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Technical How to remove window tint

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Chaz, Mar 23, 2017.

  1. Chaz
    Joined: Feb 24, 2004
    Posts: 5,016

    Chaz
    Member Emeritus

    There's tinting (really dark) on the side windows of my latest project. You can tell it is not original to the window. How do I remove this crap? I hate tinted windows.
     
  2. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,694

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Razor blades and glass cleaner.
     
    X-cpe likes this.
  3. Heat gun on "low" should soften the glue.
     
  4. If it's film, just peel and clean. If it's the spray-on crap, solvent.... lots of solvent...
     
  5. Heat gun helps for sure. Then use some brake cleaner or solvent if needed.

    Here Ontario makes us measure front window tint for safety. We've had to remove tint often, where we used to not have to.

    It's not that hard. Doesn't take too long with heat gun
     
  6. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 5,620

    gene-koning
    Member

    With a hammer and new glass?
     
  7. I once bought an old Bronco for $500. I had my three boys go at it with razor blades and a heat gun, and it took them three days. Pain in the ass, but it worked. My oldest boy drives it to this day.
     
  8. Not sure what good a heat gun does. Seems like it would make it gooey-er and harder to deal with .
    Razor blade in a holder, then surface or glass cleaner, as stated earlier. The stuff goes on with water. the glue will come off the same way....in MY experience.
     
    Hemiman 426 likes this.
  9. rdscotty
    Joined: Sep 24, 2008
    Posts: 269

    rdscotty
    Member
    from red deer

    Its been a few years and my first information was slightly off.
    Speedys Garage right after me has it exactly right.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2017
  10. I use ammonia in a spray bottle , spray it on, wait a few minutes and the tint will peel off with little effort, spray again and use a razor blade to remove glue, then a good window cleaner
     
  11. Greenblade
    Joined: Sep 28, 2020
    Posts: 642

    Greenblade
    Member

    I removed tint off of my friends beetle once. Used a razor and a heat gun. It took forever, but it got the job done
     
  12. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 15,648

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I bought a T/A to restore that had that crap on every window. I removed the glass (as part of the restoration) and used spray on vinyl remover, the stuff you use to remove "wood" paneling from a station wagon. It leaves a glue residue behind that cleaned right up with solvent. This worked even on the back glass with those defroster lines on the inside of the glass without ruining the elements (where razor blades and scrapers would not have been as effective).
     
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  13. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 35,835

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Old thread but I'd have to think that how hard it is to get off depends a lot on who put it on and the quality of the film they used. It took me a lot of work to get it off the windows of my OT daily driver. The car had all the other side of the tracks nonsense on it when I bought it, Tinted windows, cheapie smoked taillights and horrid headlights that I still haven't changed.
     
  14. mrspeedyt
    Joined: Sep 26, 2009
    Posts: 1,062

    mrspeedyt
    Member

    I tried to remove a low portion of the rear window plastic tint on my OT Prius and it’s been a real bitch. I can’t see out of that frigging window with that heavy tint on there. thank goodness my 41 Cadillac doesn’t have a bit of added tint on it.
     
    deathrowdave likes this.
  15. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 36,940

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    man, there sure are a rash of 5 and 10 year old threads being bumped back to the top lately, I am quite sure that Chaz got his tint off many years ago, and he has passed away so he really doesn't care now....
     
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  16. hemihotrod66
    Joined: May 5, 2019
    Posts: 968

    hemihotrod66
    Member

    Mine would have to be with a hammer....Real tinted glass not a film on the windows...
     
  17. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,697

    theHIGHLANDER
    Member

    I'll play zombie post too for the benefit of others. You need some drop cloth plastic sheet or a trash bag and some soapy water in a spritzer bottle. I go about 1/2 tsp to a qt. Spray the tint and press the plastic on to the wet surface, then spray the plastic too. Give it 7-10 min, start a spot and patiently peel off the film. Glue comes with it. Don't ask me why it works, I don't know why but it does.
     
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  18. twenty8
    Joined: Apr 8, 2021
    Posts: 3,606

    twenty8
    Member

    Exactly. Nothing wrong with good info being added to an old thread. People still search and read this stuff if it is relevant to things they are doing now. How old is too old? What is the statute of limitations for posting on previous threads? Can someone please clarify this for all of us???:confused:

    I have some tint to remove, and will be trying the "highlander method"............;)
     
  19. lostone
    Joined: Oct 13, 2013
    Posts: 3,524

    lostone
    Member
    from kansas

    I've heard the easiest way to remove window tint is go to like Sam's club, dollar store etc and buy 1 of those cheapy cloths steamer.

    Use the steamer to heat the tint and pull it off.

    From what I've read it works great, the trick is the steam. I guess the steam actually helps lift the glue.

    .
     
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  20. safetythird
    Joined: Feb 26, 2014
    Posts: 295

    safetythird
    Member

    Incidentally, if you have access to a steamer, it takes it right off.

    I did a pickup I bought in about an hour.
     
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  21. lemondana
    Joined: Feb 21, 2009
    Posts: 290

    lemondana
    Member
    from Lincoln NE

    A steamer works great, most of the glue stays on the tint when you peel it off. There are You Tube videos on this.
     
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  22. rusty valley
    Joined: Oct 25, 2014
    Posts: 4,292

    rusty valley
    Member

    For daily drivers, I only buy rust free southern cars. They all come with shitty tinted windows it seems. Its a bitch to get off, Google it up and you will see most of the same info posted here. I use a heat gun, and razor blades, lots of them. The last one was a compact fast back job, so you were laying in the car and working over your head. The glue was so hard, and impeded with dirt I would only get about a 6" square chunk done and a new blade was needed. I'd like to beat the fuck out of people who put that shit on
     
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  23. lemondana
    Joined: Feb 21, 2009
    Posts: 290

    lemondana
    Member
    from Lincoln NE

    With the steamer method, all you need are plastic razor blades. Once you start getting it moist and hot the film peels off in one big piece. By far the best, easiest way!
     
  24. 911 steve
    Joined: Nov 29, 2012
    Posts: 678

    911 steve
    Member
    from nebraska

    fingernail polish remover works great on the glue residue too
     
  25. DK23
    Joined: Dec 6, 2004
    Posts: 129

    DK23
    Member

    I removed old tint film by spraying it really wet with ammonia, then taping black plastic up against it to sort of seal in the ammonia. Put the car window in direct bright sunlight for an hour, keeping the tint wet with the ammonia. removed the black plastic and then the tint peeled right off. Super easy.
     
  26. deathrowdave
    Joined: May 27, 2014
    Posts: 5,003

    deathrowdave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NKy

    Just dis OT car , heat gun , peel it , window cleaned plastic single edge blade , looked new in 30 minutes
     
  27. 56don
    Joined: Dec 11, 2005
    Posts: 10,329

    56don
    Member

    Ok, how about removing tint film from a plexiglass window? I have a Corvette hardtop with stick on window tint on the back window. Would a steamer work there or possibly damage the plexiglass ?
     

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