window tint - 30% on the windshield

coker6303

Keep Calm and Chive On!!
Aug 6, 2009
2,484
0
36
40
Houston, TX
Am I wasting my time doing 40% on the windshield? Or should I just man up and do 30?

I'm sure 40 would be fine. That's still going to be way better than none at all. Plus, it helps with the heat on the dash.

Check with your tint guy, be sure to get the lifetime carbon tint. Better heat reduction and no fade
 

Lparrill

And here we go again
Jul 30, 2010
445
9
18
Lander, WY
Am I wasting my time doing 40% on the windshield? Or should I just man up and do 30?

Not at all. I have 35% full windshield on my truck and just put 50% on my girlfriends truck. Granted I like my 35% better but her 50% still is a huge improvement over just a brow
 

bigjake18

Member
Apr 2, 2013
85
0
6
college station, tx
I have double limo on the back, 5% over 20% on the front and 35% I believe on the windshield. Talk about a cave! And having a back up camera is definitely a plus:thumb:
 

NC-smokinlmm

<<<Future tuna killer
May 29, 2011
5,214
364
83
At Da Beach
I did 35% on mine and 5 everywhere else. I couldn't bring myself to drive a fishbowl around, plus the heat here is brutal in summer. And driving without sunglasses is tits...
 

MACKIN

Smell My Finger...
Aug 14, 2006
3,948
1
0
Connecticut
Nahh say what you want but it has to be a huge PITA at night having the windshield tinted! In the rain it has to be worse also. The cops around here would have a field day with you also. I never had a problem with side window tint when I got pulled over ,if I did, I would put the interior dome light on and power down the windows.

If you get a tint warning (verbal) then a written warning you have to go to DMV for a inspection. That means you remove . If you re-apply get three tickets then they revoke your registration! That goes for any repeat violation including loud pipes on bikes.

I still say your FOS saying it's OK at night!At night it was horrible backing up in a unlit area. I cannot imagine on a dark back road! :baby:
 

Cknight199

New member
Aug 23, 2012
1,827
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Salt Lake City, Utah
Nahh say what you want but it has to be a huge PITA at night having the windshield tinted! In the rain it has to be worse also. The cops around here would have a field day with you also. I never had a problem with side window tint when I got pulled over ,if I did, I would put the interior dome light on and power down the windows.

If you get a tint warning (verbal) then a written warning you have to go to DMV for a inspection. That means you remove . If you re-apply get three tickets then they revoke your registration! That goes for any repeat violation including loud pipes on bikes.

I still say your FOS saying it's OK at night!At night it was horrible backing up in a unlit area. I cannot imagine on a dark back road! :baby:


I honestly have no problem driving at night with a tinted windshield. The HID's help a TON though. Without them it would be more difficult. As for the law enforcement, every state is different. Here in Utah they give you a tint violation ticket which is a fancy fix it ticket. You can either fix it and get it signed off, or pay $60 and the ticket disappears.
 

duratothemax

<--- slippery roads
Aug 28, 2006
7,139
10
0
Wyoming
Nahh say what you want but it has to be a huge PITA at night having the windshield tinted! In the rain it has to be worse also

I still say your FOS saying it's OK at night!At night it was horrible backing up in a unlit area. I cannot imagine on a dark back road! :baby:

x2…

Having 5% on your side windows is dumb and dangerous too IMO. Ive driven trucks with tint that dark and yeah, you cant see shit backing up at night…but even worse/more importantly, you cant even see cars next to you on the highway. If I have to slam on the brakes and do an emergency lane change, I dont want to have to look "hard" through the window/tint to see my mirrors if anyone is in the other lane.

HID's or not (dont get me started on how shitty HID's in stock housings are compared to a real projector setup), you still cut down a huge amount on your night vision.

IDGAF what you "think"…your eyes are playing tricks on you. Its physically impossible to see as well out of a tinted windshield at night. You guys with your tinted windshileds and awful plug-and-play HID setups, Ill gladly put my truck (no windshield tint, and bi-xenon projector retrofit plus halogen HIR high beams) side-by-side with yours at night on a long straight dark road and you'll be shocked at how bad your night vision actually is. You honestly cant tell what you're missing until you've "seen the light", no pun intended.

