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Here are the basic items you will need:
1. A rubber tip squeegee
2. A thin hard plastic card (something similar to a drivers license)
3. A scraper with a single edged razor blade
4. A small plastic Olfa box cutter
5. A pump sprayer.
6. Joy dish washing liquid (non-ultra)
7. Heat gun/hair dryer
8. Masking tape.
9. 20 inch wide window film
Door glasses
Fill the sprayer with water then mix in a capful of dish washing liquid. Replace the top on the sprayer & give it a few good shakes to mix the solution. You want the solution to have a light yellowish look in order to work best.
Start by spraying the solution on the inside of the window then use the scraper to scrape the glass. Make sure you scrape the edges of the glass since this is where trash will hide when you start applying the film. Now spray the surrounding area of the glass (frame, rubber gasket) & wipe with a paper towel in order to remove dust that could get onto film during application. Also, wipe the very top edge of the glass since dust & dirt can hide there. Once you have scraped the glass & wiped the surrounding area spray the glass once more & squeegee it clean starting at the top & working your way down with a side to side motion.
Moving to the outside spray the glass & wipe it with a paper towel. Roll out the film making sure that the clear liner is facing outward. (You can use 2 small pieces of masking tape on opposite sides of the film then pull them apart to determine which side has the clear liner) Roll the film from side to side against the glass so that the factory edge is on top & bottom of the glass. Be sure to leave a 1/2 inch of excess film on the front & back of your glass. (This is so that you have enough to work with when trimming) Make sure the glass is rolled all the way up. Position the film so that it has a 1/4 inch overlap of the rubber gasket at the bottom of the glass. Make sure the overlap is even all the way across. This is the part that will go below the inside rubber gasket.
Spray a little solution on the film & squeegee it so that it locks the film in place. Now take the Olfa knife & start near the top corner then cut downward along the edge of the chrome trim. Do not try to cut all the way to the top at this point. This will be done when the glass is rolled down for the final cut. Now pull the film away from the glass just enough so that you can re-wet the area that was previously squeegeed. Once this is done slide the film a 1/16th inch over the chrome trim where you just trimmed. Make sure the film is still even across the bottom then spray & re-squeegee. Trim the opposite side the same as before. For the final cut slowly roll the glass down about an inch. Make sure the film doesn't slip or twist when doing this otherwise you will have a badly offset final cut. Now push the Olfa blade thru the film at the top of the glass using the top edge of the glass as a guide as you trim the excess film. Once the top edge is cut pull the film from the glass & reposition it so that the sides are accessible for trimming. Using the hard card align it with the straight edge you cut when trimming next to the chrome trim & cut the excess at the top corners. After both sides are done position the film so that you can make a very small curved trim at each lower corner. This is done because a rounded corner slips behind the gasket much easier than a pointed angle. I use the tip of my fingernail as a guide for the lower corners just be careful because the blade is sharp.
With the glass rolled down 1 inch spray the inside of the glass then squeegee once more.
Now take two pieces of masking tape & place on opposite sides at a top corner of the film then pull the clear liner away from the film. VERY IMPORTANT: SPRAY THE FILM AS YOU REMOVE THE LINER OTHERWISE IF THE FILM FLIPS OVER ONTO ITSELF YOU GET TO START OVER. Once the film is wet it can be easily pulled apart in case it flips over onto itself. Once the clear liner is removed soak the film enitrely then do the same to the inside of the glass making certain that the area at the bottom of the glass is completely soaked.
