Tail Light Tints

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.

What Is Tint for Tail Lights?

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.

Legality of Tail Light Tinting

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.

Advantages of Tail Light Tints

You can apply tail light tints for a variety of reasons. Here are a few benefits of doing so.

1. Tinted Tail Lights Give You an Enhanced Look

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.

2. Tinted Tail Lights Increase Protection

Providing a tint on your headlights or tail lights protects them from UV radiation damage.

3. Tinted Tail Lights Improve Safety

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.

4. Tinted Tail Lights Let You Skip Buying New Tail Lights

Applying a tail light tint prevents you from buying entirely new shaded tail lights.

DIY vs. Professional Tail Light Tinting Installation

Whether you are capable of installing your own tail light tints or you rather refer to a professional, both options provide beneficial outcomes.

The Benefits of DIY Tinting

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:

• Price: The beauty of DIY projects allows you to purchase tail light tinting kits for a price that fits your budget. The world of online shopping can offer you a range of prices and qualities of kits. While your budget is an important factor, the quality of your tail light tinting kit should be a major factor, too.
• Options: Because the there are many tinting kits available, you have the freedom to choose a kit specific to your wants and needs.
• Pre-cut kits: Pre-cut kits are measured and cut to precisely fit the tail light of your vehicle. Unlike whole-sheet kits, pre-cuts fit your tail light with no hassle of precision-cutting. The kits will save you time and patience.

Helpful Hints for Your DIY Tinting Installation

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.

The Benefits of Professional Tinting

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:

• Experienced technicians: A professional will have the correct tools and experience to perform the job accurately and quickly.
• Legality: Professional installers are familiar with the rules and regulations that apply to car tinting in your state. Find a reputable source you can count on.
• Value: The results of your own DIY installation may vary depending on your experience. If a business values its customers, it will most likely guarantee its work. If you are unhappy with the tinting service, it’s common for the shop to improve any mistakes.

Helpful Hints for Your Professional Tinting Installation

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.

Types of Tints

Three primary methods used to install tail light tints are film tint, plasti dip and covers. Here are the steps in applying each one.

Types of Tail Light Tints: Film Tint

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:

1. Remove lights, taking out all the screws, light bulbs and wires before detachment.
2. Remove dirt, grease and other elements.
3. Cut your tint film to fit the size and shape of your tail lights.
4. Remove the layer that reveals the sticky side of tint and place the film over your light. Squeegee out the bubbles.
5. Use a heat gun to smooth the surface and edges of the tint. Heat solidifies the tint’s adhesive properties.
6. Contour the film’s edges and tuck the film into any creases or edges by using your finger or a razor blade for more precision.
7. Apply enough pressure to stretch the tint around rounded surfaces. Using the heating gun while stretching will allow for a smoother application.
8. Trim off excess tint around the edges of your light.
9. When the tinting process is complete and all elements are dry, secure the lights back onto your vehicle.

Types of Tail Light Tints: Plasti Dip

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:

1. Before applying plasti dip, make sure your tail lights are free of cracks and scratches.
2. Remove tail lights — use a cleaning cloth to remove debris and moisture build-up.
3. Cover the area around the tail light with painter’s tape.
4. Apply the plasti dip to your tail lights by spraying a light, even coat. When the plasti dip is dry, you can continue the process until you reach your desired tail light tint.
5. Remove the painter’s tape and place tail lights back on your vehicle.

Types of Tail Light Tints: Covers

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:

1. Use a soft cleaning cloth to remove any dirt or smudges from your tail lights.
2. Remove the protective layer from the cover to reveal the double-sided tape.
3. Align the cover to precisely cover your tail lights and press onto the surface.

Film Tint vs. Plasti Dip

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.

Film Tint vs. Cover

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.

Pre-Cut vs. Universal Tint Film

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:

• Pre-cut kits are measured and cut to precisely fit the tail light of specific models of vehicles.
• A computer produces accurately measured tints by using dimensions of a particular tail light.
• Pre-cuts are easy to install and ideal for at-home DIY projects.
• Pre-cut tail light tint kits come with detailed directions and a list of tools to ensure correct application.

Universal, meanwhile, shares different characteristics:

• Whole sheet tinting kits require precision-cutting without the use of computers or technology.
• Each piece is custom-fit to apply perfectly to the vehicle in front of you.

Personalize Your Vehicle With Tail Light Tints

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.