Window Tint

[The Critic]

Got the truck tinted yesterday.

Rear windows and rear windshield were tinted with the new 3M Ceramic IR 35%. The rear windows already had factory privacy glass so the added 35% film puts VLT to the low-mid teens.

Front windows and front windshield were tinted with 3M Crystalline 70%.

All of the film was cut on a plotter. Door panels and dash were all masked off with plastic sheeting. Two soak ropes were used for the dash plus only a very minimal amount of water. Prepping and shrinking the windshield took almost as long as tinting the rest of the truck.

In bright sun:

Early-ish in the morning (indirect sun):

In all honesty, I think FCA did an excellent job with the standard solar glass. Although there is definitely an observed heat reduction with tint, the difference is significantly less than what I noticed after tinting older vehicles. There are a few posts on other forums indicating the TSER of the Ford factory privacy glass exceeding 60% and the TSER of the front side windows being at 40%. It would not surprise me at all if the FCA glass has similar specs.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Looks great!

 

[Hall]

Truly curious why the ceramic tint was only used on the rear windows. Was that the installer's recommendation ? I've considered putting ceramic tint on my windshield only (with minimal 'tint' level) purely for reducing glare but more importantly, keeping heat out.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Truly curious why the ceramic tint was only used on the rear windows. Was that the installer's recommendation ? I've considered putting ceramic tint on my windshield only (with minimal 'tint' level) purely for reducing glare but more importantly, keeping heat out.

3M Ceramic IR is a lower-grade film in comparison to 3M Crystalline.

Depending on the type of glass you have, the difference in heat rejection may not be significant. For example, on current generation Tacoma's, the factory windshield already rejects 55% of the heat. 3M Crystalline 70 has a TSER of 50%.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/windshield-tint.549927/page-4#post-17884608

3M Ceramic IR: https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1752329O/ceramic-ir-mini-brochure.pdf
3M Crystalline: https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media...dow-film-crystalline-series-brochure.pdf

 

[Mr Nice]

Looks good. Love the contrast of tints and white paint.

 

[Hall]

Ah, I forgot that their Crystalline tint was ceramic. Should have guessed by the 70% value.

 

[Leo99]

Looks great. Tinting is not something I'd do myself. People that can apply the tint have way more patience than me. And more skill, too. It's something worth paying a professional to do.

 

[awguy]

Looks good. I have the 3M Crystalline too. Love it. Getting above 115 degrees in next few days.

 

[Dino01]

Definitely looks nice, I know CA is tricky with the front windows being tinted but 70% is under the radar.

I got dirty looks from CHP a few times in my RX on toad trips down there in summer because my fronts are tinted to match the rear privacy glass, funny too because most CHP evil-eying me had DARK front tint too.

It's a must-have IMO and you got the top of the line stuff, but it's a major comfort increaser on long summer road trips, that's for sure

 

[super20dan]

wishn they would enforce the window tint laws better .

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by super20dan
wishn they would enforce the window tint laws better .


They have more important things to worry about.

Truck looks good though, I need to get mine done!

 

[VQLT]

Did you do it yourself?

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted by super20dan
wishn they would enforce the window tint laws better .


Why?

 

[The Critic]

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by VQLT
Did you do it yourself?

No, I paid a tint shop.

 

[mbacfp]

Beautiful Truck.

 

[92saturnsl2]

How much did it cost you roughly?

 

[VQLT]

Where is the shop located? I'm looking to get my truck windows tinted

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by 92saturnsl2
How much did it cost you roughly?

$350 for the front windshield. It is a large windshield and 3M Crystalline is not easy to shrink.

$480 for the side windows and rear windshield.

Originally Posted by VQLT
Where is the shop located? I'm looking to get my truck windows tinted

Northern CA, East Bay.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by The Critic
Got the truck tinted yesterday.

Rear windows and rear windshield were tinted with the new 3M Ceramic IR 35%. The rear windows already had factory privacy glass so the added 35% film puts VLT to the low-mid teens.

Front windows and front windshield were tinted with 3M Crystalline 70%.

All of the film was cut on a plotter. Door panels and dash were all masked off with plastic sheeting. Two soak ropes were used for the dash plus only a very minimal amount of water. Prepping and shrinking the windshield took almost as long as tinting the rest of the truck.

In bright sun:

Early-ish in the morning (indirect sun):

In all honesty, I think FCA did an excellent job with the standard solar glass. Although there is definitely an observed heat reduction with tint, the difference is significantly less than what I noticed after tinting older vehicles. There are a few posts on other forums indicating the TSER of the Ford factory privacy glass exceeding 60% and the TSER of the front side windows being at 40%. It would not surprise me at all if the FCA glass has similar specs.

Excellent. So many times I see people go cheap on tint and it just sucks. Looks great and you will love it! I have always used Pinnacle F1 ceramic. I'd have to look at the receipt for what I had on my current vehicle, although I know it is ceramic, as I had the dealership set it up (they didn't do it, but they contracted out and sold the service to me at-cost. FLAWLESS job on my windshield and the side windows I had done).

More people should tint the front. Any projectile coming in/going out, will produce much less spalling that way.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by Ws6

Excellent. So many times I see people go cheap on tint and it just sucks. Looks great and you will love it! I have always used Pinnacle F1 ceramic. I'd have to look at the receipt for what I had on my current vehicle, although I know it is ceramic, as I had the dealership set it up (they didn't do it, but they contracted out and sold the service to me at-cost. FLAWLESS job on my windshield and the side windows I had done).

More people should tint the front. Any projectile coming in/going out, will produce much less spalling that way.

Thanks. The 3M Ceramic IR is very comparable to the Formula 1 Pinnacle. Oddly enough, the VLT for most shades of 3M Ceramic IR is 5-10% higher than expected. For example the 35% has a VLT of 45%. I think this was done so that their 35% film will meter within a few points of 35% after install (since factory glass already has some tint).