For most people, a car means more than just a mode of transport, it is also a reflection of their personality. If something on your car doesn’t quite fit the mold, you can customize it so that it suits your needs better. People will customize their cars to create a personal identity. One of the most popular car parts prone to customization and modification is tail lights. One question that is usually asked is whether a person can put a window tint on tail lights.
You can put window tint on tail lights provided they are legal in your area. Tinting film is inexpensive and quite simple to apply. Tail light tinting with window tint can be done by professionals or simply by yourself in your garage.
In this article, we will endeavor to discuss in detail how to put tint on tail lights as well as give a comparison of tail light tint film and spray tint. So buckle up and read on to find out more. This will certainly be an insightful read for you!
Can You Put a Window Tint on Tail Lights?
Tinting your tail lights can help change their color or opacity and give your vehicle a more custom look and feel. It can attract attention and offer your vehicle that “wow” factor. A majority of people do it for the looks to get a better look than that from the factory.
You can use window tint on tail lights. Film tint is a great option for tinting tail lights because it allows light through the tinting but restricts the light that comes back in. There is a wide variety of tint available both online and in car accessory stores.
Depending on your desired effect, you can choose a regular black tint or go for something like yellow, red, gun smoke, or optic blue. You can even find film tint that is pre-cut to fit certain car mods. So if you have a popular car model, look out for those.
Tinting film is inexpensive and relatively easy to do. You can do it yourself in your home garage or have a professional do it for you!
Are Tail Light Tints Legal?
The last thing you want to worry about after getting tail light tints is getting a ticket for them in the future. Tinted tail lights have become a popular trend in recent years due to their sleek and modern look. But are they legal?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a definitive answer to whether tinted tail lights are legal. Laws concerning tinted tail lights vary greatly from one state to the next. They can even vary by county and town.
One thing that is common across all 50 states is that blacked-out tail lights are illegal. All states require that vehicle tail lights are clearly visible from a certain number of feet away especially at night. If you can’t see anything through your tail lights and you can’t see your turn signal when on, then your tinted tail lights are quite possibly illegal.
The only way to make sure whether tail light tints are legal is to check with your local municipality, DMV, or Department of Transport (DOT).
How Dark Can You Tint Your Tail Lights?
One factor that comes into play regarding tail lights is their visibility. The percentage to which your tail lights are tinted will affect their legality. Different states have different laws relating to this. Some states will allow tints on tail lights provided it is within their guidelines.
If your tail light tints are too dark, you could pose a serious risk to not only yourself but other drivers. This can attract a hefty fine.
It is a requirement that tail lights are not dimmed by more than 50%. They have to be bright enough to illuminate the road ahead and also be clearly visible to drivers behind. Most aficionados recommend tinting tail lights by about 20-30%.
How Do You Put Tint on Tail Lights?
Tinting film is inexpensive and is easy to apply to your tail lights. Some of the things you will require for this include a squeegee, heat gun, sharp utility knife, window tint film of the desired darkness, spray bottle of water, microfiber cloth. Once you have all these, follow these simple steps.
- Clean the surface of the tail light. Your tail light tint job will only be as good as your cleaning and preparation. That’s why you must remove all dust, oil, and residues not only from the tail lights but also from the surrounding panels. Begin by cleaning the tail light housing, the lens, and then the surrounding areas. You can use a 2:1 mixture of water to isopropyl for this.
- Using the sharp utility knife, cut the film to the rough size of your tail lights. Allow excess on the edges which you will trim later on.
- Mist the tail light with water from the spray bottle. This will allow you to attach the tint film.
- Remove the protective layer from the tint film. After this, you will need to work quickly and carefully.
- Place the tint film on the wet surface of your tail light. Move and manipulate the tint film into place and make adjustments.
- Using the squeegee, remove water and air bubbles from under the tint. Start in the center and work your way to the edges.
- Warm the tint film and make it pliable using the heat gun at the edges. Be careful to only heat the tint slightly.
- Trim the excess tint film off so that the film only covers the tail lights.
- Using a squeegee, smooth out the edges and tuck them around the tailgate to complete the process.
Tail Light Tint Film vs Spray Tint
This controversy is as old as the concept of tinting tail lights. In this section, we explore the pros and cons of both and at the end make our recommendation.
In the right hands, spray tint can change the look of your lights in a way that tint film cannot. It can make your tail lights much more appealing to look at. However, spray tint runs the risk of ruining your tail lights if you don’t know what you are doing. Another downside is that spray paint can affect the transparency of your tail lights and therefore black them out, which is illegal. If you are someone with a load of extra cash, then spray tint may just be the right option for you.
Tint film on the other hand is quite inexpensive and rather easy to install. For most DIYers and enthusiasts, this is recommended simply because it doesn’t present the same problems as spray tinting.
So all in all, tint film is recommended because it is cheaper, easier to install, and comes off easily.
In conclusion, you should take extreme care when installing tint film on your tail lights. Follow the laws in your area and if you are unsure about it, consult the DOT, DMV, or your local municipality.