Pulling lower door panel seals, Removing door panels, and Tucking film

Crazydays01 · January 4, 2016

I have learned to tint from 2 shops as a side hobby on my weekends for 2 month out of my 5 years of tinting which was not a lot of experiance. The tinter only tucked film and his windows were flawless no matter what car he tinted. (He used a plotter) I have noticed some cars are just so damn tuff to where that seal is so damn tight. hyundai sonata 2013 I learned to pull my first seal by prying the back part of the door panel back and sliding it out. I fell in love how easy it was to install that piece of film.

Now,

The other shop pulls panels all the way pending vehicle or just pops the tops. I feel that pulling the panel all the way is opening a bag of worms. what is your take?

Tucking the film on some cars that has loose gaskets are easy but some times you want no restrictions when applying film. I feel that you can potential if not shrunk right on the outside can cause fingers which will lead to debris wicking from the seal (not removing).

Here is a little about me and my experiance I started with solor guard film hated it. Met a tinter and he used global which I feel is so damn forgiving. I have cut by hand for 5 years and I do not like taking a blade to a car which thank to god I have not damaged anything serious just your normal light scratching from a blade on soft glass vehicles. (barely noticeable) So I bought a used graphtec plotter and film and vinyl design software. I have a steady amount of cars going through my garage. I set up my garage like a tint shop glass boards lights etc. I have all my dust makers in my shed. I just joined this forum and you will see more of me for wanting to perfect my processes. I know I am a rookie but love to tint. I only tint on weekends due to my mainjob is working on in house windmill transmissions which it pays more untill I can afford to buy my own tint shop ect and assessories.

Please give me some Input on tips and process that can help with how to pull seals pending car makes and models or rule of thums ideas.

Thank you......

pbalentine · January 4, 2016

I tuck everything i can....if the film will get a lot of crease during install or felt contamination at bottom seal=pull panel or seal.

Crazydays01 · January 4, 2016

When you pull a seal do you try to pull part of panel with out removing full panel. I know this is a gray area all pending, but what is the best way to find out if a panel is able to be partial pulled. I had a ford and it seem thoes panels need to be pulled up and fully removed.

Thanks I am just trying to be fimaliar with this process now. I never heard of pulling seals till I talked to a tint shop, and started reading on here under make and models.

Big tinting · January 4, 2016

The more different cars you do will give you more insight as to which panels are easy to remove or just the seals pulled out , that's wher the experience will come in, go to automotive forum on this site it might help you a little more with pointers. Good luck tinting welcome :thumb

jh812 · January 4, 2016

Most panels are generally the same. Usually a bolt or screw behind door handle. Then one or two behind the door opener. That's vague but gets you started. I've just gotten into sliding the film in one piece so I've been getting more familiar with it. Not all seals just pull out so you'll need to get used to taking them apart, which they are made to do. Are you going to break some stuff along the way? Of course. I look at the window and see which method would be better. For the rears I can usually half peel those better than on the front. You also have to factor in how long you spend working on creases from half peeling. Oh and there is a risk of burning the side pillars with that so. All I can say is go with the method you feel most comfortable with and is going to give you the best result.

Crazydays01 · January 5, 2016

The half creases are a pain some times. I just had a car I ended up redoing right away I played with a creases right away and I got a adhesive smudge. if that makes sense. So from my expierence I let the film sit till I am done with the car then go back around do the little touchups. how do you drop a door in one piece? touching the film adhesive side will contaminate it?

Crazydays01 · January 5, 2016

Thanks for being so kind and talking tint. I appricate all input.

EFFORTEQUALSRESULTS · January 5, 2016

Welcome to the forum! I pull almost all my seals. Being a car audio shop ,im used to pullin panels. @s far as touchin the adhesive side....... i grab the top back corner of the door part of the film. So that way if my finger,that i wet down prior leaves any dirt, it wont be visible when window is all the way up or i grab where the seal covors it up. Old cars with their dry roted panels and seals i will not pull and only tuck . Most new cars are easy to pull seals without pulling the whole panel. Its all in what ur comfy with. Its all how time effecient u want to be without sacrificing quality.

jh812 · January 5, 2016

http://www.tintdude.com/forum/index.php/topic/82290-bomb-dropdrop-hang/?fromsearch=1

So here's a thread I started a few weeks ago. This was actually done with the panel and sweep in place. I will say this particular vehicle has very loose seals so it worked. I did however notice that there were 5 or 6 pieces of felt at the very bottom. As far as touching the adhesive, I tried a few times to not do it and the film always slides on me. Now I just do pinch the front middle barely and it works better. This also generally is behind the seals so you will not see any specs. Hope this helps.

DOOTINT · January 5, 2016

Every type of car door is different,,,some have nice loose seals and some with the seals stapled to the panel you can remove 1 screw and pop the top of the panel to give room to slide the film it in=chev cruze is like that

Some you can remove the seal and some you need to remove the panel to get it back on properly over that seal=Malibu,impala,caprice are a few

I use gasket shields for about all the rest of them,,and have enough of them to pull/cover the total seal to help make no crap from the lower seal to get in the film and you can topload or bottom load with them

Many diff ways to getrdone,,,but get some tools for panel removal and autobody shops have books on removal of panels

or dealers can print you a copy like a guy with a bunch of now older BMWs wanted me to tint for him and they were not fun without removing the seal/panel,,was pretty simple with directions