-cut tint film:
Universal, meanwhile, shares different characteristics:
If you are looking to enhance the look of your vehicle by applying tail light tints, shop at RVinyl. We offer tail light tints for more than 50 different cars and models.
Tail Light Tint Dash Kits
Tail Light Tint Window Tint
Tail Light Tint Headlight Tint Covers
Love the looks, Thanks sooo much!! 5 STAR
The product was good. The install was pretty easy. I got a kit for a Q60. It has a hole for a trunk button on the driver side. The kit I got not only had a trunk hole on the driver side piece, but had a whole cut on the passenger side which it did not need. I’ve been after the company for a couple weeks. There was communication and then they just dropped me. Haven’t gotten my piece yet and no more follow up.
It looks awesome, Thanks sooo much!!