Now take the film by the upper corners and place it on the inside of the glass with the adhesive side to the glass. Start with one lower corner angled down so that you can install the film in a sinking boat fashion. You can push outward on the glass to make a wider gap at the bottom if needed. Making sure that the film does not fold or crease gently work it below the gasket moving from one bottom corner across to the other. You want the film to slip below the gasket then while sliding it toward the corner work the remainder of the bottom edge below the gasket until you have the entire bottom edge below the gasket. You should now have the film with the bottom below the gasket & the top edge 1/16th inch below the top edge of the glass. Both sides should be evenly behind the side gasket as well. If a side is giving trouble slipping behind the gasket you can try pulling gently to one side then slipping it back again. Be sure to keep the film soaked while positioning it. If the film begins to stick you can pull it back only at the top and apply more solution. Once you have the film in position start in the middle of the glass with the squeegee & work the bubbles outward. Make short slow strokes with the squeegee. If large areas of air or trapped behind the film try working them out with your hand first to keep from creasing them. Be sure to keep watch on the edges to be sure the film does not slip leaving a gap on one side. If this happens pull the film back at the top & apply more solution before trying to move film. Once the top & sides are squeegeed take the hard card & gently go across the top pushing upward to make sure no small lift areas are present. Now slowly roll the glass to the top & work the remainder of the solution to the bottom. You can take the hard card & make a gentle swipe down each side to remove any stubborn areas that you can't reach with the squeegee. This can be done at the bottom as well. If "Fingers" pop up along the bottom allow them to drain for a couple of minutes then use the hard card to push them down again. If they continue to return you can use the heat gun on low to coax them to stay down. It only takes a split second to heat the film so use the heat in very short blast at no closer than 4 inches directly over the trouble area. If you find trash behind the film immediately after installation you can gently roll down the glass & pull the film away from the glass. Spray the film with solution then use the Olfa knife to gently remove the trash. If you have already heated the area that has trash then leave it be because the glue is now dried in that area & will pull away from the film if you try to remove it.
Wing Windows
On the wing windows prep the windows the same as above except on these you will need to trim away some of the inner gasket material from the glass. Starting at the top with the Olfa knife make a angled cut along side the metal frame of the glass. What you need is a small ditch area that the film can slip behind when installed so that a edge cannot be seen from the outside. Cut & install the film the same as above.
Rear door 1/4 glass, pickup back glass, & side stationary glasses
Since these glasses are stationary you will do them the same as above except when applying the film on the outside in preparation for cutting you will first need to completely squeegee the entire piece of film to the glass. This is because when the film is not smooth against the glass bubbles under the film will offset the final position causing the film to stretch further when applying to the inside of the glass. Once the film is completely squeegeed you can use the rubber edge of the gasket as a guide for the trimming. Install the same as above. Also, on windows that have excessive dust around the seals a toothbrush can be used to clean the seals of dirt.
Cherokee pop out windows
On Cherokees that have the side pop out window it is best to completely remove the window before tinting. Once glass is removed clean as above then lay it with the outside facing up. Apply film as mentioned above & cut the outside edge. Once the edge is cut slide the tint to the straight edge so that 1/8th inch hangs over & trim this away. This will allow a small gap around the outside edge once positioned for squeegeeing. Once the film has been squeegeed allow it to dry for 15 minutes then go back & trim the holes for the hardware.
Cherokee & Wagoneer rear glass
This is a job requiring 2 people. Open the tailgate & trigger the latches so that the rear window can be tricked to open. Make sure you have a barrel or table ready so that the glass can rest on this while the tailgate is open. If the glass has defroster then do not use a scraper. You can clean the glass with rubbing alcohol first followed by tinting solution. Any areas that have glue or other contaminates from stickers or such can be removed with paint thinner if alcohol doesn't work just be careful not to drip on the paint. For the cutting process apply the film to the inside of the glass making sure the liner is faced down this time. Spray the glass then apply the film. Slide the film down below the gasket so that you will have 1/4 inch below the gasket. Now trim the entire edge of the glass. Once you have trimmed all the outside edge slide the film about 1/8th inch to one side then trim away the excess. Remove the film & clean the glass with squeegee. You can use the side of the Jeep as a work station for removing the liner. Just spray the area good with solution & place the film onto that area making sure the edges are well sprayed. Peel & apply the film as above. You will encounter larger fingers with the back glass so just take your time & work them slowly with the hard card and heat gun.
