Window Tint Suggestions (1 Viewer)

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stringtwelve

stringtwelve

Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Threads
22
Messages
189
Location
Southeastern New Mexico
I'm curious to know if anyone has done their own window tinting on your expedition vehicle. If you have:

What type of tint did you use? (I hear there are some that add a level of security.)

What transparency did you choose, and are you happy with it? (In NM I can go 5% in rears and 20% on fronts)

Would you recommend removing the windows from the frames for the sliding portions or leave the tint off of the contact points? (I have an FJ45)

What brands should I use? (Don't want purple tint in a couple of years)

Any tips or tricks you would recommend?
 
I was talking with my buddy that does tinting recently, his opinion is ceramic tint is the best at blocking heat. My opinion on darkness is 5% is too dark on the back, it's nearly impossible to see out of when backing up at night. I'd go with 20% all the way, if it's legal. I have 15% on my house and it really blocks out a lot of light and heat.

If your windows are easily removed and installed, it might make the job a little easier.... But you'd have to worry about dinging the tint when moving the glass to re-install. Llumar & 3M have really good tint.

My own opinion is, it's not worth it to waste extra material learning to tint, so my tip is get a pro to do it and be happy with the results!
 
I don't believe in it.
Comes in part from buying trucks in Vegas then going hunting and not being able to see doodly squat out of the thing.
Scraped all the 'purpled' tint off my FJ60 and perfectly happy without it. I will be putting some curtains on the back windows as I did with my FJ55 back in the day--works better at blocking light and pulls out of the way for running down the road looking at stuff.
 
TXL, I like the idea of going with 20% all around. I'll check into the ceramic type since heat reduction is my primary concern.

Freepowder, I hear you on the vision reduction. I have a friend with 5% all around and you can hardly see out at highnoon in summer! I'm planning on making some thermal curtains that have magnets sewn into the perimeter so I can just slap them over the windows when camping and roll them up when not needed.

Thanks for the input so far!
 
stringtwelve said:
TXL, I like the idea of going with 20% all around. I'll check into the ceramic type since heat reduction is my primary concern.

Freepowder, I hear you on the vision reduction. I have a friend with 5% all around and you can hardly see out at highnoon in summer! I'm planning on making some thermal curtains that have magnets sewn into the perimeter so I can just slap them over the windows when camping and roll them up when not needed.

Thanks for the input so far!
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On my Ol' 55 (apologies to Tom Waits) I had the curtains mounted on long springs about 3/16" diameter both top and bottom with tie-backs in the middle of each. In practice I removed the bottom springs from the curtains on the back doors and tailgate, putting them back on when I was going camping.

I rather like the magnet idea but for the bottom--should things get wild in the back (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) I'd worry about pulling them off with magnet mounting top and bottom only. For my FJ60 I'm thinking springs again on the tops and magnets on the corners at the bottom or maybe velcro at the tops and roll them up vertically rather than pull them back horizontally.

The Grey Goose's (my Ol' 55) maiden voyage was and extended trip into the wilds of western Canada so for the front I mounted a curtain track designed for a van on the roof rib over the front seats and hung a Canadian flag I'd got on the trip on it. I'll likely do that or something similar but with a Welsh flag this time to celebrate my newly found Welsh ancestry (I was adopted, recently did dna tests).
 
stringtwelve said:
I'm curious to know if anyone has done their own window tinting on your expedition vehicle. If you have:

What type of tint did you use? (I hear there are some that add a level of security.)

What transparency did you choose, and are you happy with it? (In NM I can go 5% in rears and 20% on fronts)

Would you recommend removing the windows from the frames for the sliding portions or leave the tint off of the contact points? (I have an FJ45)

What brands should I use? (Don't want purple tint in a couple of years)

Any tips or tricks you would recommend?
Click to expand...

I think its a relative question... My eyes are extremely sensitive to a lot of light so I like all my vehicles tinted... I have found that the darkest I really like to go is 15-20%. You don't want to go really dark... Especially if you intend to night wheel... I would only go 5% on a window that you don't need to see out of. I always go 15% on the sun stripe or darker. I find the sun stripe across the front window makes a huge difference when driving and blocking the sun and glare. My tint guy only uses 3M. he has 2 levels of quality though. I always go with the high end. He guarantees it for life against "purpling"... I really think you are wasting your time going with 35%...
 
stringtwelve said:
Thanks for the input. Once I finish up my engine install I plan on getting some of the 20% 3M tint and giving it a try on a single window to see if my skills will suffice for the rest of them.
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Hey bud just so you know, I priced my truck the other day for tint. The entire truck including sun stripe in front should be around $200.00 complete. After buying tint and your time, you may be better to just pay to have it done by the pro's...just my:cookie::cookie:

:cheers:
-Nick
 
I think one of the best things I did to my 60 was the tinting light tint in the front and heavy in the back, and if I were to do it again I would have gone full limo tint on the passenger windows and back (as it is, we permanently blocked the back side windows with windshield shades cut to fit).