I used to think my plug-and-play HID setup with the all-4 mod was tits and I THOUGHT I could see 20 miles down the road (while being a jackass and blinding oncoming drivers)….now after having my bi-xenon projector retrofit in my truck and getting used to it for a couple years, I get so frustrated and annoyed when I have to drive friends' trucks (with the ubiquitous plug-and-play HID/all 4 mod), because I realize how shitty/uncontrolled/unfocused the light output actually is.

Ive lost track of how many people have ridden in my truck (who themselves own the typical plug-and-play HID's in their own truck, and naturally think they are awesome), when I have the low beams on, they think my headlights "suck" because they are actually aimed PROPERLY (to evenly light the narrow field road, evenly light the extreme sides of the road, have a sharp beam cutoff, and NOT blind oncoming drivers) and dont just spill random light around everywhere liek plug-and-play setups, they actually focus the light 100% where you need it and nowhere else….then I flip to high beams and its always a "WHOOAAAA holy shittttt!!!!" reaction from them….

rant off.

Ben
 

minerigger

Active member
Dec 24, 2013
2,660
1
38
Casper, WY
Ben what setup do you have on your obs for lights? I won't do HIDS but what you have seems like something I'd much rather enjoy
 

Cknight199

New member
Aug 23, 2012
1,827
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Salt Lake City, Utah
Well if you like me, I like to know what cars are around me 24/7 so I'm constantly checking my mirrors to see if there are cars approaching, so if I am in that situation where I have to make a sudden swerve into another lane, I already know if there is a car there or not. Granted that means I roll my windows down once every couple minutes to see if there is a car there. BUT it's pretty easy to tell if there is a car next to me anyways because their headlights are lighting up the land next to me.

And I don't have projectors in my truck, but have NEVER been flashed for blinding someone unless my brights are on. Yes they throw light everywhere, but I have them aimed low. I've driven in a Mercedes that had their "smart lights" with HID's and projectors, and my headlights light up the road and sides of the road with more light period. You can disagree but these are my findings. Hell I'll agree that projectors are better for trucks though, as they shine farther. But I don't want to spend the hundreds it takes to retrofit nor do I want projectors on my truck period as they just aren't as good looking as a classic headlight on our trucks.
 

Cknight199

New member
Aug 23, 2012
1,827
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0
Salt Lake City, Utah
Here are some pics to compare with how low you have to be before you get glare from my HID's. Pay no attention to the gmc as his aren't setup like mine.

Above the headlights where an oncoming car would be (no glare)ImageUploadedByTapatalk1407351727.347480.jpg

Level with the headlights where you would have to be in a pretty low carImageUploadedByTapatalk1407351796.382711.jpg
 

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NC-smokinlmm

<<<Future tuna killer
May 29, 2011
5,214
364
83
At Da Beach
x2…

Having 5% on your side windows is dumb and dangerous too IMO. Ive driven trucks with tint that dark and yeah, you cant see shit backing up at night…but even worse/more importantly, you cant even see cars next to you on the highway. If I have to slam on the brakes and do an emergency lane change, I dont want to have to look "hard" through the window/tint to see my mirrors if anyone is in the other lane.

HID's or not (dont get me started on how shitty HID's in stock housings are compared to a real projector setup), you still cut down a huge amount on your night vision.

IDGAF what you "think"…your eyes are playing tricks on you. Its physically impossible to see as well out of a tinted windshield at night. You guys with your tinted windshileds and awful plug-and-play HID setups, Ill gladly put my truck (no windshield tint, and bi-xenon projector retrofit plus halogen HIR high beams) side-by-side with yours at night on a long straight dark road and you'll be shocked at how bad your night vision actually is. You honestly cant tell what you're missing until you've "seen the light", no pun intended.

I used to think my plug-and-play HID setup with the all-4 mod was tits and I THOUGHT I could see 20 miles down the road (while being a jackass and blinding oncoming drivers)….now after having my bi-xenon projector retrofit in my truck and getting used to it for a couple years, I get so frustrated and annoyed when I have to drive friends' trucks (with the ubiquitous plug-and-play HID/all 4 mod), because I realize how shitty/uncontrolled/unfocused the light output actually is.

Ive lost track of how many people have ridden in my truck (who themselves own the typical plug-and-play HID's in their own truck, and naturally think they are awesome), when I have the low beams on, they think my headlights "suck" because they are actually aimed PROPERLY (to evenly light the narrow field road, evenly light the extreme sides of the road, have a sharp beam cutoff, and NOT blind oncoming drivers) and dont just spill random light around everywhere liek plug-and-play setups, they actually focus the light 100% where you need it and nowhere else….then I flip to high beams and its always a "WHOOAAAA holy shittttt!!!!" reaction from them….

rant off.