1. A rubber tip squeegee
2. A thin hard plastic card (something similar to a drivers license)
3. A scraper with a single edged razor blade
4. A small plastic Olfa box cutter
5. A pump sprayer.
6. Joy dish washing liquid (non-ultra)
7. Heat gun/hair dryer
8. Masking tape.
9. 20 inch wide window film
Door glasses
Fill the sprayer with water then mix in a capful of dish washing liquid. Replace the top on the sprayer & give it a few good shakes to mix the solution. You want the solution to have a light yellowish look in order to work best.
Start by spraying the solution on the inside of the window then use the scraper to scrape the glass. Make sure you scrape the edges of the glass since this is where trash will hide when you start applying the film. Now spray the surrounding area of the glass (frame, rubber gasket) & wipe with a paper towel in order to remove dust that could get onto film during application. Also, wipe the very top edge of the glass since dust & dirt can hide there. Once you have scraped the glass & wiped the surrounding area spray the glass once more & squeegee it clean starting at the top & working your way down with a side to side motion.
Moving to the outside spray the glass & wipe it with a paper towel. Roll out the film making sure that the clear liner is facing outward. (You can use 2 small pieces of masking tape on opposite sides of the film then pull them apart to determine which side has the clear liner) Roll the film from side to side against the glass so that the factory edge is on top & bottom of the glass. Be sure to leave a 1/2 inch of excess film on the front & back of your glass. (This is so that you have enough to work with when trimming) Make sure the glass is rolled all the way up. Position the film so that it has a 1/4 inch overlap of the rubber gasket at the bottom of the glass. Make sure the overlap is even all the way across. This is the part that will go below the inside rubber gasket.
Spray a little solution on the film & squeegee it so that it locks the film in place. Now take the Olfa knife & start near the top corner then cut downward along the edge of the chrome trim. Do not try to cut all the way to the top at this point. This will be done when the glass is rolled down for the final cut. Now pull the film away from the glass just enough so that you can re-wet the area that was previously squeegeed. Once this is done slide the film a 1/16th inch over the chrome trim where you just trimmed. Make sure the film is still even across the bottom then spray & re-squeegee. Trim the opposite side the same as before. For the final cut slowly roll the glass down about an inch. Make sure the film doesn't slip or twist when doing this otherwise you will have a badly offset final cut. Now push the Olfa blade thru the film at the top of the glass using the top edge of the glass as a guide as you trim the excess film. Once the top edge is cut pull the film from the glass & reposition it so that the sides are accessible for trimming. Using the hard card align it with the straight edge you cut when trimming next to the chrome trim & cut the excess at the top corners. After both sides are done position the film so that you can make a very small curved trim at each lower corner. This is done because a rounded corner slips behind the gasket much easier than a pointed angle. I use the tip of my fingernail as a guide for the lower corners just be careful because the blade is sharp.
With the glass rolled down 1 inch spray the inside of the glass then squeegee once more.
Now take two pieces of masking tape & place on opposite sides at a top corner of the film then pull the clear liner away from the film. VERY IMPORTANT: SPRAY THE FILM AS YOU REMOVE THE LINER OTHERWISE IF THE FILM FLIPS OVER ONTO ITSELF YOU GET TO START OVER. Once the film is wet it can be easily pulled apart in case it flips over onto itself. Once the clear liner is removed soak the film enitrely then do the same to the inside of the glass making certain that the area at the bottom of the glass is completely soaked.
