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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
thanks to Punkingcivic
Found here: http://www.tintdude.com/remove.html


Materials:
Warm sunny day
Tarp
Large plastic garbage bag
Undiluted Ammonia
Windex (a glass cleaner)
Paper towels
Fine steel wool
Razor blades
Tips:
The difficult thing about removing tint is that most film is constructed of two layers of tinted polyester. When you try to peel the film off the glass, the top layer will usually pull right off leaving the second layer behind. This second layer will not peel off, it will just flake and tear like a price tag.

Step 1:
To over come separation between layers you must soften the adhesive so that both layers peel at the same time. This is very important, if you peel the just the top layer, you may as well just use razor blades as there is no way to peel the second layer off without picking at it for a few hours. You MUST try to peel both layers at once.
NOTE:
You are more than likely to damage one or more of your defroster lines, when this happens, the cut line will not work anymore. Some cars have radio antennas mounted alongside the defrosters made of the same material. If you damage these, your radio antenna will not work! Be careful! Taking it to a tint shop to be done greatly increases the odds of saving the lines, but even a tint shop can not promise to save your lines, sometimes the film is just to far gone.

Step 2:
First, clear the window of any obstructions, like the brake light, speaker covers etc.

Step 3: Next cut open the garbage bag so that it will be big enough to cover the entire window. Spray some water on the outside of the back window and the lay plastic bag over the glass. Cut away excess plastic so that it is now roughly the same shape as the glass.

Step 4:
Next, lay a tarp over rear deck and seat, spray ammonia liberally on the inside of the back window. (Ammonia is very strong, I suggest you hold your breath during this step) and cover ammonia soaked tint with the plastic bag so that it won't evaporate.

Step 5:
Park the car with rear window facing the sun for about an hour. The film should now be ready to peel.

Step 6:
When you are ready to start peeling, leave the plastic in place so the ammonia wont dry. Get the peeling started with a razor blade in a corner where there are no defroster lines. Try to peel film off in one piece. If the ammonia dries as you peel, the glue will get hard again, so spray a bit of ammonia on the area as you peel.

Step 7:
Once the film is peeled you will need to scrub the adhesive off with ammonia and fine 0000 steel wool. Mop up scrubbed areas with paper towels before they dry. Finish up with window cleaner and paper towels.

Removing tint from side windows
Soaking is not nessesary here. You may want to use a simple razorblade holder. Cut a notch onto the upper area of the film so that you have a piece to pull. Try to peel the film, it will probably come off in two or three pieces. Spray the remaining adhesive with soapy water, and scrape the adhesive off with a razor blade, avoiding the edges of the glass until last to keep the blade sharp. You may need to use a few blades as they dull quickly. Finish up with window cleaner and paper towels. Inspect for missed glue (its clear and hard to see)
 

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I tried it this way for about 20 minutes, but the fumes from the ammonia were awful. I found a way that can get the job done in just a few hours. All you need is a heat gun, dawn dish soap, spray bottle, "0000" steel wool, rags and razor blades. Mix several drops of dawn in the spray bottle with water, and make it real soapy. Start in a corner of the glass, and heat it up with the heat gun. Then with a razor blade work the film up from the window. Do this real slow until you have a piece you can hold on to with your hand. Slowly pull the tint back while continuing to heat the tint on the line where the tint is peeling off. You must do this slowly if you want the film to come off in one piece. It makes the job easier. Once you get the tint off the window you will be left with the adhesive to deal with. This is were patience helps. Get the spay bottle and soak the spot you want to start on. A rag at the bottom of the window will help with overflow. After getting the adhesive wet and soapy, start scrubbing with the "0000" steel wool. Do this until the window if as clear as the day you bought the car. When you get to a window that has the dot matrix around the edge you really got you keep it soapy, and wet. Just work the steel wool in between the dots until all the adhesive it gone. Now when you get to the windows that has tint below or behind a panel, switch to the razor blade, spray bottle and rag. Just work the blade in to the gaps, and keep it soapy. When the adhesive builds up on the blade, wipe it off on the rag, and start at it again with a clean edge. When it seems like the razor doesn't want to take any more off, get a new blade.

I did this to my car after trying two other methods. One with steam, and then the god awful ammonia method. This work better, and faster than the other two I tried. With the "0000" steel wool you will love yourself for not trashing the lines for your rear defrost, and antenna. Try it how you will, but I guarantee you will be wishing for another method when you get in the car after filling it with the ammonia. You now have two options on how to get it done.
 

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I'm going to be removing the stock ultra-light green tint from my coupe when my brother is done with school. :dance: Then I'll be putting in some reflective tint (no reflectivity regulations in wisconsin so I'll have 35% on the rear windshield and side windows and 50% on the front sides, reflective tint reduces incoming light by 25% so they will appear darker than they really are) and I'll do a DIY for it. My brother has done 4 other tint jobs and does a good job so I'll have some good technique to share... Tint is very easy to mess up and look like shit :pisschair: I suggest buying pre-cuts if you have the extra $$$ otherwise the film rolls are fine, you're just going to need some extra hands to do a good job.
 

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Has anyone had problems with the back or side windows on a coupe? getting like small bubbles? I took it to a tint shop to do for me but now there are very small bubbles near the dot matrix and the heater lines of the back window. They did use a vinyl sheet ontop of the dot matrix first.
 

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I have read a similar way to the OP. Except with this method, you spray windex on the tint, then cover the area with a garbage bag. Let it sit in the sun for about an hour or so. The windex isnt able to evaporate completely, so it moves through the tint. Never tried it, just read it.
 
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