Headlight/Taillight tinting

[sprblk]

Been looking into this a bit and found a reputable tint shop that does good work on lights. Plenty of questions, but we'll start with these:

I've heard stories about headlights cracking due to heat buildup behind the tint. What if I just had tint over the turn signal or the half "eyelid" style?

Who here has been pulled over for tinted heads or tails? From what I've read, modifying headlights or taillights in any way is illegal unless approved by the DOT. Is it points on your license or just a fine?

Finally, this is a hypothetical scenario, but if anyone has any experience or opinions please share. Say someone rear ends me with my light taillight tint? Would they be able to claim that my "illegal modifications" compromised visibility, causing them to crash, even though my light was still obviously visible?


Thanks for looking and feel free to post pictures of your tinted lights. I'd love to see some examples.

[Rob.Vegan]

I had my tails and headlights tinted pretty dark. My headlights were over the turn signal and parking light, I also added some leds integrated into my turn signals in case an officer said my turn signals were not visible (hard to see during the day). My tail lights were plenty dark and I got stopped for them multiple times, all fix it tickets.

I did get rear ended once with the tails and I was scared that he would use this excuse but he seemed like he was on a good one so we just exchanged info and called it a day (no damage). If your tint is light, I don't think they would be likely to use that as an excuse but it is a possibility.

[sprblk]

I love the look of your "before" headlights in your sig. I'll probably just go with a medium taillight tinting and call it a day, leave the headlights alone I guess.

[MetallicSlate]

Check the DOT regulations in your state. Some states have a regulated distance where the brake lights have to be visible. Virginia for instance is 500 feet. I had a friend who got pulled over on a weekly basis for his tint until he removed it. You usually only get a fix it ticket, no points as far as I know. And yes, if the police get involved if you're in a wreck, and they see the tint, that's an immediate additional ticket, whether the other driver claims it or not... in Virginia at least.

I've never heard of housings cracking. They're usually a porous plastic that can breathe. Your biggest issue will be cops if you go too dark.

[Rob.Vegan]

Thanks, I miss the way my car used to look Tinting the tails in the GTR overlay fashion could help you out some with the authorities, being that the red is still unobstructed. I only got about 3 fix it tickets for my tails and they were black.

[SanoSuKe]

My feedback is: if cops don't see you running like a maniac, they won't stop you for tints.

Since you asked for pics:










Good Luck.

[aphu]

here are some pics of my tails.





ive had them for about a year and a half now, only been pulled over once. (and mine are pretty dark too)

[DJ_B_Easy]

Check the DOT regulations in your state.

^This. Every state is different. As is law enforcement in every state. Although someone in NJ might have illegally tinted tail lights, the troopers here arent up on those kinds of laws and wont ticket you for them. Its not like parts of FL or CA where they might measure the height of your headlights from the ground after pulling you over for failure to signal. What you really need are experiences of people in your area.

The rear ending thing is touchy. Again in NJ, if you rear end someone it is normally 150% your fault. Not sure how that would go down in court, dont want to know either.

[JR91]

My feedback is: if cops don't see you running like a maniac, they won't stop you for tints.

Since you asked for pics:










Good Luck.

My tail lights are tinted to about the same degree of darkness and I've never been stopped yet for them (knock on wood). A couple of times, I had Nassau County cops right in my rear view and I was like , but they never bothered me.

[czonin]

here are some pics of my tails.





ive had them for about a year and a half now, only been pulled over once. (and mine are pretty dark too)

Tint or spray? If spray can you walk me through what you did please? I sprayed mine followed by some clear coat and wet sanding but they're not as shiny as i'd like them to be.

[aphu]

here are some pics of my tails.





ive had them for about a year and a half now, only been pulled over once. (and mine are pretty dark too)

Tint or spray? If spray can you walk me through what you did please? I sprayed mine followed by some clear coat and wet sanding but they're not as shiny as i'd like them to be.

I used paint

[czonin]

Clear coat and wet sanding afterwards?

[sprblk]

Yeah I'm mainly worried about being at fault if I got rear ended. This girl I know had her tail lights really dark and she got rear ended pretty bad. The cop told her that they are too dark and that if the guy said anything about them it would become her fault. Lucky for her, the guy never brought it up. Nice of the cop to not make any "suggestions" either.

What do you guys think if I got really dark, but GTR style, leaving parts of the light untouched? It seems that that would make the argument totally invalid and it still looks really good.

[bmh383]

I thought about GTR style leaving the brake light area open ... but then I said f it and sprayed the whole thing.

