Thread: Tail Light Tinting With VHT simple and perfect Guaranteed

Ok. first off we all know already that you need to pull your tail lights out right?

Just checking....

Now you need the following..

1> VHT Night Shades 1 can

2> Wax-&-Grease Remover

3> 1000 Grit Wet sand paper

4> Tack Cloth

5> Paper Towels

6> Clear RTV Silicone (optional)

7> Dupli-Color truck, van, suv clear top coat.


Now first I always clean off my Lights with Dawn dish liquid and HOT water, rinse then wet sand them also with dawn and hot water (this cleans them as you sand).

Rinse them well Inside and out, our factory lights have a tendency to build up condensation in them, due to the fact the top seals crack from excessive pressure when closing the deck lid.

If you turn the light upside down while full of water you will see the leak.

After I clean mine and blow dry the inside and out to remove the water I seal the whole perimeter of the housing using clear RTV Silicone.

Next wipe the lenses down with the wax&grease remover and a paper towel, not too much as this will also cause problems if too much is used(Tip: also wipe your hands down to remove any oils on your hands.)

Let the lenses air dry.

Now wipe the lenses down with the Tack Cloth DO NOT WIPE HARD !!

The resin on the cloth will transfer to your lenses causing a nightmare!!!!

Now you are ready to apply your Night Shades coating.
I use 3 coats to acheive the look I like (according to your taste and your local Barney Fife you may do more or less) if more I reccomend you to buy 2 cans as you do not want to run out in the middle of the process.

let the coating "flash"(dry to the touch) between coats and lightly wipe with the tack cloth between coats.
(Tip: I use a blow dryer to dry mine quicker between coats as well as for my clear no need for the "6 hours before handling" if you force dry the lenses.)

After your last coat of color has dried fully Tack off again and apply a full wet coat of clear from right to left overlaping by 1 to 1/2 inch with can about 4 inches away from lense.

Lightly dry using your blow dryer then re-coat with clear using above method but now coat from bottom to top in a vertical pattern ( Trust Me ) .

Now you have 2 Choices

A> force dry in oven at lowest temp for 5 minutes around 170 degrees. ( THIS IS SAFE I AS A CUSTOM AUTOMOTIVE PAINTER BAKE ALL MY PAINTS IN MY PAINT BOOTH AND THE TEMPS REACH THE SAME DEGREE OR HIGHER NEVER HAVE I MELTED A TAIL LIGHT ALSO THIS IS THE WAY I HAVE DONE THIS PROCEDURE FOR ALL MY CARS IN THE PAST WEATHER MINE OR A CUSTOMER AND YEARS LATER THEY STILL LOOK AWESOME!!!!!)

B> let air dry for about 4 hours.


Now install and enjoy

I finished mine in about 1:30 so that is alot faster than the "6 hours" rule

Pics1.....

Pics2.....

Pics3...

Installed....

Well the fact I work with paint all day everyday might have some effect also...

any questions ask away I will try to help in any way I can...

yeah when I get back to the shop after I heal up I plan to wet sand them and put some dupont chroma premier 7900 s clear on them then buff em' out then they will look really good.

Im bored at home with double knee surgery, so I had to get the ole hands dirty..