I figured I'd go ahead and make up a lil how-to on this everyones always seeming to ask questions or wanna know what it looks like. If anyone wants further info or I forget to include something let me know.

Tools Required
-Phillips Screwdriver
-Painters Tape
-Cotton Pads(could use towel or clean cloth)
-Alcohol
-Cardboard (as backdrop)
-Microfiber towel

Step 1- Grab your Phillips screwdriver and remove both taillights and third brake light. The tails have 2 screws which can be seen outside and 2 inside when u drop the tailgate. And as for the third brake light there is 2 that you can see.

Before Picture

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/2258/beforebl2.th.jpg (http://img412.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beforebl2.jpg)

Step 2- Setup the area you plan on using. I took a cardboard box I had lying around and bent it up so it had a bit of a raised back to stop overspray.

Step 3- Clean the tails and third brake lights well using the Alcohol and the cotton pads or what you choose to use. Now when I did this my lights got a cloudy haze to them so I took a clean microfiber cloth and just wiped it away.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2103/prepxp5.th.jpg (http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=prepxp5.jpg)

Step 4- Tape off the third brake light. Now I chose to tape around the plastic edge of the light as you'll see in the picture as I didnt know how it would turn out if I painted it. So taking my time using a razor blade and just moving the tape I got it all around the light covering all the plastic.

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/5069/tapedoff3rdbrakelightpf3.th.jpg (http://img412.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tapedoff3rdbrakelightpf3.jpg)

Step 5- Now were all ready to paint. Now the way I did mine were in very light, light coats. The reason for this was 1 I wanted nice even coverage and it was much easier to see the paint as it went down, and 2 because I didnt want any runs.

My first coat I let dry for the recommended 6 hrs it said on the can. *Between each coat I took my microfiber towel and wiped off the lights to get any dust that had blown onto them off. And the second coat I let dry overnight (just how it ended up by the time I hit it with a second coat). But the following coats I would let dry for an hr and then apply another coat.

When all was said and done I ended up doing about 6 coats on the tail lights and third brake light. I still had some left in the can but was worried it might get too dark and wanted to see how they turned out.

Now I didnt put any clear on mine, some ppl have I guess it is up to you what you would like but I sorta like the flat look.

First Coat
http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/3940/1stcoatpg0.th.jpg (http://img412.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1stcoatpg0.jpg)

Third Coat

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/7379/3rdcoatov8.th.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3rdcoatov8.jpg)

Forth Coat

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/6356/4thcoatlg4.th.jpg (http://img412.imageshack.us/my.php?image=4thcoatlg4.jpg)

All Installed

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/302/fromthebackne7.th.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fromthebackne7.jpg)

I am missing a couple pictures my second coat, and I did 2 more light ones after.

Again if I missed anything let me know or anyone has a question feel free to pm me and Ill help in any way that I can.

If the mods see it and like it Ill try and make any necessary changes before they sticky it.

Thanks in Advance
Andrew

Nice simple write up. Good Job. I will add that some people also wet sand them, but its not necessary.

I was told not to wet sand them by the guy at the auto place where I had picked up my can of nightshade. He said they will not turn out as nice.

Andrew

I see... I clear coted mine after I wet sanded them to give it a semi-gloss look

Good walkthrough, I'm just waiting for my niteshade to come in the mail then I get to do my truck! I'm excited for it haha I think im only going to do 2 or 3 coats, i have a shadowgrey truck so I don't want my lights too dark for it

2 or 3 would probably be perfect for your color truck. Like I said just go lightly and you can always let them dry put them back on see what you think and take them off and put another coat on.

Andrew

Forgot to ask if anyone wanted nighttime pics?

Andrew

I would like to see night time pics with them setup that dark, looking to run a set pretty dark on my red 95 ranger

Yeah def put some night pics up I think I might do this on Thursday before the meet on Sunday! :)

what paint you used?
and where did you get it?

you can see the can in the pictures its called VHT night shade You could get it off ebay or local shop like i did.

And the night time pictures are comming waiting on use of the camera again.

