2000 Dodge Caravan

Ok, so I have been tinting for less than a year. I have only done about 30 vehicles, and more of family members so that I can get better before doing the publics. So my first one was a Avenger '98 That will make you think twice about trying to attempt to tint windows. I wrecked my way through that and turned out decent. (about 7 months go by) So now Im doing a 2000 Caravan and I kick ass at it. Every window is coming out perfect, Im zipping along, starting to get a little cocky, then I get to the back window. This thing kicks my ass;.........3 times. I waste 3 pieces of tint trying to do this in a one piece before I run out of tint.

I doing it in Solarguard NR 23 Charcoal. I am holding my own on wet shrinking, still need to improve a lot, but I cant get this window to work right. I clean the window, spray solution, lay tint on glass, cut out around the rear wiper arm & trim around the glass leaving about a 1/2 inch extra. I then lay horizontal line across, and start my H pattern. The first one was going decent until I creased it beyond recovery, the second one & third one I seperated into bottom & top half and just worked one half at a time. It seems like the window curves like a ball. Does anyone have any hints to what I could do to make this a little easier. I would really like to 1-piece this instead of a 2-piece.

Thanks guys!!!

Nothing will make it easier untill your skill level goes up...That comes with wasted film...

like ot said, sometimes you have to bite the bullet and 2 piece some things untill your skill lever goes up.

those are pretty rough for a newbie. not much you can do until you have more experience. hell, i've been doing this awile, and putting 14% full metal on them is still a b***h. sure glad i don't use that stuff anymore.

That one is a bugger. Does it have a defroster? If so you could cheat just a little if you are REAL CAREFUL. After you shrink as much as possible without creasing then once it's intalled give it some relief right on the middle line with a steady hand cutting just above the defroster line almost all the way to the middle. First push the excess to the top and make it smooth across that line. Then cut (SHARP NEW SNAP OFF BLADE often) and then once it's cut push the film back to the line you cut. It'll automatically overlap where the excess was.

If it doesn't have a defroster..and most I've done haven't have one...you may try leaving a couple inches on the top and in the middle of the bottom instead of cutting it close to exact before you start shrinking. It'll give you something to pull on towards the middle as you shrink. Save that liner on the original one and when you finish shrinking a good one then use it (the liner) as a pattern on your cutting table. LOOK TWICE tho if you use a liner for a pattern...KNOW which side is up 'cause you don't want to cut it backwards. Have that side with the wiper hump where it belongs. If I remember correctly one side is shorter around that hump than the other.

Shrink it slowly and back off the film a little with the heat gun. Work the larger fingers gently and slowly until they become manageable enough to zap 'em as usual.

Experience helps but patience is the rule on this one. I still hate doing them because it takes awhile to shrink. The Caravan is one of only a couple of vehicles I wet shrink because of the sharp curve at the top and bottom.

I think OT is right, I just need more practice. Anyway, I guess that this Caravan is just one of those vehicles that just going to take time, I can handle that. Being such a small back glass, I might just break down and 2-piece it. Thanks for everyones help.

Alright I had one kick my ass today too. First one just sucked, second rear piece was pretty close, but even though it looked good on the shrink outside, when I out in on the inside it looked like I didn't even shrink it, tunnels everywhere. What sucks is that this is my new workvan, I might just drive it with no rear tint till I can whip it [or a 2 piece, never done a 2pcr before]

OT is always right


I use the soap shrink instead of spraying solution (wet shrink)
it will shrink a lot easier and crease a lot less

soap method link

and easy on the heat with the thin NR film

let me know if you need a hand shrinking that.. ..no charge of course

dry shrink

[/quote]
let me know if you need a hand shrinking that.. ..no charge of course
[/quote]

I took it to my Bro on Atlantic, he did it perfect in 10 minutes, made me sick. But under his expert tutelage I too shall become a master! Nothing like having a pro take you under his wing.

[quote name='LukeNukem' date='Sep 13 2006, 10:09 PM' post='431193']
[/quote]
let me know if you need a hand shrinking that.. ..no charge of course
[/quote]

I took it to my Bro on Atlantic, he did it perfect in 10 minutes, made me sick. But under his expert tutelage I too shall become a master! Nothing like having a pro take you under his wing.
[/quote]
cool...good luck..

use your hand (fingers) instead of the squeegee at first, this will help you not to crease it so quickly.