speed_cult
+1y
1)Make sure the glass cleaner has amonia. You can also make up some 25% amonia/75% water and in direct sunlight takes roughly 10 minutes doing this method with the bag.
2)If you got purple tint, grab a BOX of razor blades and find a holder to use as well. Your hands will hurt the first time but the holder helps.
3)The residue can be a pain! Use Goo Gone (the spray gel kind... smells good to me, like oranges).
4)Make sure you get ALL the old tint and residue. Cleaning the glass takes the most time (if it had previous tint) and is the most important. Use a NON-AMONIA based glass cleaner. I personally like the foam style. This stuff is my favorite now.
5)Make sure you at least buy a tint kit. This will give you the basics you need, namely a pointed squeegee and sprayer.
6)Cut your tint to the shape and size of each window. Use the outside of the glass to cut your tint and get the general shape and size, but make sure that you keep the adhesive side OUT (towards you), seperate a TINY corner and one half will be tinted (hey that's why it's called tint LOL), the other a clear protective. This way when you lay it on the inside, it's in the proper shape. Masking tape can be a good "helper" while trying to hold edges down, but spraying the outside with your solution (see #7) is best. Don't worry about residue from the tape as this is the protective film that covers the adhesive side of the tint and it's coming off anyways. Always cut slightly BIGGER then the edge of the glass. On windows that roll down, ALWAYS cut the bottom 1/4 inch longer so the inside trim (whatever that felt/rubber thing against the window is called) has NO chance of snagging the tint. Easier to tuck (reason for a pointed squeegee) and cut then be too small and have to go the permanant marker route (I'll explain).
7)For tint solution, just use a TINY bit of baby shampoo with demineralized water. Less then $5 at any WalMart for enough to make a gallon. Why a gallon? Don't spare on wetting the tint during application, you don't want it setting up before you're 100% ready. If it does, you risk not only leaving some adhesive from the tint but also a good chance of damaging the tint. Soak the window AND the film. If you need to re-adjust, slide it around, but make sure you keep it WET!
Use the squeegee and work from the middle of the tint to the edges when chasing bubbles and again use your solution to keep the tint misted. You dont want the squeegee pulling at the tint. If you feel resistance, it's too dry. The squeegee should GLIDE! A hair dryer can help heat and shink the film into place. The purpose is to squeegee ALL the solution out from under the film as much as possible while pressing the film into place. Make sure if you have interior panels that surround the glass, that you tuck the film in using the tip. This is ESPECIALLY true for windows that roll down! Any excess that sticks out can be carefully trimmed using a razor. A tiny bit of solution may stay, as well as a few TINY bubbles... this is ok. After you're in place and all the solution is out from under the film, that you double check all the edges and for large bubbles. Once you are satisfied, park it in the sun. The sun will help bond the tint to the glass and the heat will further shink and dry any of the TINY bubbles. This sometimes takes a day or two, which is one reason tint shops tell you NOT to roll your windows down for 48-72 hours depending on where you live.
9)Now to the permanant marker (aka The Oops Pen). IF, you did make a mistake and a corner is not quite right, you can use a marker to help conceal your "oops". If the oops is large, this trick will not work.
10)Take your time and make sure that you are completely prepared BEFORE you even roll the tint out. Make sure you have a day to do it if it's your first time (most likely if you're reading this for help). Nothing worse then rushing a job your first time. Have some patience while working and try to have some fun (I used scrap tint to do my initials on the corner of the windsheild... small of course).
Sorry for the long post, I learned from doing it myself and from the acessories shop I worked at. I had to learn the hard way about removing tint. My first mazda had zebra tint... yup, they used "mirror" style and dark to get the zebra, then tinted over that to keep it smooth. The dark stuff was turning purple so it had to come off. Took me HOURS and some blistered fingers. I never knew that the adhesive could gum up the razor edge so bad it dulled the razor. It's not hard to do once you get the hang of it. Most small trucks will cost you less then $100 the first time you do it yourself. This includes the tint kit, tint, blades, soap and everything else including some beer as a reward (if you're legal that is).