Window Tint % with pics

[Awfiretto]

So I did a lot of searching and have seen some threads about what percentage to tint. The age old question of how dark/what kind/still see out/can’t see in. And a big one, how dark to tint rear factory privacy glass.

So I have completed my 07 Tahoe LT (III) yesterday and figured I’d share my findings.

I have a “reduce heat, increase privacy, still see out safely, don’t give a huge reason to get pulled over” approach.

I usually do my own tint, but as I grow older, I recognize the value of paying a good shop to do it, and it’s hard to find quality ceramic film at a consumer level. These percentages should apply closely to DIY’ers. But I’d recommend a carbon or premium heat shield tint.

A local Tint world in KATY TX helped me in my quest and we metered the windows, including the rear to see before and after.

Windshield - 75% Ceramic IR from tint world + small eyebrow
Side windows - 30% Carbon film (purchased this way) (metered)
Rear windows before - 20% factory privacy glass (metered)
Rear windows after applying 20% ceramic ir tint - 5% (metered)



This goes to prove, with quality tint, the math works for tinting over privacy glass. ( 0.2 x 0.2 = 0.4 or 4%)

I am happy with it so far, have yet to look closely at night but come to think of it I backed into my spot last night and didn’t even realize a difference....but I was ultra tired from work and in a lot parking lot. I’ll update after a week

Here a few pics. The rear really darkened the front up a bit. I know I’ll be pushing it a little locally. But at 30% on the front sides... a ticket will be hard to justify. In a perfect world I would go 25% on the front windows ... but the tint on there is quality and I don’t want to spend the money or time to drop 5%. And if I could go back in time, I would have done 25% over the rear to be just a little lighter from inside out. But still happy!

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask. (Also posted in general because I couldn’t decided between interior or exterior)

Last photo is before windshield and rear tint. You could easily see in with the factory at most anytime of the day.






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[93blkongreenpro]

Looks good. I have 70% carbon on the windshield for heat and UV protection, 45% on the front (metered at 36%, 35% is NC Legal Limit) and 5% over factory 20% (metered at dark as hell, lol).

The back is REALLY dark, but it keeps the temps down in the rear and also keeps the glare out. I would prefer 20% on the front doors and 50% on the windshield, but law enforcement around here likes to pick on tinted SUV's, so I like to stay off of their radar.

35% tint metered at like 27% and they gave me a ticket.

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[bigrhino]

Those who have tinted windshields, how do you change your inspection stickers/registration stickers without messing up your tint?

 

[Doubeleive]

I have 5% on all the back windows, and I think 15-20% on the driver/passenger, nothing on the front window (I like to see what i'm going to hit) lol
I think California allows only 7% on the fronts, back doesn't matter, for inspection they plug in the obd port, look under the truck to see if you have cat's and then you drive away 5 minutes later, they could care less if you even have 4 wheels

 

[Awfiretto]

Those who have tinted windshields, how do you change your inspection stickers/registration stickers without messing up your tint?

That’s a good question!


***front windshield is 70%*** I miss posted - also to be clear. Front sides are the carbon that was on the truck when I bought it. (The last pic in the city before I added tint). The rear sides and all rear is the 20% ceramic over the factory privacy glass.

The shop I had mine done at was able to remove and replace 3 window stickers. (EzTag/carwash rfid/inspection). I would imagine some type of sticker remover and some patience will do the trick when the time comes to change em.

The windshield was tinted with a 70% tint. It hasn’t impacted my vision at night. When you are up on the window you cannot tell it’s tinted unless you look very very close at the dot matrix pattern at the top near the mirror. The main reason I got it done was for heat, and it works! The ceramic IR is supposed to cut 60% of the heat, and I would believe that number. When driving in the sun, you how parts of you in direct sunlight would get hot... that doesn’t happen anymore. “It’s hot out” no longer is said in my truck, it’s “this feels great/ A/C works awesome!”

