Advice about blacking out lights

[gaterose]

I have a 2003 natural white limited 4runner, I'm a little bored with solid white, so earlier I coated all the emblems with some niteshade to give them the black pearl look, and was thinking about blacking out all the lights, but need some advice first.
First of all, I have searched and can't find any pics of blacked out tail lights on a white 4runner and was wondering how that would look and if anyone has any pics of this? I have seen headlights just not tail lights.
Second, most 4runners I've seen with blacked out headlights have no fog lights or the 06 up fog lights that are black with a round reflector. Mine has the rectangle-ish fog light/turn signal combo and I'm not sure how that will look if I take the headlamp apart and paint as I've seen many on here do. I won't be able to paint anything on the fog/flasher because the entire assembly appears to be a reflector.
Finally, should I use tint film or the spray tint that I used on the emblems?

 

[kdub627]

I have a 2003 natural white limited 4runner, I'm a little bored with solid white, so earlier I coated all the emblems with some niteshade to give them the black pearl look, and was thinking about blacking out all the lights, but need some advice first.
First of all, I have searched and can't find any pics of blacked out tail lights on a white 4runner and was wondering how that would look and if anyone has any pics of this? I have seen headlights just not tail lights.
Second, most 4runners I've seen with blacked out headlights have no fog lights or the 06 up fog lights that are black with a round reflector. Mine has the rectangle-ish fog light/turn signal combo and I'm not sure how that will look if I take the headlamp apart and paint as I've seen many on here do. I won't be able to paint anything on the fog/flasher because the entire assembly appears to be a reflector.
Finally, should I use tint film or the spray tint that I used on the emblems?

Look at autobonds truck

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/51742-lift-tire-central-pics-post-em-up-10.html

 

[gaterose]

Wow.. Don't know how I missed that, I actually left a comment about his truck a couple weeks ago. Guess I forgot cuz it only has the 3 tail lights blacked out and I want my 5 rear lenses as well as 4 in the front.. I guess I just want to see an 03-05 with blacked out lights & lenses so I can see what the old style fog lights will look like

 

[Autbond]

You can actually probably use the Paint program on your PC and take a picture kind of far out and then black the lights in yourself, at least for an idea. I was going to tint my head lights also but for some reason i just didnt think it was going to look good. I think at least your lower lights on the front would look good tinted. Oh, and WAR EAGLE, haha; noticed you were in t-town, had a lot of good times there!

 

[gaterose]

Hah I thought about that but I have a mac, no paint program (one of the few things I absolutely hate about macs).. I just bought a roll of gila smoke tint for $11 from home depot, probably gonna try to tint all the lights with that and see how it looks, I'm just worried about how well it stick in wind.. at worst I'm out $11.. Did you use tint film or spray tint on your tails autbond?

T-town is more fun when you're not from here, but I guess its not as po-dunk as Auburn :jk: ROLL TIDE

 

[Autbond]

Hah I thought about that but I have a mac, no paint program (one of the few things I absolutely hate about macs).. I just bought a roll of gila smoke tint for $11 from home depot, probably gonna try to tint all the lights with that and see how it looks, I'm just worried about how well it stick in wind.. at worst I'm out $11.. Did you use tint film or spray tint on your tails autbond?

T-town is more fun when you're not from here, but I guess its not as po-dunk as Auburn :jk: ROLL TIDE

I used tint film; precut kit off of ebay and I got my window tint guy to install it for me. Another option is to find a body shop that will spray them with this special blend of black paint. Tiger Paint n' Body does it down here for about $100, it is the best looking "tint" on lights I have ever seen but it is permanent and kind of expensive. Yea, I just bought a MB Pro like 2 weeks ago; I love it, send me a pic of the rear and front of your truck from a decent distance and I can try to mess with it. my email is [email protected]

 

[ecrew16]

You cant tint your tail lights with normal window tint film. The heat shrink is wayyy to drastic. Most of the tinting places around here discontinued blacking out tail lights because the vinyl was so expensive and the opportunity cost just wasnt there. I spray mine, just back and forth until you get that even coat, then clear it after. Although if you can find the right vinyl, do that! Autbond's look great

 

[Autbond]

The bodyshop that paints them makes them look perfectly glossy, just like the paint on the car; a lot of times the spray tint will look a little matte black; Here is the link for the vinyl tint kit: Tail Light Tint Kit Toyota 4Runner 2006 - 2007

It says not to use a heat gun in the directions, but you have to!

 

[Carl_G]

Nice!!

You can actually probably use the Paint program on your PC and take a picture kind of far out and then black the lights in yourself, at least for an idea. I was going to tint my head lights also but for some reason i just didnt think it was going to look good. I think at least your lower lights on the front would look good tinted. Oh, and WAR EAGLE, haha; noticed you were in t-town, had a lot of good times there!

Autobond, those taillights look great. Well done. Subtle but effective

 

[JAC]

I did mine s with the VHT http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/55684-another-try-out-taillights-tinted.html

 

[Autbond]

Autobond, those taillights look great. Well done. Subtle but effective

Thanks, yea it doesn't take much to make them look dark against the white. It is RVinyl's dark kit but still not blacked out.

 

[gaterose]

I used a friends pc to make these:



I ordered the front fog & headlight as well as a custom tail tint kit from rvinyl, the guy said the 06 kit wouldn't fit mine or didn't include all the pieces. Good to know thats who you used and yours look good so I know what to expect.

I was going to use the VHT nightshades and even purchased a can and sprayed my badges with it, but I'm worried I will go too dark or the tint of the lights will come out uneven. If I'm disappointed with the tint I will eventually spray them or have someone else spray them.

 

[ecrew16]

Carb cleaner will get that spray right off if you plan on going that direction. :dancin:

 

[gaterose]

Thanks for all the advice, I will post some pics when the tint arrives and I install it. It will probably be a few weeks before it gets here though.

 

[ecrew16]

Thanks for all the advice, I will post some pics when the tint arrives and I install it. It will probably be a few weeks before it gets here though.

Sweet, good luck man!

Here is a pic of mine:

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/4/388/3061/38469030071_large.jpg

 

[Carl_G]

nive as well!

I did mine s with the VHT http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/55684-another-try-out-taillights-tinted.html

I never thought about blacking out the taillights before but with the way those look I think I'm going to. Should look ok on my Silver 4Runner too?

 

[liqourish]

shud u guys black out ur tail lights......it makes ur reverse light non-existant

 

[gaterose]

shud u guys black out ur tail lights......it makes ur reverse light non-existant

I'm pretty sure a good bit of the light will pass through the tint. The light smoke tint that I ordered allows 87% of light to pass through. It doesn't hurt that I have piaa xtreme white bulbs for the reverse lamps and the back up lamps on the rack... plenty of light.. I actually think my neighbors across the street may hate me because I light their house up ever time I back out
of my driveway

 

[Autbond]

shud u guys black out ur tail lights......it makes ur reverse light non-existant

Why would that be what you were worried about? I would be worried about someone not seeing my brake lights or turn signals than anything else. Mine is fine, especially with the LED tail lights. The film is not that bad about not letting as much light out.

 

[JAC]

I got a 21w backup bulb and a set of slim LED aux backups