Window Removal?

[rockinroller]

Hi all!

I want to tint all the rear windows in my new '91 legacy wagon.

Anyone know if I can easily remove those windows?

Rashaan

[alias20035]

Originally posted by rockinroller

Hi all!

I want to tint all the rear windows in my new '91 legacy wagon.

Anyone know if I can easily remove those windows?

Rashaan

 

You should not need to remove the window to perform tinting. You could remove the door panel and that would allow you to easily tint the lower part of the window below the door sill seal (the bottom 1/2 to 1 inch of the window).

 

Also do not tint the outer edges of the window where it seals, otherwise the friction against the seal when raising or closing the door will cause the window tint film to peal off over time.

 

You will note that professional tinters leave about a half inch of untinted glass around the edge. When the window is closed the seal will hide this untinted edge so it will not be noticed.

 

Window tinting is an aquired skill, it is very difficult for the amateur to get the window tint film to go on cleanly and without air bubbles.

 

The biggest problem is unclean glass. The glass must be cleaned with a high quality cleaner and squigy, and the use of methyl alcohol is recommend for a final cleaning. Also as a lubricant for the tint film application be sure to use destilled water, not tap water as it can leave spots.

[rockinroller]

Hey, thanks for the tips. I've never done it before so I'm sure they'll help. Do the cold temperatures of winter make it more difficult? My friend did a great job on his civic by taking the windows out and said it was a lot easier that way is why I was asking.

Rashaan

[alias20035]

Originally posted by rockinroller

Hey, thanks for the tips. I've never done it before so I'm sure they'll help. Do the cold temperatures of winter make it more difficult? My friend did a great job on his civic by taking the windows out and said it was a lot easier that way is why I was asking.

Rashaan

 

It is easier to apply window film to windows that are out. But the time and effort you save in tinting is replaced with the agravation of removing windows and then reinstalling and aligning them properly, so I would not do it. The Civic may not have any "alignment" issues like the Sube does, so in your friends case it may have been the right thing to do.

 

Heed my cleaning and use of destilled water notes, they will help.

 

I forget to mention that if you plan on doing the rear curved glass yourself, I would not. Two sheets of tinting film are required and doing curves is very difficult, and you can also damage the rear window defroster quite easily with the film cutting tools (razor blade).

 

I would not apply the film in cold temperatures, at least not below 10 Celsius (got a garage and heater?). Window film does not "adhere" to the glass, it uses microsuction pores and "static cling".

[gbhrps]

My 02 OBW has had the tint added to all windows except the windshield. I've had 6 cars done by the same expert and in each case he does the rear window in one piece. The secret is to clean the outside of the rear hatch window very well as the inside. He then sprays a water/soap on it and puts a single sheet of tint on the OUTSIDE. He then uses a heat gun very quickly and at a distance, to shrink the flat tinted sheet to have it take the shape of the compound curves of the glass, and then rough trims it to a little over size. After cleaning the INSIDE of the hatch glass, he spays it with the water/soap solution and installs the tint piece he just shrunk. Tint sheets have 2 layers, one is the tinted sheet and the other is a protective film for the adhesive on the tint. That adhesive side must go toward the glass when installed inside the car, so you must be sure that the protective sheet is on the outside when you put the tint sheet on the outside of the rear window to shrink it. Confusing, I know, but most important. I hope I made this clear.

[alias20035]

Originally posted by gbhrps

My 02 OBW has had the tint added to all windows except the windshield. I've had 6 cars done by the same expert and in each case he does the rear window in one piece. The secret is to clean the outside of the rear hatch window very well as the inside. He then sprays a water/soap on it and puts a single sheet of tint on the OUTSIDE. He then uses a heat gun very quickly and at a distance, to shrink the flat tinted sheet to have it take the shape of the compound curves of the glass, and then rough trims it to a little over size. After cleaning the INSIDE of the hatch glass, he spays it with the water/soap solution and installs the tint piece he just shrunk. Tint sheets have 2 layers, one is the tinted sheet and the other is a protective film for the adhesive on the tint. That adhesive side must go toward the glass when installed inside the car, so you must be sure that the protective sheet is on the outside when you put the tint sheet on the outside of the rear window to shrink it. Confusing, I know, but most important. I hope I made this clear.

 

Thats a good trick for the rear window!

 

Professionals have access to the larger window film that I have not seen at autoparts / Wal-Mart / Canadian Tire stores. Most of the dealer applied tint jobs that I have seen use two peices on the rear window and the seam is hidden along a defroster line, but perhaps they don't know about the larger tint rolls (hard to beleive...).