Smoke tail/headlights

[Finning215]

All i did was a simple question, i don't see what the big deal is....

It's not that big of a deal, it's just that your comment (that was hardly a question) was a dumb one. We get you don't like it, fine move on to another thread.

 

[TouchOfEvil]

It's not that big of a deal, it's just that your comment (that was hardly a question) was a dumb one. We get you don't like it, fine move on to another thread.

My question was not to imply i did not like it but rather how could someone not realize the end result. That result being diminished light output. Guess you didn't read the question at hand.

BTW, Smoke is done with using clear and black aka. transparent black.
It's the internet people, everyone is a critic.

 

[Finning215]

My question was not to imply i did not like it but rather how could someone not realize the end result. That result being diminished light output. Guess you didn't read the question at hand.

BTW, Smoke is done with using clear and black aka. transparent black.
It's the internet people, everyone is a critic.

I'm not sure why you think I don't already know that light output would be affected? I was only saying I didn't like the degree to which it was affected. Putting anything, Lamin-X included, on your headlight will affect output to some degree. In this case AS I SAID, the affect was too great for me.

BTW, it's still not black

 

[Harley#356]

I'm not sure why you think I don't already know that light output would be affected? I was only saying I didn't like the degree to which it was affected. Putting anything, Lamin-X included, on your headlight will affect output to some degree. In this case AS I SAID, the affect was too great for me.

BTW, it's still not black

yeah thats why I waited till I ordered HIDs to put the lamin-x film on, and I went with the lightest tint they offered. It's just enough to give the lights a hue of smoke look like the factory taillights, but not too much in that the light output with HIDs and lamin-x is still more than stock halogens without lamin-x.

 

[TouchOfEvil]

Ended up going this route as the smoked look wasn't what I thought it would be. I liked the look during the day, but lost a little headlight function at night, which was a deal-breaker for me.

This post in no way indicates you knew it would diminish the light output. Losing a LITTLE headlight function and being a deal breaker again should have been obvious. Now you say you knew it would lower output so if you knew why did you even bother? Makes zero sense and believe it or not clear coat and black is still black. Smoke is just what it is called.

 

[Finning215]

This post in no way indicates you knew it would diminish the light output. Losing a LITTLE headlight function and being a deal breaker again should have been obvious. Now you say you knew it would lower output so if you knew why did you even bother? Makes zero sense and believe it or not clear coat and black is still black. Smoke is just what it is called.

Losing a little function of the headlight is far different than output being slighty affected. I wasn't comfortable with how they performed, which I did not expect. I'm not sure why it would be obvious that smoking a headlight with a film would be so much different than a smoke plastidip? I also knew that a lamin-x film would lower output, but am satisfied with the performance. All-in-all I am out about $2-3 in product and thought I would share what I found, both from an aesthetic and performance standpoint.

What you see in the pics above has about 7 coats of smoke, it's hardly black. It takes 5 coats to even notice.

 

[Finning215]

yeah thats why I waited till I ordered HIDs to put the lamin-x film on, and I went with the lightest tint they offered. It's just enough to give the lights a hue of smoke look like the factory taillights, but not too much in that the light output with HIDs and lamin-x is still more than stock halogens without lamin-x.

I too went with the lightest tint, but do not have HIDs yet. The output is still satisfactory.

 

[LakersCentral]

[MENTION=224744]Finning215[/MENTION] / [MENTION=231028]Harley#356[/MENTION]

What percentage tint did y'all use on your headlights? or if Lamin-X didn't give a percentage, what would you approximate it is?

Also, how is the headlight tint holding up after about a year?

 

[SurrealOne]

Finning,
I also live in calif I wanted to share another MOD you might like and thats the re-relase of the calif legacy plates. I have a blacked out 2014 sport and will changing my plates to the black plates
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/legacyplates/index

I also live in the same part of south county I'm pretty sure I have seen your ride around town and I think it looks clean. Good luck with the MOD's

 

[LakersCentral]

I was told by my tint guy that the tint used on windows is different than what would be used on plexiglass, but I don't know the difference. He suggested I might try painting the standard headlights to achieve the same darkness as the Sport lights. After seeing this thread, I don't think that works very well. Glad someone tried it before me!

I would still like to try using a film on the headlight. I'll perform a restoration on the them first to get out any scratches / imperfections, and then keep my fingers crossed. I put the standard housing next to the sport and my tint guy said the sport light had a tint equivalent of 70%, so I'll give that a shot.

Anyone know of a trusted quality film to get off ebay?

 

[SurrealOne]

Yes it is not the same tint you use for windows it is a vinyl type of wrap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/11-15-FORD-...rd|Model:Explorer&hash=item566895f6b6&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/11-14-Explo...353&rk=3&rkt=6&mehot=pp&sd=371121845942&rt=nc

 

[LakersCentral]

thanks. i'll look for the vinyl ones.

the ebay store you provided (for the headlights) only sell "20% dark smoke or 35% light smoke". assuming they are measuring correctly, a 35% is hardly a "light smoke". it may look light, but i certainly don't want to lose 65% of my light throughput. in actuality, it may not be that bad since the light source is only a few inches from the film. but i'm thinking a 70% film would be more practical. all i'm trying to do is match the darkness of the Sport housing.

 

[NJXPLORER]

I hit mine with three coats of Knightshades. They look awesome and turn lots heads.
Nice Explorer BTW.

 

[LakersCentral]

Thanks. got some pics?

 

[Harley#356]

[MENTION=224744]Finning215[/MENTION] / [MENTION=231028]Harley#356[/MENTION]

What percentage tint did y'all use on your headlights? or if Lamin-X didn't give a percentage, what would you approximate it is?

Also, how is the headlight tint holding up after about a year?

I used the lightest shade of tint that Lamin-X offers. And as mentioned it's NOTHING like window tint at all! Spend the coin and buy the lamin-x.

It's just dark enough to really make a difference in appearance, and doesn't noticibily affect night time visibility whatsoever.

Still looks like the day it was installed a year and a half later.