Ben


Move to the beach, then you can judge...:thumb:
 

durallymax

New member
Apr 26, 2008
2,756
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Under The Hood
Ben what setup do you have on your obs for lights? I won't do HIDS but what you have seems like something I'd much rather enjoy

He has HID's..... He just has proper HID's from the sounds of it. Most are HID's put into stock housings. Why? Because its cheap. Not only is the housing wrong, but there is no leveling system which is required for Bi-Xenon to be legal. That way every time you go over a bump your lights dont blind someone. Leveling system adds cost and complexity as well.

x2…

Having 5% on your side windows is dumb and dangerous too IMO.

HID's or not (dont get me started on how shitty HID's in stock housings are compared to a real projector setup), you still cut down a huge amount on your night vision.

5 is too much.

I hate poor HID's, but what I hate most is how every damn Chevy/GMC owner cranks up their torsion bars and never adjusts their headlights. The ones I hate most are the ones who do that and then put their poor HID's in. Very annoying, especially in a car.

I want to put the Bi-Xenon projectors in my wife's car, but the cost is keeping me from doing it. Won't go the cheap route because I hate meeting cheapos on the road myself and don't want to be another one of those guys. The cost keeps most from ever doing it right though. over a grand to get the housings, sensors, etc for a Jetta plus you need a highline CECM.

I prefer projectors anyways, heck my tractor in the picture above has them lol. The new ones come with Bi-LED driving lights with leveling. Damn Germans
 

chrisuns

Member
Sep 11, 2009
283
0
16
San Antonio, TX
Here's my old one with 5% sides, rear and 30% windshield. Quad evo projectors and hids.

The g35 has the same tint as well.
 

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coker6303

Keep Calm and Chive On!!
Aug 6, 2009
2,484
0
36
40
Houston, TX
If you can't spot another cars headlights at night in your side mirrors with tint then you probably need your license revoked to daytime only.

I've been running the exact tint setup (except it was 35% instead of 30% now on the windshield) since 2009, no accidents back home in the middle of no where or here in the big city of Houston. A girl pulled out in front of me, we barely scraped bumpers as I maneuvered, she didn't have tint and still didn't see me. no issue on my end.

You will not see me arguing that I can see as good at night with the dark tint as no tint, but what I'm saying is I have no issue seeing or monitoring my surroundings at all with my dark tint.

The reward during the hot summer days is well worth the small loss of visibility at night and the risk of a ticket.

On a main road, but you get the idea. This phone camera isn't going to gather as much light as your eyes anyway. I'll have to take a pic on a farm road.
 

MACKIN

Smell My Finger...
Aug 14, 2006
3,948
1
0
Connecticut
Thats a pretty well lit street go take a photo on a wooded rural road .

I'm just stating my opinion if you get by with it great I just hope nothing ever happens and the tinted windshield is brought up in a accident.

Edit: I'm not saying it doesn't look good or will it keep the temps down but is the reward worth the risk? You be the judge
 

coker6303

Keep Calm and Chive On!!
Aug 6, 2009
2,484
0
36
40
Houston, TX
Thats a pretty well lit street go take a photo on a wooded rural road .

I'm just stating my opinion if you get by with it great I just hope nothing ever happens and the tinted windshield is brought up in a accident.

Edit: I'm not saying it doesn't look good or will it keep the temps down but is the reward worth the risk? You be the judge

I mentioned it being a city highway, I won't be going to the family land this weekend so I can't get a good secluded pic.

Well worth the risk to me. Love it! :woott:

Kind of like those 11.8's on a stock motor CC/SB, makes me smile on the inside
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
Staff member
Vendor/Sponsor
Feb 14, 2007
13,735
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Texas!!!
I drove Russell's old truck with the same tint setup. The tinted windshield wasn't near as troublesome as the dark tinted side windows. You can forget backing up without rolling the windows down. I actually didn't mind the windshield tint at all. I couldn't see as well as I could out of my truck, but I've driven vehicles without tinted windshields that were worse. I wouldn't say it's bad. As a matter of fact, it's so subtle and unnoticeable, I thought he had it removed before he traded it in.