BradMph
12-11-2013, 06:32 PM
I just wanted to show the 2 best ways to place your window tint when installing on your front windshield. When installing tint on the windshield, you have a marking that shows the limits of the area you can cover. Look closely at your window and you will usually see a small marked area in the top corner showing your limits. You can also check in the Vehicle code book for the number of inches that are allowed in your application. If I remember correctly you have approximately 6 inches on the top and 4 inches from the bottom, but do not take this as fact.
The department of transportation "DOT" says that you can apply a protective coating as long as the total VLT doesn't go darker than 70%. As long as you use a film that has a VLT of 90% or higher then you will still be legal. According to DOT laws you can have window tint on your front windshield.
Currently the only film you can use to meet federal laws for the front windshield is Crystalline 90%. All newer cars have a very light tint to the windshield, usually 77% to 80%. If you put anything darker than 90% you will not meet federal laws.
Crystalline window tint has an spf of over 1700. 3M Crystalline is currently the most advanced window tint on the market.
Applying the tint:
The 2 ways that most people apply tint on front windshields is as follows. There is the curved way shown in fig.1 and the way I like best, the straight across bottom way in fig.2.
7357
Fig.1 is applied by wetting the outside of the window and apply your tint to the outside. Take a razor blade and being careful not to cut yourself or scratch the window, cut the tint right on the window how you would like it. Be sure you place it correctly with the adhesive side up. This way you will reverse it to fit inside your window. Use lots and lots of water with about a few drops of dish soap to help make it adjustable to the window.
This way is also the hardest way to get it to look right on the windshield. It takes time to scoot it around and the curve in windshield can cause issues with ripples in the material as you install it.
Fig.2 is the way I like best and it looks better too. You would place it on windows just like shown above, but instead of curving the bottom so it follows the curve of the top of the window, just run the tint straight across the window level. This way you can use the one straight edged side of the tint and then just cut the top to match the very upper part of the window. This way also hides your cut marks at the top of the window incase your cutting is not perfectly done. This way is faster and looks much more sportier. Looks at some IMSA race cars and you will see this is their favorite way as well. It gives you more tint drop in the corners where it is needed since these areas seem to be the bright sun nuisance we all fight with.
Anyway, this is a short and sweet informational instruction and however way you choose, just be sure to abide by your specific state laws and the federal DOT laws for your application.
The department of transportation "DOT" says that you can apply a protective coating as long as the total VLT doesn't go darker than 70%. As long as you use a film that has a VLT of 90% or higher then you will still be legal. According to DOT laws you can have window tint on your front windshield.
Currently the only film you can use to meet federal laws for the front windshield is Crystalline 90%. All newer cars have a very light tint to the windshield, usually 77% to 80%. If you put anything darker than 90% you will not meet federal laws.
Crystalline window tint has an spf of over 1700. 3M Crystalline is currently the most advanced window tint on the market.
Applying the tint:
The 2 ways that most people apply tint on front windshields is as follows. There is the curved way shown in fig.1 and the way I like best, the straight across bottom way in fig.2.
7357
Fig.1 is applied by wetting the outside of the window and apply your tint to the outside. Take a razor blade and being careful not to cut yourself or scratch the window, cut the tint right on the window how you would like it. Be sure you place it correctly with the adhesive side up. This way you will reverse it to fit inside your window. Use lots and lots of water with about a few drops of dish soap to help make it adjustable to the window.
This way is also the hardest way to get it to look right on the windshield. It takes time to scoot it around and the curve in windshield can cause issues with ripples in the material as you install it.
Fig.2 is the way I like best and it looks better too. You would place it on windows just like shown above, but instead of curving the bottom so it follows the curve of the top of the window, just run the tint straight across the window level. This way you can use the one straight edged side of the tint and then just cut the top to match the very upper part of the window. This way also hides your cut marks at the top of the window incase your cutting is not perfectly done. This way is faster and looks much more sportier. Looks at some IMSA race cars and you will see this is their favorite way as well. It gives you more tint drop in the corners where it is needed since these areas seem to be the bright sun nuisance we all fight with.
Anyway, this is a short and sweet informational instruction and however way you choose, just be sure to abide by your specific state laws and the federal DOT laws for your application.