I just wanted to comment on the tinted windows issue. Around my area, it's pretty common to have the rear window a limo tint, and the sides, medium tint. I've talked some of them and asked how often they get pulled over, and they say very few times in the city, but it's common outside the city. I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, so they don't enforce it as strongly as the higher populated cities. I'm seriously considering tint on my truck, because of the light & heat drawn to it because of the black exterior. Why is it legal to get real dark factory tint, but not if it's from an aftermarket shop?

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'98 F-150 XLT Reg. Cab Flareside 4x4, Black, 5.4l, 3.55LS, tow package, K&N, GTS headlight covers, Alpine changer w/FM mod, Clifford alarm system w/keyless entry & starter disable // Future considerations: 285/75/r16 Mud Terrain BFG's, bed mat, tonneau cover, suspension lift.

 

Well i can only talk for Texas, but if you look at the factory tint as in ford trucks like mine made in KS..The only window that came factory tint are my rear window and two back cab windows..2 front were not tinted.....Those are the windows that need to be legal..plus you need both outside mirrors then, no problem with us 150 guys or other vehicles now..but some of the older ones only had one mirror..but to answer your question its for officer safety, and yours to if I was nervous walking up to your truck and couldnt see inside...You have already put the officer in defcon 5 mode.( defense condition for you civilians out there)..So primary reason for legal tint is OFFICER SAFETY....
Dave

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside, 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,atlas polished wheels w/ 265 scorpions,all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber

Coming in Sept..3 1/2 in fabtech lift w/ 3 in spindles and 295 BFG A/Ts.

 

Tint!!! What a Topic!!!

I took my truck to the tint shop right off the showroom floor. (Without tint I feel like I'm in a fish tank). The guy who did the windows was going to put on whatever I wanted, but my intention was to just match the factory privacy glass (med. color tint). I asked the age old question "whats legal"? He stated that at one time a person with any skin disorder could get a doctors excuse which would allow that individual to have tinted windows of any shade due to medical reasons. Now the the only legal tint is a clear (transparent) film that blocks all the harmful stuff like UV rays to accommodate the people with such conditions. So, to sum it all up, the only legal tint is the clear film and after that is is up to the individual officer's discretion to pull you over to warn or to ticket.

The installer also said that city and county officers are less likely to pull over a truck/car with tint. HWY Patrol is the most likely office to pull over and ticket with out any other infraction.

It's just what I've heard. I could be wrong.

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99 4x4 XLT supercab 5.4L Flairside, Deep Wedgewood Blue/Med. Graphite w/ Captain Chairs Pioneer DEP-4000, Tint, K&N, Bedliner, 3" Catback w/3 Chamber Flowmaster

 

Some info from New York..past experiences..regarding clear lights, tint, neon, headlight & taillight covers:

I have always had to "customize" whatever I owned and drove...but it came at a price...

My Chevelle...headlight covers...driving at night with them...local police with nothing better to do on a Saturday cruise night...$55.00 "equipment" summons.

My Riviera...dark tint on door windows...Highway police on local street...used a portable "tint meter" to determine the percentage...$65.00 "equipment" summons.

My GMC Jimmy...green neon license frame on front of truck...local police..."impersonating a volunteer ambulance" (honestly...that's what the cop wrote on the ticket)...$65.00..the judge laughed and said "is this for real???"

Also on the Jimmy...clear plastic license plate protector on front plate...meter/parking police...$55.00 "equipment" summons.

My brothers Honda Civic...clear tails & red bulbs...local police...not too sure how to handle it..but knew it wasn't right...let him off as he promised to go home and change them back to factory. (He did)

And as far as smoke tailight covers-- ...DON'T...it's an extreme hazard for the person driving behind you in the daytime!!

Hope I gave you some humor...but left you with something to think about...if you have even the smallest idea that something may be illegal that you are about to install on your truck/car...check with your local authorities first..a 25cent call could save you a great deal of hassles & money.



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'99 "White Lightning", CD Changer, tow, tonneau, GTS Omni-Guard

'94 Pontiac 25th Anniversary Trans Am GT Convertible

 

I am a Police Officer in Florida, I wish people would take time to read the package before they buy. Most every aftermarket item I have seen has a warning "Check Local Laws". in police work we call this a clue. The items are sold for use in shows, If you use them on the street you might get a big fine. Why run that risk, now if you are showing your ride in a show then put them on at the show and take them off afterwards. If you use some of those items you could cause a wreck, or being pulled over by a policeman. The moral of this is READ before you buy and really read before you USE.

