After being back in Louisiana for almost 3 years now (moved from Tampa, FL.) the State police finally pulled me over for my window tint. I have 5% all around with a double layer of 5% on the back glass. La. state law allows 40% on front windows and any shade on rear windows, trucks only.
Can anyone post pics of what 40% looks like on the front windows of their F150? I have an XL regular cab and would like to see a lot in this category, if possible.
This is the only pic I have of my current window tint;

 

I can show you what 52% as measured on the glass on front windows and 35% as measured on the glass on a 2001 mercury GM looks like. I had a shop order 70% film to do the fronts, it went on glass that already measured 70% from Ford. .70 X .70 = .49 .... that is 49%. My tint meter showed 52% when done. On the rear, I let them install 50% film on the glass, .50 x .70 = .35 which is also written 35% which is what it measured out at.





Virginia requires 50% VLT front side and 35% VLT rear side and back glass on cars with two outside mirrors. Pickups, SUVs ..... 50% VLT front and rears can be any darkness. It also states a 7% tolerance will apply so the enforcement level is below 43 and 28% respectively. I'll also say that I too ran across some who claimed I was their first after several years with it, others who lived locally I sometimes caught their first week. Lots of reasons you skated maybe two years.

 

tbear, are you a LEO?

 

Why so dark? Seem this would impair vision at night.

 

I would assume you being from TX you'd know it gets pretty warm. I have 5% on all windows and a strip across the windshield which helps a ton in the 100+ degree summer days. Sure, it makes night vision a bit tougher but there are ways to mitigate the issue (rear view camera, roll down windows, etc).

Side note: I can normally see most things without having to roll down the window, but my wife cannot see out of almost any tinted window at night due to her poor night vision. Each person should take their night vision into account when considering darker tint.

 

Yes it is a bit warm here, But I'd rather deal with a little heat than impaired vision while navigating Houston traffic...

 

The best solution is not to live anywhere in or around Houston.

 

I have 1% on my back three windows and 5% on the front two, and it does indeed impair vision at night. It looks awesome, no one can see inside, and keeps the truck cool, but I have to have my front windows down to drive comfortably at night. Wouldn't do it that dark again, nor would I recommend it.

I live in Texas, and grew up in SW Houston, and I agree that Houston sucks haha.


OP, 40% is basically see-through and it's almost as bad as not having tint. Texas allows 25%, which is relatively dark, so we can get away with more (I've yet to be pulled over for mine, but I'm careful with it). However, I'd think ~20-25% would be dark enough that it looks good, but light enough that you don't get bothered about it. Personally, if you can keep the ratio of one ticket every 3 years up, that might be worth it to leave it alone and just maybe be a little more careful with it around cops.

 

Been here only 4 months, But it is were the Money is at
I live north of Houston and work just inside of 8, so it's not too bad.

 

I travel to the Woodlands once a month or so. I usually get my fill of the area by the time the week is up, lol. I'll take my chances with a low cost of living/lower compensation elsewhere! No shortage of money in the Houston area though.

 

Retired recently.

 

While I don't have tint on my Ford yet, I did have 20% tint all around on my Dakota (including front windshield strip). I only got pulled over for it once, and the cop only gave me a warning. Utah's tint law states 48% or more light transparency on front side windows, but back windows can be as dark as you want. And it wasn't so dark that I couldn't see at night.




Kind of a small picture but you can see what it looks like.

 

this is 20 percent on the front windows only



here in va the law is 8 percent either side 50 on the fronts, so it can meter anywhere from 42 to 50.

i started with 50, then went to 35, then put another layer of 35 on that (12.25%) then the first layer messed up so i pulled it and did one layer of 20. used to have 35 over the back privacy glass, but it tore my nerves up being darker in the rear than the front.

ive got 50 on my winshield and a 5% strip now too, it makes the front look even closer to the rear.

ive never (knock on wood) gotten a ticket being 2 steps below the legal limit. i think as long as you dont push it youd be okay.

however, if i had to do it again id put one layer of 5 on the front and 20 over the rear glass (5%) but id probably start getting tint tickets.

40 percent is an odd number, most manufacturers are going to make 50, 35, 20 and 5. but some tint manufacturers make oddball numbers like 40, 25, and 4.

some try to make 42, to get it as dark as possible within the limit, but dirt and whatnot on the glass can make up for that 8 percent IMO

 

I'ld have been all over that had I seen it rolling down the super slab "back when".

Here's the law in Va. Code.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...+cod+46.2-1052
Likely your truck just blends in with the masses in the Richmond area, but get 30 miles or so west .... it'ld be more of a "standout".

Just sayin' .....
..... and Take Care.

 

I had my windows tinted yesterday. I chose 40% 3M Crystalline tint at a local tint shop. It looks as if there is no tint on the windows at all. But, in order to have the $197.50 ticket cancelled I had to go with La. state legal tint. I had to staple the receipt to the ticket and give it to my local DA to take care of it. $85 total to strip the old tint and add the new tint.
Eventually, I will have a darker shade added, but not too dark as to where the police can't see in my truck.
I will take some pics when the sun comes out.