This is a tutorial on how to tint a car side-window using window tint film, spray bottle, rubber squeegee, single-edge razor blade or utility knife
, distilled water, lint-free cloth, baby shampoo or FILM AID Application Concentrate
This is my first how-to so hopefully I am writing and explaining everything clearly enough for people to easily understand. If their are any questions, feel free to PM me at any time. I am not an expert and do not claim that status. Remember that doing any polishing work is at your own discretion. Damage done by improperly polishing can be costly, so please plan what you are doing ahead of time. On with the show.
This is a how-to that will explain the process I applied when fixing a polished wheel. The process is very similar to polishing something that has not been polished before. The roughness of the surface will determine what grit you need to start with.
Polishing is a time consuming process that will require determination and attention to detail to get right. Skipping steps or being lazy will definitely show in your final result. So, to save time, do it right the first time!!
Ok onto the main part!! For the application I’m involved with I used the following materials:
Sandpaper – grits 400-2000
Sanding block– not necessary but helps with first couple of steps. When you get into the higher sandpaper
Every year, thousands of people are involved in automobile accidents. In almost every accident, somebody acted negligently, and could have avoided the accident by exercising more caution.
I have represented thousands of accident victims and seen over and over again common accident mistakes. Most of the time, only one person is at fault. Sometimes, more than one drive shares the blame.
The following suggestions are given to help you avoid causing or contributing to an accident. This is not a hypothetical list. This is a list gleaned from years of seeing thousands of situations occur in the lives of my clients.
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or a Controlled Substance. It’s never a good idea. Some of the worst accidents I’ve seen are caused by drunk drivers. Most people who consume alcohol do not think they are too impaired to driving. Alcohol impairs reaction time, and those fractions of seconds can make a difference in driving situations.
Falling Asleep at the Wheel. If you get tired while driving, pull over and take a quick nap. I drive long distances frequently, and I pull over when I get tired. Don’t fight hrough it.
Overcorrecting. Many of the accidents I see are people who overcorrect. People see something in the road they don’t want to hit, and they swerve to miss things that would not hurt them if they hit them. Road cones. Tumbleweeds. Rubber from tires. My advice is to hit the object, and brace yourself. In most cases, the consequences are far less severe than swerving at a high rate of speed. My wife just lost a friend who was ejected from her Hummer (she was not seat-belted, either) when her husband swerved to miss a road cone, rolling vehicle several times.
Running a Red Light. Don’t enter an intersection after the light turns red. Ever.
Turning Left on a Yellow Light. When the light is turning yellow, vehicles going straight try to beat the light. But the person who needs to turn left has been waiting in the intersection. The fatal mistake I have seen time and again is the turning party turns on the assumption that the speeding car going straight is going to stop. That is a risk you should not take. Assume nothing. Even though the light turns red, you are already in the intersection. Most street have a delay between when the light turns red the opposite lights turn green. Besides, you face far less risk with cars that see you ahead of them that are accelerating from a stopped start than to pull in front of a car going 45 miles an hour.
Following Too Closely, Tailgating. It is hard in crowded traffic to keep a safe distance between you and the car in front without someone cutting in front of you, but you have to discipline yourself to do it. Think of space as a big cushion or pad of safety. That buffer of space will save you from many accidents that occur when people in front of you have to slam on their brakes or take evasive action. Many of the rear-ender accidents I handle could have been avoided if people just gave themselves more space between them and the car. The rule of thumb is one car length per 10 miles an hour, or a 2-second buffer between you and the car in front of you.
Driving in the Parking Lane. The shoulder of the road is not a lane, even though many people use it. I have seen many accidents occur as people try and use this as a travel lane. People turn into them all of the time. Any lane to right of a white line is not a driving lane.
Failure to Adjust Speed Given the Road Conditions. Too many people travel too fast, ignoring speed limits. Also, people fail to adjust their speed when hazardous conditions exist. Speed limits are maximum speeds, and if hazardous conditions exist, drop your speed below the maximum so you can have time to react to approaching conditions.
