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Taillight Tinting

8K views 69 replies 18 participants last post by  QuinnSHO 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everyone, I was thinking about tinting my taillights black, but I wasn't 100% sure on how to do it correctly so it looks good and doesn't get messed up. I heard before that you can buy a stick-on tint that you can just put on your lights. I have also heard that you can spray the inside of the taillight with spray paint and then let them sit in an over at 100oF for like 20 minutes. I have also heard that you can spray this Rust-Oleum tint on then cover with a clear coat. Here is a link to the Rust-Oleum tint in a can: http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=416 If anyone knows a good way to tint taillights please comment. Thanks everyone
 
#2 ·
Check out Lamin-X, I used their kit to do my tails.
 
#4 ·
Because it looks freakin sweet

Mine are smoked not heavily tinted (used to be) and are within legal amounts of light out put so it can be done and done legally
 
#6 ·
Safety does matter that's why they're legally tinted.

To test the light for legal amount, in the day light you have someone sit in the car with their foot pressing the brake pedal down and walk 250 feet away to see if the light is visible and then with the brake pedal not pushed down as well.
 
#15 ·
To test the light for legal amount, in the day light you have someone sit in the car with their foot pressing the brake pedal down and walk 250 feet away to see if the light is visible and then with the brake pedal not pushed down as well.
Just to be clear, most states require taillights (NOT brake lights) to be visible from 500 feet or greater at night. A much better guideline is visible from 1000 feet or more. Testing must be done at night because lighting conditions vary too much during the day for the test to be meaningful.

So when you test you should not be pressing the brake. Brake lights should probably be visible from a mile away at night.
 
#7 ·
To test the light for legal amount, in the day light you have someone sit in the car with their foot pressing the brake pedal down and walk 250 feet away to see if the light is visible and then with the brake pedal not pushed down as well.
Thats what I thought, in other words, you have no clue on how to test the legality of the tint darkness:rolleyes2:
 
#8 ·
Never Been stopped and have many cops driving behind me before... A friend of my family who is a state trooper has even said they are fine. On the other hand my window tint is illegal
 
#9 ·
+1 to 2001 SES, I agree with 2001 SES that it looks freaking sweet. Also if you completely black out your lights and can't see the red light shine then that's just dumb, but having a black "dust" over them just make it look sweet. If you can't see the brake lights shine from a lightly tinted car, then your following to close and need to get off that car's butt. For the legally part of it, here in Colorado some of the cops even have their taillights tinted to become more hidden at night, so if cops can do it then why can't regular citizens do it?
 
#10 ·
ive heard of a few methods and my favorite is to put a little bit of black into some clear coat and spray them with a paint gun. do as many layers as you need and then you can just use regular clear over em, mop (color sand/wet sand), then buff em out to a nice pretty shine. gotta be careful though because it is transparent so if your job is blotchy and uneven, itll show when you hit the brakes.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I wouldn't necessarily link being rear ended, and lightly *smoked* tails.

If tail lights are blacked out, this can really make seeing the lights difficult. I get annoyed when people black them out because I really have to watch.

This is too dark and poses a safety risk.




Now look at this Taurus. The tails are darker than stock, but you will have absolutely NO problem at all seeing light come through it.




So smoking taillights won't increase the likelihood for someone to rear end you. The person who rear ends someone like that was obviously following too closely or not paying attention. There is no way someone who may rear end that blue Taurus can say they didn't see the lights. Yes, the silver Taurus' lights are probably hard to see.. but even then it is a hard argument.

What are my lights tinted at? None... but I have no interest in tinting or smoking them. Stock is good for me. That decision has nothing to do with safety, because if I were, I would be sure they were done in a *safe* manner.
 
#19 ·
Paul this is a question for your parents haha but any whoo people have their opinions and some people are just rude and stupid. Ya can't fix stupid :lol2:
 
#20 ·
I may have mislabeled this, but I'm wanting to "tint" my brake lights, and only my brake lights, not my turn signals, not my running lights only the brake lights. Thanks guys so far for you answers, I'm still in the process of deciding on how to do them
 
#21 ·
I agree with Paul. I don't have any desire to smoke or tint my tail/brake lights. I like them stock, and they are stock.

I honestly just like the outside of my car mostly stock. Maybe if I had a toy I would do cometic mods to it, but for my sable, stock it is on the exterior! I also own a sable... I see how it would look pretty cool on a taurus (still wouldn't do it, but it would look dumb on a sable I think).

Of course, just like Paul, if I did like the look, I would do it in the same 'safe' way. I personally just don't like the way it looks. Just my opinion. If you have it legally tinted, and get rear ended, it's the other drivers fault, not yours!
 
#23 ·
That looks really nice, but thats a little too dark for me to go, but is there a way to go lighter with it?(less sprays?) and what is the cost difference between that compared to Rust-Oleum tint? and do you have to do a clear coat over the Night Shade spray? Thanks
 
#24 ·
Here is my Taurus. I used 3 light coats of Niteshades followed by a few coats of clear. Once the clear dries you can sand it with fine grit sand paper and buff all the scratches out for a super glossy finish. They look really good and were pretty easy to do. I haven't had any trouble with the police or any complaints that people couldn't see them. Good luck to you. Feel free to ask any other questions you have.
 

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#27 ·
Here is my Taurus. I used 3 light coats of Niteshades followed by a few coats of clear. Once the clear dries you can sand it with fine grit sand paper and buff all the scratches out for a super glossy finish. They look really good and were pretty easy to do. I haven't had any trouble with the police or any complaints that people couldn't see them. Good luck to you. Feel free to ask any other questions you have.
those look really nice, but what do you mean by fine grit sand paper? I heard to use wet sand paper like 1000 grit at first, then switch to 2000 grit, then spray it with the tint, then fine sand it with 2000 grit. what is wet sandpaper? is it like regular sandpaper that you just soak in water(might seem like a dumb ? but I'm not sure what it means)
 
#25 ·
^ Exactly what I want to do to mine. I think it would look good against the white paint and my tinted windows.
 
#30 ·
^ that! Because yes, when you use normal sandpaper in water, it almost melts away. And it sucks when you're limited on time! :p
I have done my turn signals 1 shade, along with the inner housing blacked out. I also have eyelids drying right now. If you do it right, they come out great! (Now its just when I can get it right...lol) Generic rattlecanning applies. *Though I'd suggest a clear adhesion promotor
 
#34 ·
1) pull your taillights out
2) wet sand them with some fine grit sand paper
3) clean them with soap and water or degreaser
4) mask off anything you don't want tinted (reverse lights)
5) use light coats of Niteshades until you're happy with the shade
6) apply 3-4 coats of clear coat
7) after a day or two wet sand the clear coat with more fine grit sand paper
8) use polishing compound or polish to buff the lenses until they have a mirror finish
9) stand back and admire your work

Hope I could help!
 
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