There are two methods for achieving the cool and trendy smoked taillights look on your car, truck or SUV: film and spray tint. Which one is superior is up for debate; they both have their pluses and minuses. The film method is a bit simpler and has fewer steps. Getting it to look good can be a bit tricky, though, and requires a careful touch. The paint method is somewhat lengthier and more involved, but the final result is -- arguably -- more consistent.
Remove your vehicle's taillights. Place them on a flat surface and clean them off thoroughly with the degreasing fluid. Sand the surface of the lights using moistened sandpaper and water. Start with the roughest grit -- 800 -- and then work up to the 1,000 and finally the 2,000 grit sandpaper. When you're done with this process, the lights should have a flat, satin-like finish. Wipe them down again with the degreasing fluid and wait for them to thoroughly dry. You can rub them with the microfiber cloth to speed up this process.
Put on the powder-free latex gloves. This will ensure that you don't get any oil from your hands on the lights. Apply a thin coat of the VHT Nite-Shades or similar tinting product to the lights. Hold the can about seven inches away while spraying. How many coats you should apply depends on how dark you want the lights to look. Three coats is a good rule-of-thumb, though, and generally provides a nice, medium-dark tint. Wait about 30 minutes between coats to ensure that the previous coat is completely dry. After the final coat, let the lights cure in the sun for 45 to 60 minutes.
Apply a thin layer of clear coat evenly to the lights. Approximately seven to 13 coats is ideal for best results. Wait 15 minutes between applying each coat. Once the final coat is dry, carefully and gently sand the lights. Like in Step 1, begin with the roughest grit sandpaper and work up to the finest. You should be even gentler than before, though, to be sure that you don't rub away too much of the clear coat.
Reinstall the lights. Apply the rubbing compound using the sponge or chamois. Use the buffing wheel to work it into the surface of the lights. This will dramatically reduce the appearance of any scratches or imperfections. Next, apply the plastic cleaner and polish. Finally, apply a coat of automotive wax.
Thoroughly clean the taillights with the microfiber cloth. Make sure there is no dirt, lint or oil remaining on the surface of the lenses. Next, apply the water and rubbing alcohol solution to both the taillight you are working on and the back side of the vinyl film. This provides a slick, slippery surface that lets you easily position the film correctly on the light. It will dry quickly, though, so you need to work reasonably fast.
Stretch the vinyl film over the curves of the light. This is the key step in the whole process and, while not hard, takes a bit of finesse. The better you manage to stretch the film, the more convincing the completed effect will be. Use the heat gun to warm up the film and make it easier to stretch. The film will retain its new shape after it cools. Be careful not to heat it too much, though, as it could get overly thin in places. Applying some more of the water and alcohol solution during the stretching process is advisable and can help to correct minor mistakes.
Use the nylon spatula to help smooth bubbles out the vinyl film and push them toward the edges of the light. Wrapping the microfiber towel around it will spread out the pressure and may be helpful, particularly if your vehicle's taillights have a lot of curves. Once the vinyl film covers the entire light with no bumps or creases, use the X-Acto knife to cut along the edge of the light. Leave a little bit of extra film and then use the spatula and heat gun to fold it over along the edge of the light.
