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Taillight tint

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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 04:37 PM
  #1  
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Taillight tint

Wasn’t sure if I would like it, but here is before and after with tinted taillights. Still plenty of light with lights on.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 05:55 PM
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Looks badass. I would love to do that but my luck would be to get pulled over by a cop who found out that morning his wife is leaving him and his girlfriend has been cheating on him.
I'll stick with my 5% over privacy glass and 20% up front
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 06:35 PM
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While I'll agree it looks nice, the tint still reduces output. Brake lights are something I want everyone to see as bright as possible.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 06:38 PM
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Might upgrade the bulbs to LED.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 07:20 PM
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Looks good! Is that the spray on type or film? Im in the process of blacking out some stuff on my truck, wouldnt mind doing that. I like the film because it's fully reversible if it becomes an issue.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 07:40 PM
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This is the film. Yep if I decide I don’t like it easily removable.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Scag_Driver
Looks badass. I would love to do that but my luck would be to get pulled over by a cop who found out that morning his wife is leaving him and his girlfriend has been cheating on him.
I'll stick with my 5% over privacy glass and 20% up front
^^ +1 In Commie-fornia, I would probably be arrested and beaten for doing this. But it does look cool. Although as an EMS guy working lots of accident scenes, I'm always concerned about dumb-*****s crushing me because they didn't see my lights.
 
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Old Jan 14, 2020 | 08:25 PM
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It's not likely that that the tail light could pass the FMVSS-108, photometric light output requirement for a motor vehicle. Agree that it looks cool, but, I'll bet that if you were rear ended, a good ambulance chaser could make a compelling case that your mod was responsible.
 
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Old Jan 15, 2020 | 04:14 AM
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I like how all the tail light police come out of the woodwork....lol.
OP, they look good
 
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Old Aug 24, 2021 | 12:14 PM
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I put 50% tint on mine, there was 0 lumen difference according to 2 separate LUX meter. I then swapped out for LED’s. With LED’s and the 50% tint, mine are 220% brighter than factory. Also, from the factory, the Fseries trucks already have a higher lumen than recommended for tail lights by the National Safety Council and the Highway Safety Council. So if it doesn’t make it less bright (like a heavier tint would) it would actually be a good thing. There is a happy medium. Too little light, hard to see. Too much light will cause a glare (or flares around the light) in other drivers eyes that reduce their ability to perceive depth, and they may misjudge how far they are from you. From the factory the fseries gives this “glare.” Brighter isn’t better.


Originally Posted by BC2019F250
While I'll agree it looks nice, the tint still reduces output. Brake lights are something I want everyone to see as bright as possible.
 
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Old Aug 24, 2021 | 12:22 PM
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Really? I’m stationed in community-fornia and I’m dumbfounded with everything that is legal, in terms of cars, our here. I’ve lived in 5 states and CA is by far the most lienient with vehicle modifications, except for the dumb emissions testing and safety inspections. Even underbody lighting is legal here 😂 I’ve got a ridiculous amount of lights on my truck and they are all road legal (except for the large light bar.) Believe me I don’t drive with all this on though since I don’t want to blind people 😂 I’ve also got 10% tint which I don’t think is legal but I’ve never been stopped before. I even have 50% tint on the windshield (medical reason) that I haven’t been pulled over for yet. I’ll attach a photo. Now they just need to be this penitent about by 27 guns they are trying to take from me….





Originally Posted by camxracer
^^ +1 In Commie-fornia, I would probably be arrested and beaten for doing this. But it does look cool. Although as an EMS guy working lots of accident scenes, I'm always concerned about dumb-*****s crushing me because they didn't see my lights.
 
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Old Aug 24, 2021 | 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by alec zizzo
Really? I’m stationed in community-fornia and I’m dumbfounded with everything that is legal, in terms of cars, our here. I’ve lived in 5 states and CA is by far the most lienient with vehicle modifications, except for the dumb emissions testing and safety inspections. Even underbody lighting is legal here 😂 I’ve got a ridiculous amount of lights on my truck and they are all road legal (except for the large light bar.) Believe me I don’t drive with all this on though since I don’t want to blind people 😂 I’ve also got 10% tint which I don’t think is legal but I’ve never been stopped before. I even have 50% tint on the windshield (medical reason) that I haven’t been pulled over for yet. I’ll attach a photo. Now they just need to be this penitent about by 27 guns they are trying to take from me….
Off topic but there are plenty of laws in regards to vehicle lighting here in California. Position of light, color, height, and when they can and can't be on. Without a medical exemption tint is not legal on the front windows yet I'm sure you see many cars daily completely blacked out. Just like anywhere else, enforcement varies. I have been cited twice in the past 16+ years of having tinted windows. Same vehicle with 20% on the side front glass and that was the reason for the stop. Once by local PD, once by Highway patrol. It's not that we don't have the laws It's just a matter of if and/or when they feel like enforcing them. Many are ignored unless you are asking for trouble, they are bored, or looking to boost revenue.
Safety inspections? I've been in this state my entire driving life, never had a safety inspection. That must be something having to do with bringing in an out of state vehicle.
As far as the guns, it only gets worse here.
 
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Old Aug 24, 2021 | 01:12 PM
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Light output is one thing, but how does it work as a reflector? I could be wrong (and have been many times before) but don’t tail lights do double duty as red reflectors?
 
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Old Aug 24, 2021 | 01:51 PM
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I like the look but can't get away with it in MA. I settled for spray tinting my 3rd brake light. Haven't been hassled for it and still pass inspections. If I did the tail lights, I'd be flagged at the inspection station for sure...
 
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Old Aug 24, 2021 | 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Sport45
Light output is one thing, but how does it work as a reflector? I could be wrong (and have been many times before) but don’t tail lights do double duty as red reflectors?
That is true. I was warned about that once during a traffic stop on a motorcycle I owned. In stock form, unlike most cars and trucks, the red reflectors were attached to a fender that had been removed. The officer made sure to inform me that he could cite me for it. Just like many of these vehicle laws, chances are very slim that you'll actually get cited for it. In this case they are technically still there, I guess it comes down to if they still "reflect".
 
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