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Tint Opinions

5K views 41 replies 23 participants last post by  bulldog777 
#1 ·
Hey guys looking to get some opinions on what percentage tints to throw on my JK. Currently I have a soft top with the factory tints in the back at 20%. But I'm not sure if going darker on the driver and passenger windows will look off balance with the soft top.

Also what are your recommendation on getting the windshield tinted?

Any opinions with pics will be appreciated.


Thank You
 
#2 ·
I like the tint to be universal all around. Just personal opinion. I think my jeep has legal tint but it is universal and I love it(had the tint when I got it)!

I had a truck before I got my jeep and getting tint tickets are not fun. Had 15% on my truck and it costed $120 in a ticket.
 
#4 ·
Laws vary by state

I have both tops and my hard top has the factory deep tint. I added legal just a shade lighter tint to the front driver and passenger windows. Looks good imo. I have been thinking of going darker all around, but I agree it may not look right with the soft top tint.
 
#14 ·
I have both tops and my hard top has the factory deep tint. I added legal just a shade lighter tint to the front driver and passenger windows. Looks good imo. I have been thinking of going darker all around, but I agree it may not look right with the soft top tint.
Agreed- I also have the dual tops and went with 30% on the fronts. Ideally I would match all the way around, but visibility out the windows at night and avoiding tickets in MA outweighs that benefit for me. 30% on the fronts serves it's purpose for security from people walking by and looking in as well as aesthetics in my opinion.
 
#5 ·
Tint tickets here are $175, but the police don't typically write people unless their windows are really dark. 20% may not look too dark during the day but are very dark and difficult to see out of at night. Anything darker is unsafe and tacky imo. Tinting the entire windshield is illegal most everywhere. Having a "brow" at the top of the windshield really helps when driving towards a rising or setting sun, but anything excessive (typically lower than five inches) is illegal in many states.
I'd suggest searching for your state's tint laws before having it installed.
 
#13 ·
Here, its more than the ticket. Its considered a safety hazard, and you're prohibited from any further driving of the vehicle until the tinting is removed. That means a tow to a window shop, or you need to scape it off right there on the side of the road. Our local paper ran a pic a while ago, showing some poor young guy scraping the tinting off with a single edge razor blade, while the officer watched.
 
#8 ·
Tinting the windshield is a dangerous proposition. First, the JK's have inferior headlights, so tinting the windshield will make this issue worse. Even with a headlight upgrade, why would you want to reduce your nighttime visibility. Second, I noticed with my TJ that had 35% on the side windows, I would get a lot of reflection on the windows. Basically, if a vehicle passed me to the right, I would get a reflection of that vehicle's headlights on my driver's side window that made it appear out of my peripheral vision that a vehicle was also passing on my left. I wouldn't want that mirror effect on my windshield while driving at night.

Also keep in mind when choosing a tint for the sides, the factory glass is tinted to 70% light transmittance. This means that placing a 50% film will net you 35% light transmittance. Basically, multiply your film percentage by .70 and this will give you the end result. If you were trying to match 20%, you would want to add a 30% film which would net you 21%.

I love the look of deep tinted windows, but IMHO, the reduced visibility and resulting safety concern just isn't worth it, not to mention the risk of getting a citation. In MD, you can receive a citation and/or a Safety Equipment Repair Order. If you get an SERO, you have to remove the tint within 30 days or they suspend the tags on your vehicle. I've known more than one person who paid to have their windows tinted only to spend hours scraping it off a few weeks later.
 
#9 ·
The problem wont be the exterior appearance, it will be inside looking out. Most options are going to leave the front really dark, and the rear will be very light. On another car, we only tinted the front windows, and but the rear factor was too bright inside. Ended up doing whole car, peripheral vision of the light/color change was annoying.
 
#10 ·
I have 15% on both mine, it matches great. On my Willys I am planning on having 35% on my windshield when I get time. I would not do it with stock lights but my hid are plenty bright enough to not cause me any issues
 
#15 ·
Hey guys looking to get some opinions on what percentage tints to throw on my JK. Currently I have a soft top with the factory tints in the back at 20%. But I'm not sure if going darker on the driver and passenger windows will look off balance with the soft top.

