DIY smoke cab lights $15
10-15-2010, 01:25 PM
#1
Vendor - Former Vendor
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DIY smoke cab lights $15
I know several people have done this, but I decided to do a write up and give my honest opinion of spray-on lense tint.
I have never seen this product locally before and noticed that our O'reillys had it in stock. I bought a can and 2 different kinds of clear coat (not sure which one would work better) to try.
It's very easy to do - just remove your lights (illegal to tint taillights in AR), clean them with wax and grease remover, and spray light coats until you get the desired color. I went a little too black with mine. They are dimmer at night than I wanted (but still completely visible)
The product is called Nite-Shades by VHT. A can is about $11 and the clear is about $4 per can. Here is a pic with them wiped down and ready.
I have never seen this product locally before and noticed that our O'reillys had it in stock. I bought a can and 2 different kinds of clear coat (not sure which one would work better) to try.
It's very easy to do - just remove your lights (illegal to tint taillights in AR), clean them with wax and grease remover, and spray light coats until you get the desired color. I went a little too black with mine. They are dimmer at night than I wanted (but still completely visible)
The product is called Nite-Shades by VHT. A can is about $11 and the clear is about $4 per can. Here is a pic with them wiped down and ready.
10-15-2010, 01:29 PM
#2
Vendor - Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Here are a couple pics immediately after spraying them. The second pic is a close-up of one with clear. The first pic has no clear coat yet.
***they have a purple tint in these pics but that is just the florescent light messing with the camera
***they have a purple tint in these pics but that is just the florescent light messing with the camera
10-15-2010, 01:33 PM
#3
Vendor - Former Vendor
Thread Starter
The Good - It only cost me $15 and about an hour of my time (plus drying time) and from a couple feet away, they look like a $90 set of Recons.
The Bad - As they were drying, they developed some cracking in the coating. I'm pretty sure my coats were too thick. However, you have to be very close (within a foot or so) to notice. And nobody notices it until I point it out. You have to stand on the floor of the cab with the door open to see the imperfections.
My recommendation - Start with only one light to get the technique right. I think 5 or 6 very thin coats would be fine. I did 2 thick coats (one immediately following the other)
Not bad for $15 though!
The Bad - As they were drying, they developed some cracking in the coating. I'm pretty sure my coats were too thick. However, you have to be very close (within a foot or so) to notice. And nobody notices it until I point it out. You have to stand on the floor of the cab with the door open to see the imperfections.
My recommendation - Start with only one light to get the technique right. I think 5 or 6 very thin coats would be fine. I did 2 thick coats (one immediately following the other)
Not bad for $15 though!
10-15-2010, 01:37 PM
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Thanks for the writeup. This sure beats NINETY bucks for the Recons. Did you wet-sand in between coats? That was what the difference maker was for me when I tinted the tails on my Firebird some years back.
I've said it before but that truck looks awesome. I really need to get my windows tinted......
-J
I've said it before but that truck looks awesome. I really need to get my windows tinted......
-J
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10-19-2010, 04:13 PM
#9
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I've been wanting to do this or the recon kit also. Thanks for the info !!
I really hate imperfections and don't want mine to crack. Maybe some other guys that have successfully done this will chime in and give us some tricks ???
If you mess one up Iam sure these lens are cheap from Dodge (well I hope anyways)
I really hate imperfections and don't want mine to crack. Maybe some other guys that have successfully done this will chime in and give us some tricks ???
If you mess one up Iam sure these lens are cheap from Dodge (well I hope anyways)
10-19-2010, 10:05 PM
#10
Vendor - Former Vendor
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Maybe it would be worth a trip to the salvage yard to get some to practice on? I started thinking that maybe I should have used some adhesion promoter? who knows....
10-20-2010, 01:50 AM
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a couple guys i know have used this stuff alot for tail lights and headlights. they wet sand up to like 5000 grit i think then spray and sand between coats working back up to 5k. they say 3 coats is usually the limit on tail lights. im planning on doing mine in a few weeks. i might pull off my cab lights and throw another coat on them. they are the 2010 chevy lights so they are already tinted.
Oh btw i love that truck. if you ever want to trade for a 1st gen Call me lol
Oh btw i love that truck. if you ever want to trade for a 1st gen Call me lol
10-20-2010, 06:13 AM
#12
Vendor - Former Vendor
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lol thanks!
and the sanding must've been my problem. Don't get me wrong they turned out fine, but it's one of those things that I notice when I get very close.
and the sanding must've been my problem. Don't get me wrong they turned out fine, but it's one of those things that I notice when I get very close.
10-20-2010, 08:08 AM
#14
Vendor - Former Vendor
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I'll try to get some pics. I sprayed mine a little too thick and it's not quite as bright as I wanted but still definitely noticeable. If I remember tonight I'll take some and post them. You can make them any color from light gray with orange showing through in the daylight to black. Just depends on how many coats you spray on.