The rear was also done with ceramic IR 20% resulting in 5% VLT. And over the past few days I can see out no problems at night. It is much darker during the day though, but doesn’t impact visibility.

When speaking with the tint shop. The % doesn’t impact heat much at all, only the privacy/glare reduction. It’s the IR / heat shield elements of a tint that reduce the temps in the vehicle.


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[Mp619]

5% brow on windshield. Front doors 5%, rear doors all the way back 5% on top of the 20% factory tinted glass. I have pics with and without the black 22” wheels. All tint is carbon

 

[bigrhino]

That’s a good question!


***front windshield is 70%*** I miss posted - also to be clear. Front sides are the carbon that was on the truck when I bought it. (The last pic in the city before I added tint). The rear sides and all rear is the 20% ceramic over the factory privacy glass.

The shop I had mine done at was able to remove and replace 3 window stickers. (EzTag/carwash rfid/inspection). I would imagine some type of sticker remover and some patience will do the trick when the time comes to change em.

The windshield was tinted with a 70% tint. It hasn’t impacted my vision at night. When you are up on the window you cannot tell it’s tinted unless you look very very close at the dot matrix pattern at the top near the mirror. The main reason I got it done was for heat, and it works! The ceramic IR is supposed to cut 60% of the heat, and I would believe that number. When driving in the sun, you how parts of you in direct sunlight would get hot... that doesn’t happen anymore. “It’s hot out” no longer is said in my truck, it’s “this feels great/ A/C works awesome!”

The rear was also done with ceramic IR 20% resulting in 5% VLT. And over the past few days I can see out no problems at night. It is much darker during the day though, but doesn’t impact visibility.

When speaking with the tint shop. The % doesn’t impact heat much at all, only the privacy/glare reduction. It’s the IR / heat shield elements of a tint that reduce the temps in the vehicle.


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Thanks.

 

[kbuskill]

Guess I will post mine as well...

70% ceramic film over entire windshield
5% 8" wide strip/brow at the top
20% front side windows to match the factory rear tint.

 

[cheyenne383]

I just match the privacy glass with 20% on the fronts. I can't stand untinted windows, the car I use for work is stock obviously and I feel like I'm in a fishbowl.

 

[Shunto]

So I did a lot of searching and have seen some threads about what percentage to tint. The age old question of how dark/what kind/still see out/can’t see in. And a big one, how dark to tint rear factory privacy glass.

So I have completed my 07 Tahoe LT (III) yesterday and figured I’d share my findings.

I have a “reduce heat, increase privacy, still see out safely, don’t give a huge reason to get pulled over” approach.

I usually do my own tint, but as I grow older, I recognize the value of paying a good shop to do it, and it’s hard to find quality ceramic film at a consumer level. These percentages should apply closely to DIY’ers. But I’d recommend a carbon or premium heat shield tint.

A local Tint world in KATY TX helped me in my quest and we metered the windows, including the rear to see before and after.

Windshield - 75% Ceramic IR from tint world + small eyebrow
Side windows - 30% Carbon film (purchased this way) (metered)
Rear windows before - 20% factory privacy glass (metered)
Rear windows after applying 20% ceramic ir tint - 5% (metered)



This goes to prove, with quality tint, the math works for tinting over privacy glass. ( 0.2 x 0.2 = 0.4 or 4%)

I am happy with it so far, have yet to look closely at night but come to think of it I backed into my spot last night and didn’t even realize a difference....but I was ultra tired from work and in a lot parking lot. I’ll update after a week

Here a few pics. The rear really darkened the front up a bit. I know I’ll be pushing it a little locally. But at 30% on the front sides... a ticket will be hard to justify. In a perfect world I would go 25% on the front windows ... but the tint on there is quality and I don’t want to spend the money or time to drop 5%. And if I could go back in time, I would have done 25% over the rear to be just a little lighter from inside out. But still happy!

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask. (Also posted in general because I couldn’t decided between interior or exterior)

Last photo is before windshield and rear tint. You could easily see in with the factory at most anytime of the day.






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk