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Ok well for some who might be in a pickle to tint their head lights or not, do it. This is a very very easy task that all you need it paitence and make sure your afternoon is free.
List of supplies
VHT night shade spray tint: $11
Duplicolor Clear coat: $4.99
Sand paper wet (800 grit or 1000 grit, (i wanted 1000 grit but O'reily didnt have any), 1500 grit, 2000 grit): $8
Meguires car polish: ? I used what i had.
Orbital buffer: ? have one.
Bucket of water with soap: ? used what i had.
Masking tape: $3
Razor blade: $1.50
Meguires glass polish (optional but makes it really shine): $9
Time: ~6 hours!!
Total cost: ~$50
For starters, i started with the head lights then moved to the tail lights as the head lights were drying.
Remove the head lights
Then unscrew the head lights and the turning lights
Remove the entire light from car. I then took the 800 grit wet sand paper and sanded off all the gloss from the lights. Here is where the bucket of soapy water comes into affect. Make sure you keep the sand paper WET at all times!
Sanding is the MOST IMPORTANT PART! SO TAKE YOUR TIME!
After you take off all the shiny parts from the lights tape off the area that you dont want to paint. Remove any dust caused by the sanding by spraying water to remove it. I tapped off the entire perimiter of the lights. Use the razor blade to cut off tape that you dont need. After thats done the head lights are ready to be tinted.
Take the can and spray even coats. THIS PART IS CRUCIAL! Do NOT let the paint drip!! Its better to do multiple THIN coats than to start all over because you wanted to do it fast. This takes time. Make sure your in a well ventellated area. I did mine out side on the drive way. Yes ghetto paint station...
While I allowed my head lights to dry their first coat I took off the rear tail lights. There are 4 bolts that are holding the tail lights in position. Remove all 4 and the lights come off. Unscrew all 4 lights and the tail light is off.
This part is the same as the head lights. I decided to tape off the reverse lights because i wanted to keep them white (I wanted to be different and the look BAD ASS in my oppinion! ) Use 800 grit wet sand paper and sand down all the gloss off. Remove dust with water. Tape off all the parts that you dont want to spray then the tail lights are ready for tinting. Again, SPRAY THIN COATS and make sure there is no drip. This is what my first coat and second coat looked like...
First:
Second:
It took me about 4 to 5 coats to get me where I wanted it to be!
Let the tail lights dry and go back to the head lights. If they need more apply another coat.
After the head lights are where you want it to be i "LIGHTLY" scratched the tint on the lights. There should be small and little scratches. (This applies to the tail lights too!)
Next I applied clear coat. This step I didnt hold back. Runs here are ok but keep them to a minimum. (This applies to the tail lights too!)
I then too the 1500 wet sand paper and begin sanding away at the clear coat (keep the sand paper wet at all times!). This step will eliminate the clear coat runs. Again, remove dust with water then step up to the 2000 grit wet sand paper. Same process keep the sand paper wet and remove dust with water. After this part is done you put the head lights and tail lights back on the car.
Your almost done. Remove all the tape around the lights and then I polished the lights with a buffer. This will bring out some shine.
Finally, I passed the meguires glass polish which really brought out the shine.
Take a look at before and after.
Before:
After:
Your done!
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how much does the tint effect the light output on the headlights?
Honestly. Almost nothing. It's one of those things that your convince yourself that the output is different. They look dark in the sun but in the shade the fronts really aren't that dark. Now the rear. They are dark.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WannaBeGearHead
Looks great! Nice write up.
Thanks! I'm going to do an HID how to tonight. Keep an eye out for that.
It looks great, i'm just scared to do this myself...
Don't be afraid. It really is easy. Really.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilcrate
Yeah, please take a picture at night with and without the brakes on, those things look dark and very sexy.
Ill try to post one up tonight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 01redstang
Looks awesome, nice job. All you need now is to do you fogs & you're all set
I decided to not tint the fogs because I felt like first the untinted fogs stand out more and 2 the tinted fogs just appear to me to blend with the bumper. So I chose to leave it as is.
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How to: Tint your head lights and tail lights
) Use 800 grit wet sand paper and sand down all the gloss off. Remove dust with water. Tape off all the parts that you dont want to spray then the tail lights are ready for tinting. Again, SPRAY THIN COATS and make sure there is no drip. This is what my first coat and second coat looked like...
