jgk62

I'm buying a 951 that has its windows tinted. I need to take off the tint on the front windows. It looks great tinted but its going to be a cop magnet as it is.
How do I go about taking off the tint?
Thanks!

cale

I'm sure there are cheaper ways, but since I'm lazy and had a few bucks to blow I just took mine to a tinting shop and told them to take it off. They were a little confused as to why I didn't want anything put on...but hey, I like being able to see out of my car at night.

Jeff

rokke17

This is how I have done it in the past. You can usually peel some off by grabbing a corner, then get as much off as you can. Go to Checker or wherever you buy parts and what have you, and get a bottle of tint adhesive remover. Try to work on the car while windows are warm. Use the adhesive remover and a razor blade to CARFEULLY remove the remaining tint. Clean window with adhesive remover and Goo Gone or similar. That should do the trick and it only costs a few bucks.
It worked magic on one of my trucks.

triscadek

Be reeeeal careful with the rear defroster.

Bolkboy7

[quote]Originally posted by rokke17:
[QB]This is how I have done it in the past. You can usually peel some off by grabbing a corner, then get as much off as you can.QB]<hr></blockquote>

Let's not! Set the car out in the sun. Especially the window your about to remove the tint. Then get a heat gun or hair dryer. after the window is warm. get in the inside of the car and have someone use the heat gun to warm the outside of the window. You use a little razor (box cutters) to gently pull the tint off. It will come off in strips but go slowly. Took me about 3 hours with my brother helping. When you get to the defroster, like they said be careful and go slow. Use tint adhesive remover spray it onto towel then rub the adhesive off with that. The adhesive remover can damage your interior so you might want to lay down towel or jsut be careful.

-Lee

IceShark

One thing you might want to check out is which type of Sekurit windshield you have. I have been told that there were some 944/951s that came with the Sekurit windshied that had a plastic lining on the inside surface of the windshield as an additional safety measure to prevent glass chips from getting all over you in a crash.

If you have this you better think some more about removing the tint. My girlfriend had this on an Audi and made a real mess trying to remove a simple parking sticker.

trebor_quitman

Sekuriflex is only in the front windshield, and if that has tint then the PO was stupid. As for the other windows, here's some extra help. Get a spray bottle and add a drop of soap to the water. Not dish soap as it is usually pretty strong and takes allot more water to dilude. Anyway, park the car in the sun and soak the tint side of the glass with the water. Cut up a black trashbag into a sheet and allow the water to hold it to the glass. Let it sit in the sun for a while allowing the black bag and water to retain allot of heat. Then take a razor and start to peel at the edges, the adhesive should pull up with it due to the temperature and water. As for the remaing glue if any, use the razor as a squeege and or fine steel wool. You will not scratch the glass with steel wool as you might think, infact it will help to clear up small surface defects, Kinda like a clay bar does for paint. If it is still wet and warm it should come off Very easily, like rubber cement almost. As said before, be carefull if using a razor blade to Squeege the glue off the rear due to the defroster lines. These can be repaired by filling in the breaks with that conductive resist puddy stuff if you already have breaks in the lines. These are the methods I used not over two weeks ago. My friend details high end cars and these are the methods he showed me. It was virtually effortless and cheap. As for re-tinting, straight glass is very easy, but the rear one will be a PITA to do in one piece without seems and bubbles do to the odd curvature. Most detail shops should charge less to tint if you remove the old tint allready. That is If they are not *****. Keep cool in the shade

Geo

[quote]Originally posted by jgk62:
<strong>I'm buying a 951 that has its windows tinted. I need to take off the tint on the front windows. It looks great tinted but its going to be a cop magnet as it is.
How do I go about taking off the tint?
Thanks!</strong><hr></blockquote>

What timing. I'm in the process of removing the tint from my race car.

I've posted this same question on another automotive list where there are folks who have done this for a living.

There is apparently a slurry you can get that you put on the tint that will soften it. I've yet to find this.

Another method is to cut a gargabe bag or other plastic to the shape and size of the glass. Throroughly coat the tint with ammonia and cover with the plastic. Let the ammonia heat up in the sun. Use a razor blade scraper to remove.

Lastly, the only thing that really seemed to work for me was a heat gun. That works very well. It really softens things up. I used 3M adhesive remover to remove the residue.

Lizard944

[quote]Originally posted by jgk62:
<strong>I'm buying a 951 that has its windows tinted. I need to take off the tint on the front windows. It looks great tinted but its going to be a cop magnet as it is.
How do I go about taking off the tint?
Thanks!</strong><hr></blockquote>

I had to remove mine in good 'ole Pennsylvania in order to pass state inspection. Funny thing is that I passed during the previous eight inspections , but I guess they had a big crack down in our city. We like to enforce these "important" things instead of solving crime,etc. Ironically, the factory tint on my Explorer is much darker than the aftermarket tint was on my 944. You now must have a special tint installed that has the % grade of darkness stamped all over it, and as you might guess $$$, just the way R-12 went. Anyway, I removed mine by spraying ammonia on it and let it soften the film for about ten minutes. Most of it peeled off by hand, but I had to use a safety razor on some of it, carefully avoiding the defroster wires.


Bryon