Failure to Pay Attention. Many accidents also occur because people get distracted, talking on their hand-held cell phones, leaning down to pick something up, eating, talking to someone in the car, etc. Your car is not a restaurant, phone booth or office. Force yourself to avoid distractions and remember that fractions of seconds matter if you are going to avoid or prevent accidents.
Changing Lanes without Looking. Always check your and blinds blind spots when changing lanes. I have seen a number of side swipe cases because people failed to do this.
Making Illegal Traffic Maneuvers. Don’t’ make maneuvers, such as U-turns, in places where they are not allowed. The double dashed center lanes on many of our roads are not merge left lanes, they are left turn only lanes. Only use them for their intended purposes.
I know if everyone followed the rules, I would probably be out of a job! Most people will not take my advice–but I hope you do.
Step 1
Sand the fiberglass spoiler with 200-grit sandpaper and a small sanding block. If the sanding block won’t
fit into all of the crevices, use your hand with the sandpaper, but try to keep your hand level and flat. Sand the entire surface of the spoiler that is to be painted.
Step 2
Wipe the spoiler with wax and grease remover and a lint-free towel. This removes dust and oil from your skin that can cause disturbances in the paint later. These spots may not be visible until the last coat of paint is sprayed and dried, so wipe thoroughly.
Spray three coats of primer on the spoiler, making the coats thin and evenly distributed. The entire surface should be covered in primer. Allow each coat to dry.
Step 4
Use 1200-grit sandpaper to sand the top layer of primer on the spoiler. This leaves a smooth surface for the paint. Sand lightly as to not sand through the primer. Wipe the spoiler with wax and grease remover and a lint-free towel
again.
Step 5
Paint the spoiler with four thin coats of paint, spraying light, even coats. Start with the underside of the spoiler, and finish by painting the topside. Allow each coat to dry.
Step 6
Clear the spoiler with three or four coats of automotive clear. Use light, even coats, spraying in the same pattern as the
paint was sprayed. The clear protects the paint from light scratches and UV rays that can fade the paint.
Also be sure and check out How to install a spoiler on a truck or car
Everything you need to know to measure and install a spoiler on your truck, car, van or whatever you feel needs a spoiler. Click the photos to enlarge and be sure to scroll all the way down to see a collection of FAILED SPOILERS, lol
Things You’ll Need for this project:
-
Tape measure
-
Masking tape
-
Pen or permanent marker
-
Drill
-
Drill bits
-
3/8 ratchet and sockets
-
Screwdriver, both Phillips and flathead.
Step 1
First use the masking tape to cover the rear of the trunk onto which you will be installing the spoiler. This is to protect the paint as well as using for measurements.
Using the tape measure, find the center of the trunk. Three points make a line, so mark the center of the trunk in three spots down the center of the vehicle and connect the dots to make a line. This will be the primary measuring point.
Step 3
Measure the spoiler that you’re going to install. Some spoilers have three mounting points, while others have just two. Either way, the measurements will be the same. Measure the width of the mounting holes on the wing.
Step 4
Take the measurement you just made on the wing and divide it in two. That is the center of the spoiler. Take the new divided measurement and mark from the center line on the trunk out. Use the pen or marker to put a spot on the trunk where the holes will be. Do this to both sides, using the same three-dots-for-a-line process.
Step 5
Place the wing on the vehicle and take a step back. Make sure the spoiler appears centered on the vehicle. You haven’t drilled any holes yet, so make sure this is exactly where you want the spoiler to be, because this is your last chance to get it right before drilling.
Step 6
Generally there are two mounting holes per side on a spoiler. Measure the difference
between the two holes, divide it by two, and mark that point on the outer lines that you’ve marked on the trunk. Then mark the two holes on each corner.