Andrew

I used alcohol on my MX3 headlights once and they had small cracks all over them the next morning.I think this happens to acrylic plastics.Probably wont happen to your taillights but i thought i'd throw a cautionary out there.Has this ever happened to anybody else out there?

I've looked at my tails couple times latly when washing the truck and just general inspecting lol And no cracks I see. But like I said I cleaned it with the alcohol and then wiped it off right away so wouldnt be on for long.

And sry bout the hold up on nighttime pics there comming everytime i go to get the camera its gone.

Andrew

soo does this just got on the outside of the light or inside ive heard both.... im thinking of doing this to my red 93

Outside, ive never heard of anyone putting it inside.

Andrew

i had cracks when i did it, i first started with the third brake lite... cracks=too cold

when i did it it was 70* thought it wasnt bad...it cracked....sanded it down to red again, waited til next weekend, where it was 82* did it again, no cracks....so i think the perfect temps to do it at is between 77-90 anything over 90 will probably run like theres no tomorrow

Must off been something wrong thats strange, you shake it really well? Cause it wasnt all that warm when I did it but it does say on the can a temp ranger that you should do it within.

Andrew

Good walkthrough, I'm just waiting for my niteshade to come in the mail then I get to do my truck! I'm excited for it haha I think im only going to do 2 or 3 coats, i have a shadowgrey truck so I don't want my lights too dark for it

sounds good man, I wanna see pics of this done to 06 tails with DSG, my opinion is tint the whole light and maybe give the reverse like 1 coat then tape it of and do another coat to the red sections...

i shook that damn can for a minute each time i did a new coat.....i had my buddy time me

Will it work on all years of taillights? Or will it not show up as well?

should work on any of them...

Ok i thought so, i might use some on our trailer.

Ill try get you guys some night pictures keep forgeting when I have both the camera and someone to hit the brakes lol

Andrew

Does anyone with the 06+ lights niteshaded? i'd like to see what they look like.

Does anyone with the 06+ lights niteshaded? i'd like to see what they look like.

Here ya go

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/LoneRanger93/Truck/Truck_010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/LoneRanger93/Truck/Truck_012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/LoneRanger93/Truck/0427081706.jpg

holy damn thats dark

holy damn thats dark

Lights up fine

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/LoneRanger93/Truck/2006Nightshade0003.jpg

On a real bright day it's not a deficiency at all to notice a red lamp lighting up in a black housing. Sorta makes it easier to notice the brakes are applied compared to a red light glowing in a red housing on a real sunny day. My turn signals are definately harder to notice because I added the third turn signal into the 06 taillight, but coupled with the line of fire LED bar I've never had issues with people not seeing my lights:thumbsup:

The g/f's been driving my truck last couple day's and driving behind i've actually got a chance to see them working. And I have to say its almost more noticeable since theres no glare from just the sun shineing your only getting light when the brakes are being actually pushed. As for backing up at night I notice some difference but not much with my 20% tint it was always sorta darkish anyways but I can always open my slider if need be.

Andrew

is it removable at all. ide like to do it but theres always that chance cops could ticket it. if i can remove it if needed ill go buy a can tonite

Id assume maybe someone else can chime in here that it could be sanded off, because on one of my tails i have a mark where something must have scratched it a bit and some has come off. only problem is when you were done your tails would be scratched up bad from all the sanding but possibly wet sanding wouldnt be as bad.

Andrew

is it removable at all. ide like to do it but theres always that chance cops could ticket it. if i can remove it if needed ill go buy a can tonite

yup you can sand it off. I bought my tails off someone who completely blasted them with niteshade, and I actually removed all the night from the reverse light as you can see in my pics.

so yes it can be removed, if you take the proper steps in wet sanding then polishing it'll look like a brand new light

I can't sleep tonight so this is my project. I am working on it as I type this and coat 1 is on. Went on a little heavier than I wanted but I will just sand them down and it will be good.

Suprised to see all my picture links still up but one, Ill try and see if i can find the orignal picture and get it back up.

Hope its helped few people out and they turned out how you expected.

Andrew