The following write up serves as a guide on how to remove VHT Niteshades and clear coat from your taillights, should you ever get a ticket for tinted taillights and want to avoid purchasing new lights. Perform this DIY with the taillights REMOVED from your vehicle.

I take no responsibility whatsoever in the event that you damage your taillights. Keep in mind that you are performing this at your own risk, while this write up simply serves as a guide on how to remove the painted surface and clear coat from tinted tails.

You will need the following tools:

Dual action polisher or a buffer, 4 microfiber towels (these will get really messed up), 1 can of lacquer thinner, 3M Rubbing Compound, Meguiar’s Plast-X and your choice of wax.



What the taillights looked like before:




Removing the tint and clear coat

Step 1: After you have removed the tail lights from your vehicle (see this thread: https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...907&highlight=" target="_blank">http://<a href="https://www.scionlif...highlight=</a> ) use one of the microfiber towels to wipe down any dust, dirt or water spots on your tails before applying lacquer thinner.


Step 2: Take a clean microfiber towel and wrap it around your index and middle finger like such.


Step 3: Apply a small amount of the lacquer thinner onto the microfiber towel and working it into a circular motion on the tail light. When you start to feel resistance between the towel and the tail light, apply more thinner until you have completed the entire tail light.


Step 4: After you have completed removing the tinted surface from the taillights take your polisher/buffer and apply a small amount of 3M Rubbing Compound to the surface of your taillights. Turn on the machine and slowly work it into the lights. Allow time to dry (5 minutes) and remove with a clean microfiber towel. Complete this step at least three more times, for a total of 4 coats.



Step 5: Take your polisher/buffer and apply a small amount of Meguiar’s Plast-X to the surface of your taillights. Turn on the machine and slowly work it into the lights. Allow time to dry (5 minutes) and remove with a clean microfiber towel. Complete this step at least three more times, for a total of 4 coats.


Step 6: Take your polisher/buffer and apply a small amount of wax to the surface of your taillights. Turn on the machine and slowly work it into the lights. Allow time to dry (5 minutes) and remove with a clean microfiber towel. Complete this step at least three more times, for a total of 4 coats.


Step 7: Wipe down your taillights really well using a clean microfiber towel and reinstall them back onto your vehicle using the same thread posted above in “Step 1”.


Important information:

- If you have quite a few cuts on your hands or fingers from everyday activities like me, you may want to wear plastic gloves or surgical gloves. When the thinner gets in your cuts, it burns.

- It is VERY important that when applying the thinner not to get any of it on the plastic mounting tabs of the tail light. If this does occur, you may notice some discoloration (not a big deal) but if you get the thinner and plastic in contact numerous times….it could begin, cracking apart or even break altogether.

- Give yourself a break every once in awhile when performing this task. The smell of the fumes could get to you and cause you to get dizzy or become lightheaded.

This is the end result:

 

nice DIY

did u recently get a ticket?

 

great info!

 

No, I didn't. A SL member on here recently asked me to tint his tails and about 2-3 weeks later he got busted. His lights and turn signals were completely visible; probably a cop that was bored. Everything is illegal out here in California. I've had tons of cops driving behind me and haven't gotten busted for my TYC's and mine are really dark (hopefully it stays that way).

 

Nicely done!

 

^Thank you!

 

its like removin nail polish


hehe nice diy

 

Hey do you do professional tint? If so i'm interested cuz I want to tint my anzo tail light...how much would you charge?

 

oops never mind...I didnt see the lower portion of your sig...

 

nice! approximately how long does it take for one light?

 

^Thank you!

 

Could take longer for some people, but to answer your question each taillight took me about 30 minutes each, plus 10-15 minutes to buff it out and try to remove as many scratches and swirl marks as I could. 1.5 hours, I'm fortunate to have a TV in my garage, so I just popped in a DVD and got to work.

 

ah I see, He could of sold the tinted tail and rebuy OEM stock tails and still would of had some money left over.

 

^True, but I think the original owner just didn't want anymore attention drawn to his car. He probably just wanted to get the ticket fixed and be on his way. Plus, just because you get a ticket the first time, there's no guarantee that another cop won't write you up again or hassle you.

 

Wow this is great info... now I know when I tint my LED tails I can remove it if it gets too dark.

Does this technique work with the other VHT tint spray- SP-171 Window Tint? I want to use that as it supposedly dries more even and not as dark as NiteShades.

http://www.cacustomcoatings.com/vhtwindowtint.html

 

very nice DIY

 

very cool, i think this is why alot of people use films becasue you can peel them off. We just recentley became a Lamin-x dealer and now we can produce tinted tails that look as good as your painted ones with out the removal hassle! very good write up thank you for taking the time

 

That's awesome!

 

Flea, do you still do tint tails if I ship my lights to you, I gave u a pm but still no answer, thanks

 

^Pm'd