window tint for 77 chevy truck(Texas)

[Project77]

how dark can i go on my windows? and can someone get me a link of to exactly what is said? i was told since my truck is a grandfather i can go as dark as i want all the way around is this true?

[MisterC]

Generally that depends on the laws of the State in which you live. In California, the driver and passenger side windows can only be tinted the lightest shade. Many local police officers will overlook it, but others use it as the main reason to pull you over and then look for seatbelt or other violations.

[Project77]

ive been pulled over before and i wasnt wearing my seat belt and the police officer didnt even mention it i dont think i have to have a seat belt on in my truck cause its a grandfather is this correct?

[tucsonjwt]

http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/TX/

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Project77

ive been pulled over before and i wasnt wearing my seat belt and the police officer didnt even mention it i dont think i have to have a seat belt on in my truck cause its a grandfather is this correct?

If it has a seat-belt from the factory (& 77's did), there is no 'grand-father' clause that exempts you. Getting a ticket is a possibility.

The rear window tint won't matter. The side tint has to be light enough for a LEO to be able to see into the vehicle for their protection. Of course many utilize a darker tint than what's legally allowed & nothing happens while others get pulled over constantly (as previously mentioned).

Window tint is one of those 'subjective enforcement' type infractions.....

[N2TRUX]

I can tell you that DPS carries a sample to gauge the darkness of your tint. They can, and will ticket you if the side windows are too dark. They actually have the authority to make you remove it on the spot.

Who ever told you that you can run dark tint because your truck was "grandfathered" didn't have a clue as to what they are talking about. Do not take further advice from this person please.

[Project77]

so my main question here is can i have limo tint all the way around on my truck? and be legal? if i tell the police that its been tinted like that before the laws even came into effect?

[john_p]

depends on the cop, and from experience Texas cops do not have a sense of humor.. i run limo tint on my "11 challenger here is SC without a problem.. but my sons and grandsons will get pulled for the same tint.. cops tend to leave old people alone i guess.. if i was you i would put the tint on i wanted and see what happens..

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Project77

so my main question here is can i have limo tint all the way around on my truck? and be legal? if i tell the police that its been tinted like that before the laws even came into effect?

Legally, no you can't.

The LEO (law enforcement officer) needs to be able to see inside of your vehicle to ensure their safety if/when they pull you over.

[Project77]

when i get pulled over i will have my drivers side window down so they can feel safe but my passenger side will still be up and in my town i have a bunch of friends that run limo tint on their newer vehicles and cops dont say crap about it they dont even bother

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Project77

when i get pulled over i will have my drivers side window down so they can feel safe but my passenger side will still be up and in my town i have a bunch of friends that run limo tint on their newer vehicles and cops dont say crap about it they dont even bother

Why even bother asking then? As stated.....

The rear window tint won't matter. The side tint has to be light enough for a LEO to be able to see into the vehicle for their protection. Of course many utilize a darker tint than what's legally allowed & nothing happens while others get pulled over constantly (as previously mentioned).

Window tint is one of those 'subjective enforcement' type infractions.....

[Project77]

what do you mean?

[N2TRUX]

The answer is NO, you can not legally run limo tint. If you tell him "its been tinted like that before the laws even came into effect" he is going to laugh at you. Your buddies may be getting by with it, but the LEO's can come down on you any time they want.

Have you ever tried to drive with limo tint on your side window? I can tell you from experience that offers very poor visibility on dimly lite streets. It may look "cool" to you, but its dangerous to run and illegal too.

Run it if you like, but silly excuses won't make it any more legal .

[Project77]

what if i went 28% on the sides? he will put 30% tint on there but it nocks it down to 28% he said? will that still be pretty dark or not? i like my privacy thats all i want

[N2TRUX]

The law states your side window tint "must allow more than 25% of light in". You "might" get by with 28%, but is the tint guy willing to put the compliance sticker on 28%? The first thing a LEO is going to look for is the small sticker under the tint that says it is in compliance with the Texas laws. If the sticker isn't present, they can write a ticket and it will be up to you to prove its legal.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Project77

what if i went 28% on the sides? he will put 30% tint on there but it nocks it down to 28% he said? will that still be pretty dark or not? i like my privacy thats all i want

A LEO's safety trumpts your desire for 'privacy'.

[ymerej71]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I can tell you that DPS carries a sample to gauge the darkness of your tint. They can, and will ticket you if the side windows are too dark. They actually have the authority to make you remove it on the spot.

Who ever told you that you can run dark tint because your truck was "grandfathered" didn't have a clue as to what they are talking about. Do not take further advice from this person please.

I can personally testify that you can and will get fined / ticketed for dark window tint. I purchased a truck years ago that already had 20% tint on the side windows and I got pulled over, tested by the TX DPS, failed...and was ticketed. I was given the option by the county judge to remove the tint to have the ticket dismissed and I did... I had to park outside the judges office so he could look out his window at my vehicle for verification. Hahaha..

Don't do the limo tint... its a battle your not gonna win with the officer. Take a moment and look at the issue from their perspective... would you want to approach a vehicle you just pulled over with windows so dark that you couldn't the vehicle's occupants or what they might be doing?!? Don't taunt the cops, if you debate the tint they might just find one or many more issues with your older vehicle than they would have mentioned originally... Respect the law and make life easier for all the rest of us.

[riz]

I'll give you the simplest answer.............. Check the laws in your state on allowable window tint. It doesn't get much easier than that.

RIZ

[lilpoindexter]

Put limo tint on your windsheild too, that would look TIGHT.

[stroker87]

Every car and truck I've owned since I started to drive had tint limo is just to dark biggest issue is a dark rainy night you cant see any thing after a month I lightened up my windows to one level above limo or lighter

i'm all for looks but limo is a no no for me and the cops will pull you over for it your just giving them the reason to hassle you

[919cw313]

Originally Posted by stroker87

...the cops will pull you over for it your just giving them the reason to hassle you

That's the best argument against tint.

[1LowToy]

Without tint the cops pulled me over just to check out my GFs. But with the tint I can hide the ugly ones. I haven't really had the need for that though

[Project77]

cops pull everybody over for stupid reasons its rediculous they abuse their athority and i hate it

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Project77

cops pull everybody over for stupid reasons its rediculous they abuse their athority and i hate it

Last I checked, LEO's are just regular people. I've met many nice people & some not so nice in my years (just like the people in our hobby & on this board).

To get back to the thread topic, it is illegal to run tint darker than the law allows thus giving the LEO's a valid reason for pulling a vehicle over. That is not abuse of authority; it's enforcing the laws which your community has hired them to do.

[Project77]

it doesnt matter now anyways they are already tinted got limo on the back and 20% on the sides and the limo tint eye brow and im satisfied and you can still kind of see inside