(Home) Blackout windows, removing

I have blackout windows on the rear passenger and rear windscreen.

The passenger windows all have bubbles and faults. One side has ripples which seem to be in the glass itself. Some is flaking off.

I would like to take the blackout off the rear windscreen, as it makes reversing in the dark very difficult. I would also like to remove it from the passenger windows.

Does anyone know if this was factory fitted? Can I peel it off and clean the glue off with white spirit? Might I damage the demister strips?

Anyone with any experience of this? It's a 1993 Super Extra.

- (#8430) Malcolm Stroud, 9 Feb 04 07:10

I think it depends on how originally fitted.
Some installers will bake the film on with a hot air gun.
I had a 5-6 inch strip at the top of my windscreen. It peeled off OK (predictably leaving bits stuck on here and there).
I was all prepared with razor blades and scrapers etc. but found that the bits left on came off very easily by just rubbing with my thumb.
Maplins sell isopropyl alcohol...very good cleaning solvent...but a bit of white spirit and or meths may clear the glue residue just as well.
The fact that the film is full of bubbles and faults makes me think it may be a DIY installation and easy to remove (fingers crossed).
Good luck with it

- (#8430) chris turner, 9 Feb 04 08:33

i used a window from our scrap townie which had already been tinted really badly for practice . the bad stuff came off ok if scored in strips with a stanley blade and use the blade as a scraper . have also found that wd40 is superb for all sorts of sticky stuff removal . as for the demister , cant guarantee it will work for you but what i did was to score just above and below the demister "wires" to remove the film between the elements and then wd on the narrow element bits and a thumb nail to scrape it off good luck !

- (#8430) chris, 9 Feb 04 13:58

successful removal of rear window tint! it must have been home applied.

started from the rear window brake light (which will now be brighter!), defining areas with a scalpel, peeling off in small areas with the help of a slide binder as a scraper. when i got to the original edges i found i could peel it off in large areas, which was much quicker. i should have started at the edges.

a razor blade with an improvised holder (some balsa wood and tape) was the best for getting the widest possible edge to peel.

on the glue that was left i tried white spirit (no), wd40 (no), and lighter fluid (yes), but found that methylated spirit was the best, in large quantities.

finally, the last bits of glue could be scraped with the razor blade - being careful to respect the surface applied demister strip of course.

it took a whole day, on and off.

next, the side windows, which look different.





- (#8430) Malcolm Stroud, 19 Feb 04 05:16