Mac

 

DITTO DITTO.....


FOR OFF ROAD USE ONLY-
FOR SHOW NOT STREET USE-


THESE ARE BIG HINTS....HAVE FUN BUT KEEP IT LEGAL, REMEMBER GUYS WE DONT MAKE THE LAWS WE ONLY ENFORCE THEM....(SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY ON FOREIGN JOBS, HAHA) DAVE

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside, 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,atlas polished wheels w/ 265 scorpions,all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber, snug top lid

Coming in Sept..3 1/2 in fabtech lift

 

Well I have just tinted my cornering lights on my truck with the spray tint. Talk about a fit and finish look. I also do volunteer work in the town around here and asked a police officer if this was against the law to have spray tint on the turn signals. He said that they are and they are not. If its to dark they are, otherwise you will not be bothered. Good old Chicago always giving a direct answer

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Fred Folkerts
1997 Ford 150XLT Black/5.4 TRiTiON
1999 Kawasaki ZX9R
www.sportbikes.net

 

test

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97' F150 Lariet s/c long bed 4x4 4.6L auto...no mods yet[]

 

Back to page one

 

Looks like DAVENSA and others have covered this topic pretty good. I'll only hit on one area that was questioned. DOT does not approve light assemblies. All manufactures of lighting equipment are required to adhere to DOT Standard 108. When a manufactor puts DOT on an assembly it is to state the light assembly meets the requirements. The clear lenses do not meet the requirements of Standard 108. I have been in contact with NHTSA regarding this for several months as I had a couple of court cases about the clear lenses. The clear lenses are being made in Japan and Korea and are just cheap copies of the original poured in clear plastic instead of the required red. NHTSA/DOT can fine distributors $1100.00 per unit sold for a maximum of $800,000.00. Hopefully not to many people will waste their money on a purchase, before the Feds stop the importation of the lenses. The NHTSA web site has more information. I look at in a common sense stand point. If automobile manufactores spend millions of dollars on development of lighting assemblys to help in the reduction of accidents, why remove the factory equipment and replace it with an inferior product, even though it may look different. Keep up the good work Dave, I can tell they keep you jumping!!

[This message has been edited by frog (edited 02-28-2000).]

 

According to forgeur's post:

24953. (a) Any turn signal system used to give a signal of intention to turn right or left shall project a flashing white or amber light visible to the front and a flashing red or amber light visible to the rear.

Does this mean that I can use a white bulb in the place of my amber bulb in my turn signals in the front and it will be legal? Also, I live in Texas, so does this law apply to me?

 

Texas law requires the amber light. White light for reverse only...Rear, you need the red reflector, and red or amber turn lights.......Dave

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside,oxford white 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,atlas polished wheels w/285/75 R/16 BFG A/Ts (black side out),all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber, snug top lid, f-150 online sticker back window-honk if you see me!!! Fabtech 3 1/2 lift .coverking dash cover, Lumi Logo's (front and rear), clear front corner lenses, muth mirrors.

San Antonio
DWESSELS89@AOL.COM



[This message has been edited by DAVENSA (edited 03-12-2000).]

 

The first I ever heard / saw of the clear tail lights was last month at the Chicago Auto Show. They wer on several of the "future proto-types". Since then I have seen them a couple of times on the street. I wonder if we will be heading towards the clear ones in the future here.

Also, maybe I've been lucky but I've had 50% tint on the driver and passenger side windows for 5 years without incident. (120K miles)It's pretty light tint....

 

JPF is correct. Do you think the Taiwanese, Chinese, or whoever is making the clear lenses wouldn't put the DOT on the lenses? Even major parts retailers cheat. Auto Zone was caught by US Customs reboxing parts to indicate the parts were made in America and were of better quality. They even had a procedure manual on how to rebox the parts. Sears was caught selling used batteries. etc. etc. etc.
In this state, clear lenses and superwhite bulbs are illegal unless they came on the vehicle.

 

*****

[This message has been edited by J_Rock (edited 03-17-2000).]