Help holding up the back window of certain cars:

When you tint the hatchback cars that have struts mounted to the glass, and you remove the struts to put the film on, then there's no support to hold the glass up to put the film on the inside.

Here's what I do:

Use a bicycle hook that you screw into the ceiling, and a plastic chain from the hardware store to hold the glass up. Just hook the chain to the hook on the ceiling, and loop it through the hole in the glass then back up to the hook or fasten the chain end to itself using a bolt.

After that, you can put the film on by yourself without having someone hold the glass up. It's lots safer than a prop rod too.

Great tip.....

I do that

A good tip indeed AND it shows your a quality installer just by mentioning it (non strut removers need not worry about this one)

That's kewl...

Never thought of that one

I have that set up, but I use rope. Same principle. Good Tip tho.... Strut removal, it's what separates the production guys from the custom guys. Thats why the custom guys get the $$

Also, I DO use a TORCH to set the film around the strut holes!!!!

yeah i have something similar. but i use a large rope in a knot to put through the hole, and then i have a tie down hook from there to a pipe up in the roof. the tie down makes it easier to adjustthe height. but i dont really use it unles i get an old vette or camaro. i still use a pushbroom for the matrix and others.

good tip

Nothing wrong with the old broom handle if you ask me

Nice! Ive been using my two halogen lamps that are on a stand.... the top of the stand has a small handle that has foam around it. I prop the glass with the foam handle, and just adjust the stand hieght accordingly.
I like the idea of hangin it alot tho because you dont run the risk of knocking over whatever your proping it with!

ED ZACHARY!

same set-up that ive been using for a while now...works really well. good tip

Good tip

If that chain were to come loose somehow you would probably be buying a new glass though. Rope would prolly be a better choice imo. All in all good idea though

I use a brazilian guy for that job
But nice tip ther dude!

if it drops the glass should be fine. what you have to worry about is the struts. if you still leave them on the car the glass will hit the struts and it could put a dent into the car. i see in the pic that you completely removed them...impressive. i wrap the strut ends in paper towels just in case and just broom hold it up.

i feel the rope/chain method is necessary on larger back glasses that you have to get under though.

very nice.

I used to use a rope (now nylon ratchet strap) until doing a 93 Vette and the rope started slipping while sticking the back window that was interesting.

Is that why your head is so flat? Hows it goin Dennis?

VIP,

it takes about 10 seconds to remove the struts from those vehicles. I know some are bolted in, but the vibe and probably most other vehicles these days just use spring steel clips that hold the ends of the struts on. All you have to do is gently pry the clip out a little bit, and the end of the strut comes right off. You just leave the clip on the end and when you need to put it back together, just pop it on.

No way that chain's coming loose. I pull it snug so the glass won't move up or down before I fasten it back to itself. I trust that chain better than any knot I know how to tie, and anything short of hanging my body weight on it, it'll hold.

wow...now that i look at the pic again.....you take the wiper motor off those matrix's? Iv'e never done that....never had a problem gettin behind them though.

Wiper motor removal is just a habit, i suppose. I've been doing tint long enough that I'd rather take the time to make the actual film application easy than cut corners and possibly have frustration later.

The funny thing is that I forgot to cut around the brakelight when I cut and shrank the piece of film, so I put it on whole, then cut the part out around the brakelight... done.

gotcha....so why not take the breaklight plastic off too? just 2 nuts? that i do take off all the time.

i know but thats an extra step for ME to do. i have guys to pull panels and stuff, but while theyre doing that i am forced to work on that back of those myself. next one i get i may think about it.

thanks

That's what I mean, I forgot to cut around the area and forgot to take off the cover until I had peeled the film, but I pulled it off, no problem

Now that's a tip !!!!! (hey, tintdude, we need a Borat emoticon...Very Nice! )

coulkda used that yesturday my shoulders were getting tired