Removing tint

[jht3]

the previous owner installed some ghetto tint on the rear 3 windows. what's the best/easiest way to get this crap off?

i am going to attack it with a heat gun and goo-gone. are there any other solvents that might work better? i've thought about removing the 2 rear pop-out windows to make it easier.

[e30evolution]

get some razor blades too..... start at a corner and once you get a piece up that you can hold on to peel slowly keeping the seam warm with the heat gun

[brodee]

I've done both my cars, and didn't need a heat gun. Just get you a spray bottle and mix some lightly dilluted dish soap and water. Start in a corner and peal back a little, then spray the crap out of it and start pulling and sparaying at the same time. Once you're done you can spray the whole window and use a razor blade to get the remaining residue off. I didn't even need to do that, just used windex and cleaned the window.

[jht3]

i've looked into it. ammonia and simple green are highly recommened, and i have both.

procedure ive seen is:
spray ammonia/simple green on inside of glass
cover spray w/ a trash bag cut to fit the window
leave in sun to heat up the glue
start peeling slowly
remove excess residue using superfine steel wool and more simple green

i want to avoid a razor blade b/c of the defroster lines. i think w/ the heat gun, trash bag, and ammonia i'll be good to go.

[Spencer]

Ammonia is the way to go. Not Windex but a bottle of just ammonia ( I bought it at a grocery store)

I took the windows out and put old towels on top of the tinted portion and soaked the towels in ammonia. Let them sit in the sun for while and the tint should come right off.

Now, using a WHITE scouring pad with ammonia scrub the side that was tinted. There may be a fine layer of glue still on the window and if you don’t get it off they won’t clean up very nicely in the future.

Don’t use a razor blade on the back window – if you nick the lines they’ll stop working.

This is what worked for me. Obviously the procedure will depend on the quality of the tint and how long it was on the car.

Good luck!
-Spencer

[Ryan Stewart]

Def ammonia. Its clean and doesnt have anything else in it.

A heat gun on the outside quickens the process but after a few minutes of the ammonia mine came off in solid sheets.

[jht3]

100% ammonia or a diluted mixture?

the car has been garaged since '97 so the tint hasnt been baking in the sun for many years. so it SHOULD come off w/o much trouble. i hate this tint and it must go

[Spencer]

I used 100% but the windows were out of the car.

If you get 100% on they seats that won't go over so well.

-Spencer

[jht3]

parcel shelf is already pulled
will pull seats and vent windown

only hard part will be the back window w/ the defroster lines, but i think ive got al the info needed to attack this