Widow tint removal ?

[maxwedge]

Anyone have a good method for removing old tint from a rear window without destroying the defroster grid? I checked with a local tint guy and he wanted $100 to remove it and even then he wouldn't gaurantee anything about not destroying the defroster in the process. That's all great, except for ten dollars more, I could just smash out the window with a hammer and have a glass shop replace it.:D

[YeLLowBoaT]

if you can get it started windex will help some. I would say use a hair drier, but I have no idea what it would do to the defroster.

[Magic34]

If it comes off like vinyl sitckers, I would break the damn thing if you can just get a new window.
Or dont break it, take it off and sell it on Ebay for $20.
It took me 3 1 /2 hours to take my logos off of my dually before selling it last week. Couldn't feel my finger tips for 3 days. The stickers were only on the bottom of the rear doors also. I am done with stickers and logos.

[Classic Daycruiser]

Anyone have a good method for removing old tint from a rear window without destroying the defroster grid? I checked with a local tint guy and he wanted $100 to remove it and even then he wouldn't gaurantee anything about not destroying the defroster in the process. That's all great, except for ten dollars more, I could just smash out the window with a hammer and have a glass shop replace it.:D
It's probably cheaper to replace the glass, get the free turkey from the window installer, and have tint installed on the new window.
I think "Squrit n my load" might have more options, as he is the resident auto glass man:D

[Screemy1]

high concentrate ammonia..... soak it good.... it will come off easy.....

[Big Inch]

I owned a window tinting company for 10 years. Get a black trash bag and cut it open then trim it to the size of the rear window. With your car outside on a warm day face the window into the sun. Take simple green and soak the inside of the window then put the black plastic over that and let it sit. 30 minutes or so on a warm day should be fine. Wet it again after about 15 minutes. Once it is hot to the touch you can just pull up the edge of the film and it should come off with very little effort. If it's hard to pull off let it sit longer. Once you remove the film you can spray it with more simple green and get yourself some 000 fine steel wool to scrub the rest of it off. Make sure you use only 000 fine or 0000 super fine steel wool or you will ruin your window and the defrost lines.

[RitcheyRch]

My tint guy says you spray the tint with a soapy water mixture and then put a large black vinyl trash bag over the soapy water. Put the car out in the sun for a few hours and when you peel the trash bag off it takes the tint with it.

[502 JET]

For that price just bite the bullet and have the glass replaced.
If you want to try to remove it, here are several suggestions for tint removal (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-38,GGLJ:en&q=how+to+remove+window+tint).

[maxwedge]

Thanks for the advice, now all I need to do is wait until April or May for a warm sunny day here in IL, unless you think 42 and raining will work just as good.:D
I'm assuming I could just do the trash bag thing with heat lamps or a heat gun?

[Big Inch]

Thanks for the advice, now all I need to do is wait until April or May for a warm sunny day here in IL, unless you think 42 and raining will work just as good.:D
I'm assuming I could just do the trash bag thing with heat lamps or a heat gun?
Heat gun will work just fine but you may damage the glass or trim around it if you get it too hot. If you have heat lamps and a heat gun available then try using the lamps first it may be enough to remove it if you use the simple green. Basically what you are doing is steaming the film. The simple green will penetrate the film when it gets warm enough and loosen the adhesive. You can use the heat lamps and then have someone help you and as you heat the window with the heat gun from the outside as someone pulls it off slowly from the inside. Stick with simple green from experience I can tell you that the soap and water does not work and that ammonia will make a huge stinky mess.