For what it's worth, in western NY I've never been pulled over for tail tint, and I had them on my previous car for almost the whole time I've owned it, 3 years or so and now I have it on my coupe. I think at least in these parts it's like SanoSuke said, if they don't have a real reason to pull you over, they probably won't pull you over just for tints. Of course, just because it hasn't happened to me yet doesn't mean it won't. And, if it is too dark so the brake isn't visible, that might be enough of a reason .. besides, it's a safety thing, you want people to know you're stopping!

That's why I redid my tint from 3 coats to 2. 3 was just too dark. Then I popped in some brake LEDs just to make sure brightness wouldn't be an issue. I'm happy with how they turned out, aside from a small run of paint that I need to take care of at some point. That's annoying.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Yeah please dont overlook the safety aspect either. When I first sprayed mine, they were so dark you could barely see the brake OR turn signal during the day. Trying to change lanes on the highway during rush hour was not fun, very dangerous because no one knew what my intentions were. Ive since removed them and installed smoked chrome housing LED tails with film overlays. Looks just as good (if not better IMO) and all lights are visible at all times.

[DJ_B_Easy]

Ive since removed them and installed smoked chrome housing LED tails with film overlays.

Before:



After:

[Huyzzy]

My feedback is: if cops don't see you running like a maniac, they won't stop you for tints.

Since you asked for pics:










Good Luck.
SanoSuKe
 
Posts: 328
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:26 pm
Location: New Jersey
Car: Under Construction 2012 Coupe.
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Re: Headlight/Taillight tinting
by aphu » Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:31 pm



Hi aphu! Quick question! How did you do that to your taillights? Tint? I'm trying to get mine that dark and leave the white circle uncover! Just like yours any suggestions?

[Rob.Vegan]

I had my tails sprayed leaving the reverse visible as well. I just got some blue masking tape and taped up the circle, not too hard just takes a couple minutes. You guys all have night shots, but daytime is when it counts most since it would be least visible then.

[bmh383]

Well s***, daylight is definitely worse. I just snapped these (in the worst glare/sun ever - check the window ..worst case scenario here!):

Brakes:


Signals:


Definitely darker than untinted but still moderately visible.. I think at some point I may do what DJBeasy did and get LED housings (red - not a fan of the smoked/black LED housings on a white coupe), and do a light film over it. Paint is kind of a pain to get perfect and a hassle to remove/modify... hm.

[DJ_B_Easy]

^Red housings with film are going to look burgundy. Its not going to look nearly as dark as what you have now (if thats what you are going for).

I dont like the smoked chrome housings on their own either, but I bought them for the sole purpose of how they would look with the film applied.

[SanoSuKe]

Well s***, daylight is definitely worse. I just snapped these (in the worst glare/sun ever - check the window ..worst case scenario here!):

Brakes:


Signals:


Definitely darker than untinted but still moderately visible.. I think at some point I may do what DJBeasy did and get LED housings (red - not a fan of the smoked/black LED housings on a white coupe), and do a light film over it. Paint is kind of a pain to get perfect and a hassle to remove/modify... hm.

Where's your emblem?

[bmh383]

Where's your emblem?

In my garage.

^Red housings with film are going to look burgundy. Its not going to look nearly as dark as what you have now (if thats what you are going for).

I dont like the smoked chrome housings on their own either, but I bought them for the sole purpose of how they would look with the film applied.

Ohh. Hm, maybe I will go with smoke/black then .. thx for the heads up.

[DJ_B_Easy]

I used the same film that LBC sells as his 60% dark grey, you can see what the color looks like on red in his thread.

longbeachcoupe-headlight-and-taillight- ... 67645.html

[Bizzare]

i know this is going in the opposite direction, but how would i REMOVE the tint from the tail lights, i think they are painted on instead of vynl, so how can i removve the paint without removing the red color from the original tail light? any solutions???

[bmh383]

i know this is going in the opposite direction, but how would i REMOVE the tint from the tail lights, i think they are painted on instead of vynl, so how can i removve the paint without removing the red color from the original tail light? any solutions???

Paint thinner. It won't take off the red, so long as you don't go too crazy I guess. I had to use quite a bit to get it to start coming off but once it did it was pretty easy. Then just wet sand and clear.

[SanoSuKe]

i know this is going in the opposite direction, but how would i REMOVE the tint from the tail lights, i think they are painted on instead of vynl, so how can i removve the paint without removing the red color from the original tail light? any solutions???

Paint thinner. It won't take off the red, so long as you don't go too crazy I guess. I had to use quite a bit to get it to start coming off but once it did it was pretty easy. Then just wet sand and clear.

I didn't know you could do this. I borrowed taillights from a friend when I went for inspection cuz I wasn't gonna pass with mine.

[Bizzare]

@bmh383 Thanks for that. what do u mean by "wet sand and clear" ???

[ShadowAC]

wet sand: sand it down with water and sand paper made to be used wet
Clear: clear coat of paint