Am I crazy or would this look really good (photoshop)?

[TEQ.FZJ]

I love the new 2014 taillights but on certain colors it seems like they're just way too bright and stick out like a sore thumb. With that said, I HATE blacked out taillights. But what about a very light tint? I've been thinking of doing a vinyl wrap or having them sprayed with a tinted clear coat.

So would this be blasphemous?

Here's a vinyl-wrapped example I found

 

[alico268]

I think it would look really good, especially since the Trails are supposed to have the smoke treatment up front at the headlights. One thing, just be sure to do the driver's side as well.

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Ha yeah that might be a good idea. But aren't all the headlights on the 2014s exactly the same?

 

[alico268]

True, I guess all the 14s have the smoke treatment of front. Regardless, of the model, it would probably give a better look of uniformity and from the looks of your Cruiser, I'm sure you'll do a good job of it.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

I think it looks good. Seems very subtle so it would not cause you to be less visible at night or in adverse conditions. I saw a guy with blacked out tails the other night and he was almost invisible. Seems crazy to me lol.

 

[Hillbilly Mac]

I agree, looks good

 

[Titanpat57]

never got past the nose of the truck, breaking my neck looking at what's sitting in the garage...:yo:

 

[sandcrawler]

not crazy at all—looks good. i actually prefer the '10-13 tails to the new ones... this looks like a subtle improvement to me.

 

[bimrunner]

I like it! You do it first and then you can show me the way! layball:

 

[Tif]

I think it looks awesome!!

 

[PhoRunner]

Looks great!! Better than OEM actually. Matches the magnetic gray much better.

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Well that settles it! Now I need to decide, vinyl or paint?

 

[JustinFro]

I'd say vinyl gives you the opt-out option in case Johnny-Law has something to say.

 

[eddiebx]

Well that settles it! Now I need to decide, vinyl or paint?

With all these new age vinyl materials out there nowadays, I think you'd be a fool not to try that first. I've seen some great looking vinyl tint installs where you can't even tell that it was not tinted from the factory.

Here's another option to consider, what if you just tinted the top "clear" portion and left the red part un-tinted? It might take care of that brightness while not giving it too much of an aftermarket-ish feel?

 

[2chains]

Any update on what you came up with? Have the same thoughts on the top portion of the tail light lens having a tad too much contrast for the MGM.

 

[marshal]

i bet Lamin-X has precut pieces for the tail lights

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

I'd doubt it, those tails have a strange "extrusion" that will never allow the vinyl to conform. I got some smoked vinyl and tried to wrap mine, but after a few hours outside, the vinyl just popped right back off the lens around that extrusion, and I refuse to put tape primer on the lens, as it will be seen right through the vinyl and look like its jacked up!

The led tails really have some hard compound curves and even though I've done full vehicle wraps for many years now, this one was just too much with non-air release vinyl and not using 3M #94 primer!

Spraying them will be the only way to do this, but I really hate the way the spray looks, its way too flat, and popping open the case to spray from inside will probably not be much better and just be a ton of work.

 

[2chains]

flyinhawaiian01;I guess I'm not the only one with the same opinion on the lens, thanks for sharing your experience with this. I was thinking the same thing about the curve of the lens and the wrap. One would have to go the professional tint with paint route and match the shade of grey area in the middle of the lens, that would look really good and not cause issues for those behind you.

 

[Foques]

this is exactly what I plan on doing come the new year.