Now take the film by the upper corners and place it on the inside of the glass with the adhesive side to the glass. Start with one lower corner angled down so that you can install the film in a sinking boat fashion. You can push outward on the glass to make a wider gap at the bottom if needed. Making sure that the film does not fold or crease gently work it below the gasket moving from one bottom corner across to the other. You want the film to slip below the gasket then while sliding it toward the corner work the remainder of the bottom edge below the gasket until you have the entire bottom edge below the gasket. You should now have the film with the bottom below the gasket & the top edge 1/16th inch below the top edge of the glass. Both sides should be evenly behind the side gasket as well. If a side is giving trouble slipping behind the gasket you can try pulling gently to one side then slipping it back again. Be sure to keep the film soaked while positioning it. If the film begins to stick you can pull it back only at the top and apply more solution. Once you have the film in position start in the middle of the glass with the squeegee & work the bubbles outward. Make short slow strokes with the squeegee. If large areas of air or trapped behind the film try working them out with your hand first to keep from creasing them. Be sure to keep watch on the edges to be sure the film does not slip leaving a gap on one side. If this happens pull the film back at the top & apply more solution before trying to move film. Once the top & sides are squeegeed take the hard card & gently go across the top pushing upward to make sure no small lift areas are present. Now slowly roll the glass to the top & work the remainder of the solution to the bottom. You can take the hard card & make a gentle swipe down each side to remove any stubborn areas that you can't reach with the squeegee. This can be done at the bottom as well. If "Fingers" pop up along the bottom allow them to drain for a couple of minutes then use the hard card to push them down again. If they continue to return you can use the heat gun on low to coax them to stay down. It only takes a split second to heat the film so use the heat in very short blast at no closer than 4 inches directly over the trouble area. If you find trash behind the film immediately after installation you can gently roll down the glass & pull the film away from the glass. Spray the film with solution then use the Olfa knife to gently remove the trash. If you have already heated the area that has trash then leave it be because the glue is now dried in that area & will pull away from the film if you try to remove it.
Wing Windows
On the wing windows prep the windows the same as above except on these you will need to trim away some of the inner gasket material from the glass. Starting at the top with the Olfa knife make a angled cut along side the metal frame of the glass. What you need is a small ditch area that the film can slip behind when installed so that a edge cannot be seen from the outside. Cut & install the film the same as above.
Rear door 1/4 glass, pickup back glass, & side stationary glasses
Since these glasses are stationary you will do them the same as above except when applying the film on the outside in preparation for cutting you will first need to completely squeegee the entire piece of film to the glass. This is because when the film is not smooth against the glass bubbles under the film will offset the final position causing the film to stretch further when applying to the inside of the glass. Once the film is completely squeegeed you can use the rubber edge of the gasket as a guide for the trimming. Install the same as above. Also, on windows that have excessive dust around the seals a toothbrush can be used to clean the seals of dirt.
Cherokee pop out windows
On Cherokees that have the side pop out window it is best to completely remove the window before tinting. Once glass is removed clean as above then lay it with the outside facing up. Apply film as mentioned above & cut the outside edge. Once the edge is cut slide the tint to the straight edge so that 1/8th inch hangs over & trim this away. This will allow a small gap around the outside edge once positioned for squeegeeing. Once the film has been squeegeed allow it to dry for 15 minutes then go back & trim the holes for the hardware.
Cherokee & Wagoneer rear glass
This is a job requiring 2 people. Open the tailgate & trigger the latches so that the rear window can be tricked to open. Make sure you have a barrel or table ready so that the glass can rest on this while the tailgate is open. If the glass has defroster then do not use a scraper. You can clean the glass with rubbing alcohol first followed by tinting solution. Any areas that have glue or other contaminates from stickers or such can be removed with paint thinner if alcohol doesn't work just be careful not to drip on the paint. For the cutting process apply the film to the inside of the glass making sure the liner is faced down this time. Spray the glass then apply the film. Slide the film down below the gasket so that you will have 1/4 inch below the gasket. Now trim the entire edge of the glass. Once you have trimmed all the outside edge slide the film about 1/8th inch to one side then trim away the excess. Remove the film & clean the glass with squeegee. You can use the side of the Jeep as a work station for removing the liner. Just spray the area good with solution & place the film onto that area making sure the edges are well sprayed. Peel & apply the film as above. You will encounter larger fingers with the back glass so just take your time & work them slowly with the hard card and heat gun.
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