tinting rear windows
 

hey, anyone got any advice about tinting the rear window on my bug? cant get all the creases out. heard you can just do it in strips but worried that this would be noticable from the outside? cheers guys al

anybody done this successfully? anyone got pics of there tinted rear window?

I cheated... I had a glass company do it at the same time they replaced the rubber. They said its the easiest way to do it with the window out.
Too hot and small back there to work for me!

yeh i've pulled the glass out, sat on top the wardrobe at the mo:D tried heat, strips and given up. gonna find a tint place local and drop it off there:o

If you have the windows out it should be quite easy.

First, buy expensive tint, you'll be bitter if you don't. (read bubbling, warping, losing color)

Second, Clean the window with some sort of alchohol. Remove all greases that you can. Next, spray a generous portion of soapy water on the window and back of the adhesive side of the tint.

Third, get a squeegee of some sort, like a tissue covered credit card, and throw that tint at your window.

Fourth, squeegee the bubbles out from the middle to the outside, you're not in too much of a hurry if you put lots of soapy water down first.

Finally, let that sucka dry. A few hours will be plenty. Wait a day if you really want. Use a SHARP X-acto #11 blade around the bevel of the window to remove the excess.

This is how we apply vinyl letters and graphics to curvy surfaces in the sign business. The same principles should apply to window film.

take your time and remember you can always pull it up while it's still wet without losing adhesive properties.

oh yeah, if you have a rear defroster, take it to a pro.

I had it done by a shop and watched the whole process. They used 3m tint IIRC, a heat gun, a piece of rubber as a squegee, an xacto blade, and a LOT of patience. It took a while, because the glass was on the car, but they managed to do it

I am having mine tinted this fri. my local tint shop said it was easier for them to do with the window in I dont know why but the guy has been doing window tint for 20 years so he outta know what he is talking about. As we speak i am having my headliner installed so the front back and rear side windows are out. I figured it would be easier for the tint guy to do it while i had them out but he told me to bring it to him after i put the windows back in doesnt make any since to me I will see how it goes.

I did the same as Orbitron on my bus, all five back windows. Worked like a charm and its been on for 30,000 miles and still looks good. If follow those steps pretty closely it should go very smoothly.