So I bought a blackout lamin-x set for my taillights and turns out it's not as simple as the directions make it out to be. There's no way to adjust the film because it sticks instantly when applied to the lens'.

And the directions say it can be peeled off and re-applied numerous times, but there has to be a simpler way to doing this that i'm not aware of.

I read the other thread about this issue, but there was just bickering and arguing going on so I couldn't quite get what was being suggested. I heard someone suggest to buy a sheet and cut it yourself because the pre-cut ones don't fit right. There was also something being suggested about using palmolive or baby soap or something like that.

So what's the best bet to get these things on right??

 

OP, there are many ways to do it, the way I found was best is to spray the film and lense down with a good amount of water and apply the film, when wet it will slide around on the lens till you squeege the water out from underneath and use a blow dryer if you need to stretch it.

 

^^i agree with both statements. i had to take my headlight kit to a tintshop after i f*$@ it up the first time. they had to use heat and other tricks of the trade to get em on, but they look real nice now.

 

If you have a problem with that then fell free NOT to post a pointless response.

 

you tell em rico. i was thinking about doing my tails but i have a whole red/black thing going on so i think im gonna leave the tails alone. but, yes lamin-x is a pia! good customer service though

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tokyosmash! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

OP, there are many ways to do it, the way I found was best is to spray the film and lense down with a good amount of water and apply the film, when wet it will slide around on the lens till you squeege the water out from underneath and use a blow dryer if you need to stretch it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I tried that. Filled up a spray bottle with clean water and sprayed the lens' down pretty good. But when I put the film on it stuck instantly to the lens....it wouldn't slide at all.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by originalg00kster &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">don't be a ricer.

go to 8thcivic.com if you want to know. they gotta whole section about neon lighting stickers and stuff.</TD></TR></TABLE>

X2 on the *** statement. It's also ironic that the only (unless Rico is..) Asian in this thread is calling someone a ricer..

Rico, I think that was the point ofpeople saying to use a lil bit of soap with the water when applying it. This helps it slide around more before it becomes 'stuck' to the lights. Good luck - this is a mod I wanna do, but I'm not gonna spend ~$55 for me to just mess it up.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by elohel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

X2 on the *** statement. It's also ironic that the only (unless Rico is..) Asian in this thread is calling someone a ricer..

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm Puerto Rican.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by elohel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Rico, I think that was the point ofpeople saying to use a lil bit of soap with the water when applying it. This helps it slide around more before it becomes 'stuck' to the lights. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought about doing that, but with the argument in the other thread about soap water leaving streaks I decided to just use plain water. Mistake on my part I guess cause all the tinters i've ever seen do tint use mild soap water and it does leave streaks, but they evaporate away after a few days from what I hear.

So what kind of soap should I use? Dishsoap? And if so how much?

 

cleaned this up.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Type X &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">cleaned this up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanx X.

 

I used a heat gun (low setting) to soften the film before I applied it with the water (I sprayed the lens generously). I got it pretty warm. This made it more pliable and easier to stretch and fold. Once I got it on the lens, and squeezed all the excess water out, and I use the heat gun again on the lens with the film applied. This help tighten the film over the lens and helped it stick. I used my fingers more then the plastic thing to press the water out.

When I applied it, I lined up the top edge. The film ended up a little bigger then the lens. After it dried, I used an Xacto knife and VERY CAREFULLY trimmed the excess by tracing the knife in the little gap between the lens and the car body. Where it folds over into the trunk area, I had to use some painters tape to keep the film wrapped around. I then used heat again on the area to help the film stay bent. After a week a removed the tape and film stayed.

The instruction are a joke by the way. They make it sound like you can install them in 5 minutes. It takes much longer.

When I was done, I still had small air bubbles, but over time they all disappeared.

Not sure if this helps, but that is what I did.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hellzcivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I used a heat gun (low setting) to soften the film before I applied it with the water (I sprayed the lens generously). I got it pretty warm. This made it more pliable and easier to stretch and fold. Once I got it on the lens, and squeezed all the excess water out, and I use the heat gun again on the lens with the film applied. This help tighten the film over the lens and helped it stick. I used my fingers more then the plastic thing to press the water out.

When I applied it, I lined up the top edge. The film ended up a little bigger then the lens. After it dried, I used an Xacto knife and VERY CAREFULLY trimmed the excess by tracing the knife in the little gap between the lens and the car body. Where it folds over into the trunk area, I had to use some painters tape to keep the film wrapped around. I then used heat again on the area to help the film stay bent. After a week a removed the tape and film stayed.

The instruction are a joke by the way. They make it sound like you can install them in 5 minutes. It takes much longer.

When I was done, I still had small air bubbles, but over time they all disappeared.

Not sure if this helps, but that is what I did.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Helps quite a bit actually. I tried using a hair dryer but that was crap. The painter's tape was also something I didn't think to do.

One question.........when you applied the film did you use plain water or did you add a little soap to supposedly help it slide around on the lens??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RICO_ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Helps quite a bit actually. I tried using a hair dryer but that was crap. The painter's tape was also something I didn't think to do.

One question.........when you applied the film did you use plain water or did you add a little soap to supposedly help it slide around on the lens??</TD></TR></TABLE>

I just used plain filtered watered. The instructions say something about adding some chemical to the water (optional), but I could not find it anywhere.

 

Methyl Hydrate....never heard of it either! Thanx for the help!

 

UPDATE!!!!.....Just got my taillights re-tinted by a professional tinter at my job and they look 1000 times better than the lamin-x. Two hours after I got it put on I was stopped and asked where I got it from.

 

I finally got my lamin-x in the mail!!! I am afraid of messing up my headlights and taillights from reading all the work it takes just to put them on. Rico, did u have the tint shop put on ur lamin-x or did u have them put on their tint? How much did they charge for whatever they did?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jumboshrimp23 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I finally got my lamin-x in the mail!!! I am afraid of messing up my headlights and taillights from reading all the work it takes just to put them on. Rico, did u have the tint shop put on ur lamin-x or did u have them put on their tint? How much did they charge for whatever they did?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had the tint shop put THEIR TINT on the car and it looks loads better than lamin-x because it doesn't have the "orange peel" look that lamin-x does....instead it's as smooth as glass and blends amazingly with the car. The tinter only charged me $30 bucks to do both taillights and it only took him about 45 minutes.

I'll post up pics a little later on today.

 

pics?? and, glad it turned out good for you

 

here's mine by the way.

 

I love all the Lamin-X love, I just got home from Somerset in Jersey and had a guy in an Si talking to me about it, didnt catch his name.

 

 

damn thats dark

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CodyC142 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">damn thats dark</TD></TR></TABLE>

A little. But that's the way tint works. It's alot harder to see IN the vehicle than it is to see OUT. So alot of light is still visible from the taillights at night even though it may look dark during the day.

 

man, that looks good. batmobile status.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SIVIC 3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">man, that looks good. batmobile status.</TD></TR></TABLE>

x2