Step 7
Set the wing back on the trunk, this time try to place each end of the spoiler so that the mounting holes are as close as possible to the holes you’ve marked on the trunk. Step back again and confirm this is exactly where you want the spoiler. Make any adjustments if needed.
Step 8
Use a small drill bit to drill the holes that you’ve marked. If there is a wire for a third brake light, mark where that hole needs to be and drill it out as well.
Step 9
Use progressively larger drill bits until you find one that is one size larger than the screw used to mount the spoiler to the trunk. Sometimes it’s a screw, sometimes it’s a bolt, so be prepared for both options.
With a friend helping you hold the spoiler in place, start attaching the screws in from the bottom of the trunk into the spoiler. Loosely fit the screws until all of them are set.
Step 11
Close the trunk and make sure everything is lined up and straight. Remove the tape. If the spoiler needs minor adjustments, it may be possible to open up the holes that mount the spoiler, but it depends on the width of the base. Once it it set perfectly, have a friend hold it still, then tighten down the spoiler to the trunk.
Always make sure to measure twice, drill once. If you’re not sure of your measurements, step back and take a break, then come back and check again. Always be sure your measurements are accurate before you make that first hole.
How will you know if you installed your spoiler correctly? Please view the photos below, if your new spoiler install looks anything like these, you probably did it wrong! lol SPOILER FAIL
Make sure you also check out How to sand, prime and paint fiberglass spoilers
1- Use public transportation. It’s time to ride the bus again and to take the metro. If you hate public transportation you
can ride your bike to work or even walk.
2- Carpool. Find coworkers who live close to you. Offer to give 10$ per week of gas money. This will cost you less than going to work by yourself and give you someone to talk to while heading at the office. You can even use carpooling to do your groceries and other routine shopping.
3- Combine errands and walk between stops. Try to do your groceries and find a pharmacy close by (walking distance ?) I believe now Wal-Mart actually combines both type of stores! With the new concepts of supermalls where all the big retailers rent space right beside each other it would be smart to drive to one place and stay there for all your purchases.
4- Drive slower. The faster you drive the more gas you are burning. If you drive over 55 miles per hour your gas
consumption per extra mile is greater than below that speed. A rapid acceleration is a big gas-burner too, I know it’s fun to drive fast, especially after that red light but is it worth the extra cost? Cruise control on the highway is another great way to lower your long distance travel bill.
5- Keep your tires well-inflated. Inflated tires help you get better gas mileage by reducing the friction tires can create on the road. This is probably the oldest trick in the book.
6- Keep your vehicle light. Remove any unnecessary weight from the car. The more load you carry the heavier it is and then it only costs more to move around. Also try to remove anything that can create drag with your car. (eg: bike racks or ski racks)
7- Parking in shadow will reduce the evaporation of gasoline from your tank, as sitting in the hot sun speeds up that process. Parking in the shade also keeps it cooler inside, and you will need less A/C to cool off when you get back in.
8- Turn off your engine if you are going to be
idling. Millions of gallons of fuel are wasted each day from idling, we all do it and it’s actually almost unconscious. The other day I dropped off a friend who just needed to walk in and send a later to the post office, without realizing it I idled for 5 minutes. If you look at it on a larger scale, a few hundred thousand people idling every day we can save a lot of gas consumption right there.
9- Warm your engine first, specifically for the folks living in the northern hemisphere, try not to drive a lot with a cold engine. Not only this is bad for your car, cold engines do not run efficiently. This is actually written in most cars manufacturer manuals who reads those anyways, but you should!).
10- Buy a high mileage car like a MINI or a Toyota PRIUS hybrid cars, or better yet move closer to where you work.
Hopefully this will help you reduce the gallon/mile ration you have right now. If you want to make a profit out of the skyrocketing commodity price, invest in buying stocks from oil companies or any utility company. For some reason I cannot explain, they always make more money when the price of their product goes up (which they have no control over). As for me, I am going to start using my bike more often, it’s free and on top of that it combines getting from point A to B while keeping fit!