Sorry I cannot remember the actual percentages of my tint or the brand I used. Now that I am back in the U.S. I will definitely look into the safety films I've seen around, the one thing that is definitely increasing in South America is smash and grab car break ins...

Main thing I'd recommend is to find a reputable dealer/installer, check his work before you allow them near your rig...
 
What he said. I think I would do a light to basic tint, even if you're in doubt. I like being able to see out my window, but the products have gotten a lot better these days. You need the protection from the sun, that's the primary reason.

I used a 3m window tint, and I would recommend that whatever brand you use is a 3m product..
 
We run ceramic 20% on rears and 30% on fronts on our 80 in Costa Rica. (installed in US and drive truck down)

Cannot see into rear cargo area except thru windscreen by standing on hood. Major difference in heat rejection when we installed it. Would have liked to run 40% on windscreen but that is forbidden in CR. We try and park with bump-end facing south and keep south facing windows up when driving. Thus, only run AC when road conditions are dusty. Not too bad at night, but we increased the back-up light wattage with LEDs to compensate

 
This is my VW, the tint is 35% and does an excellent job of blocking heat (Llumar Platinum film) and looks very good IMO. Seeing out hasn't been an issue for me. This is the way I'm going on the front windows of my 80.
As for not tinting, that's why my 80's front seat leather is ripped and hard, cracked in spots, and my rear seats are fine. Why Mr T didn't put at least a little tint up front is beyond me. My VW's windshield has more tinting than that!



016.jpg
 
3m offers a 100% transparent, heat-rejecting window "tint". It ain't cheap, but it works on the giant glass houses that are our trucks. That said, there's a lot of heat conductivity in the roof an paneling since Toyota didn't see fit to well insulate the older trucks, and that will factor in to how hot your vehicle gets.
 
I just tinted my BJ70. Looks awesome and cost $200 bucks to get it done. WELL worth the cost to have a pro do it.
It was done with 3M stuff and has a lifetime warranty. Any 3M dealer can help warranty it.

I did 5% out back and 40% up front thanks to stingy tint laws in Utah.
20140701_092803.jpg 20140701_092817.jpg 20140701_092826.jpg

Ignore the rust and lack of a grill. Those are getting fixed in short order!
 
Hey Micah, where did you get your windows tinted? Was it regular tint or did they have some uber heat reduction offers? I'm in the market to tint too, it just gets too hot in the back for my kid with the sun blazing.
 
stringtwelve said:
I'm curious to know if anyone has done their own window tinting on your expedition vehicle. If you have:

What type of tint did you use? (I hear there are some that add a level of security.)

What transparency did you choose, and are you happy with it? (In NM I can go 5% in rears and 20% on fronts)

Would you recommend removing the windows from the frames for the sliding portions or leave the tint off of the contact points? (I have an FJ45)

What brands should I use? (Don't want purple tint in a couple of years)

Any tips or tricks you would recommend?
Click to expand...


I discuss the tint I used in my build thread here:

http://www.landcruiserclub.net/forums/showthread.php/52211-Hedgehog-LC100-build-thread

I also used "Pentagon Supaglass" here in the UK which is an anti-theft/anti-attack film - you can see videos of it on youtube. I had my job done professionally. They take all the windows out. Supaglass can't be added to double concave windows - like the rear of my 100. Tint film is OK if thin. I agree with the other posters - for a pro job and in my case a lifetime warranty - get the specialists to do it
 
3m had some new films that visually are a good transparency but block all up and heat. They are more money. I did that up front thanks to weird utah laws. I did the 5% or back in the normal
 
has anyone tinted the front window? maybe with just the clear UV protective film?
 
So dumb question.... generally the lower the percentage the darker the tint? Is that correct?
For my 60 I just want something that is going to keep the back from prying eyes (keep my fly fishing gear in there 80% of the time and then also occasionally throw the mtb in there). The front windows I will do so that it is blocking just enough light (probably like 40%, a little more seeing capability than @JCruse VW)
 
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