Also what are your recommendation on getting the windshield tinted?

Any opinions with pics will be appreciated.

Thank You
I have a hard top. Factory tint specs I don't know, but I had the fronts tinted to 5% and my tint guy, and any good tint person, will be able to match the new and factory tint. My windshield though, I did the whole thing at 70%. It's really not dark at all, but the heat reduction and reduced glare are well worth the risk to me. I had this same set up on my old truck and I never was pulled over or questioned for it.
 
#16 ·
20% on the front to match the hard top. As others have stated, it is sometimes an issue at night with reflections. But after a week or so you get used to them. I love the look of matches windows all around that's why I went with 20%. 35% is the legal limit on the front here. But no need to worry about police here considering they love us firemen! But if I ever do get stopped for it, I have a note from a dermatologist saying some BS about needing to keep out of the sun as often as I can and that windows needed to be tinted

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Vintage car Hardtop


!
 
#21 ·
But if I ever do get stopped for it, I have a note from a dermatologist saying some BS about needing to keep out of the sun as often as I can and that windows needed to be tinted !
Like that note's going to allow you to break the law. Good luck with that.

Tinting too dark, besides being a safety issue for the driver, is also a safety issue for any Police Officer that pulls the vehicle over. Not being able to see inside due to heavily tinted window, makes it hard to see the hands of the occupants. And if you can't see the hands, then you can't see the gun pointed at you.
 
#17 ·
20% all around (except the windshield, which has no tint) and it is perfect. No problem seeing out at night and makes a dramatic difference in interior temps. Then again, I don't live in a police state like many of you guys do. The cops here have a different attitude, thankfully.
 
#20 ·
I am doing the same for my 2dr. Probably just going to do 30% on the driver side and passenger side windows. I will never touch the front windshield.
 
#31 ·
I did 30% sides and about 6" strip of 5% on the front. It matches nicely, but not as dark as the factory rears:



Just depends on how you look at it:
 
#40 ·
Hey guys looking to get some opinions on what percentage tints to throw on my JK. Currently I have a soft top with the factory tints in the back at 20%. But I'm not sure if going darker on the driver and passenger windows will look off balance with the soft top. Also what are your recommendation on getting the windshield tinted? Any opinions with pics will be appreciated. Thank You
I've had 2 vehicles with 5% tints all around (except windshield) and was never pulled over here in Miami, Florida. However, I was pulled over while driving to Orlando on the Florida Turnpike in Port St. Lucie and the trooper did measure the percentage. I was lucky and got off with a warning but that was enough to make me re-do the whole car I had at the time to 20% all around and I did 40% on the windshield. No issues with seeing outside from inside but it did make the windows look darker from the outside but nothing like the 5% I had previously. I have to say the 20% all around and the 40% windshield was my favorite set-up.

Now, for those of you talking about police vehicles with dark tints and police officers using their computer while driving:
Most officers down here who have the really dark tints are K-9 units. Yes, others may have them but they're likely not as dark as the K-9 units and it is really hot and really sunny down here. They don't have them to deceive the public, they have them to keep them cool and dry while they drive around sunny south Florida for 8-10 hours of the day and sometimes more depending on overtime.

I am a police dispatcher here in South Florida and where I work just so happens to be the busiest public safety answering point in all of the southeastern United States. We have two separate positions because there is no way the same person answering our calls would be able to dispatch with our call volume. The computers that the officers use are essential to relieve air traffic in our districts. I can assure you though, all of our priority calls and priority incidents are handled via the radio. The computers are there for routine requests, calls, and messages. I can't speak for every agency, every department or every county, but I can speak for my own. Are there bad apples that probably abuse the tints and computer policy as well as many other things? I'm sure of it, but don't generalize a whole profession because of the few that break the rules...
 
#41 ·
I went to get my Jeep inspected today and they failed it because they said they windows are tinted too dark. I bought the Jeep slightly used and the previous owner had gotten the windows tinted. Here in Louisiana you are supposed to have 40% minimum light transmission and I have 21%. Now I get to spend a bunch of money having the windows re-tinted.
 
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