I’m considering tinting the windows on a new Cat before it gets dirty and I’d like some input on the matter. I’m strictly looking to cut down on the glare and for the record it’s only used during the daytime so dark conditions won’t be a problem plus it will only be the sides and rear since the front is poly. My main reason for thinking about it is I hate wearing sun glasses and simply looking to try something different. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I never thought about it before on equipment but i think it would be cool . If the windows open then you could peek around the tint if needed. It's yours, make it like you want it. I would do the lightest available. It's not a limo .
It would certainly help the AC system out in keeping the cab cool. I would keep it around 30% light passage. I think any darker and seeing into shadows and objects (people) at the sides of the machine might be difficult in some conditions.
I have a 700J that came from LA. with dark tint all the way around. Really cuts down on the heat and glare. Cant use it in the dark with out opening the door to see. But that's not a problem..
I don’t want anything to dark, I was thinking about something around 30% or so on the sides and 20% on the rear. You can’t see out of the rear anyway and they have reverse cameras so the rear isn’t a problem. I’m going to find someone to do it, if it doesn’t work out I can always remove it. Thanks for the input guys,
Here in subtropical Australia, it's difficult to find a machine without tinted windows. Be aware though that if if you go too dark, people can't see the operator waving or signaling.
I can't remember where I saw it but I'm pretty sure someone posted a picture of an excavator here that had tinted windows, it also was from an area where the sun is intense.
Yeh, it's someone in AZ I think.... the guy with the breakers and stuff... bought a mini last year???forget his handle...
I run 5% all the around on any tractor I have tinted. I have sat in few with 20 and 30% on them before. It is not dark enough for me. The worst is some tractors we used get off a crew in LA that were tinted all the way around except for an open strip about 14-16” wide in the front to run after dark. I always had a headache pretty quickly if I sat in one of those rigs very long. Maybe that is just my eyes, but constantly changing lighting conditions was very straining shortly. The picture below is on a clear day looking through my 5%. No, before anyone asks, I did not have anything to do with that fire!
A company I used to work with had windows tinted in their equipment. It was middle of the road shading but really helped with the A/C. A tint company came out and installed it. He laid out and cut the tint on the outside. Then removed the backing and installed it on the inside. Very nice job when finished.
Also, running at night even with 5% is not that big of a deal in certain situations. Generally we are in large areas with minimal other equipment. If you have good lighting it is not a big deal. Dawn and dusk are worse than total darkness I think. The glare at night from anything illuminated in the cab is far worse. It is hard to get thing dim enough at night not to be at least a bother.
Gotta love pictures of Big Red Steigers!
I made an appointment so I’ll post pics when it’s finished and give a report.
A quick follow up, I had 20% installed and it made a big difference on the glare inside, especially being able to see the reverse camera. I can still see out perfectly and I’m super happy with the results. Just a heads up in case anyone was thinking about doing it
20%
If only in the daylight don't see an issue
That looks really dark from the outside in. My eyes normally like welding helmet settings at or near the maximum light side. I just do not thank that I could work with that at twilight and beyond. What does a picture from the inside look like? Is 40% darker or lighter?
The pic is somewhat deceiving, standing outside of it you can see in fairly easily, the front window isn’t tinted at all. Looking out it’s like having a really light pair of sunglasses on but all the glare is pretty much completely gone which is what I was trying to achieve. The lower the number of tint the darker it is, I’ll take a pic from inside when I go back out.
How did you get the bottom of the side windows tinted the seat is really tight at the bottom ?
He didn’t have a lot of fun doing it but he just slid the seat all the way back and then up to get them, he’s done a a lot of equipment was it wasn’t his first time doing them. I’ve had all of my stuff since tinted and you couldn’t pay me to run anything without it.
Thanks my son has a couple of Cat skid steers with forestry mulchers on them as well as 2 excavators he has a contract with the DOT here cutting brush on the far edges of the Interstates here in SC and it's hot as hell so we think tinting the windows will help them out and the A/C not work so hard. I'm sure whoever he gets to tint them ain't gonna be happy lol. Thanks for the reply James
How did he do the tint at the top of the sliders where the lever locks the windows tight?
I pout 50% on my excavator, it made a big difference with the AC and eye strain. I'm going to do it on my skid steer as well, just haven't gotten around to it yet.
i just put new front windshieds in my KW W900, had them 50% before we installed them. Really cuts the glare. Not really noticable at night, witch we rarly do any hauling at night anyways.
He just tinted them and the locks go against the film, I don’t open the windows very much but it’s not caused any issues and the film still looks perfect where the locks ride. Even if it scratched the film where they ride it’s not a big deal as far as I’m concerned.
As far as the AC working better with them being tinted, the AC in these worked great before and thr was never an issue with the cab getting hot inside but now I have to run the blower on the lowest setting and the temperature control about halfway from cold to hot, otherwise it will absolutely freeze you out and make your hands go numb with the air blowing in them. I’ll never own another piece of equipment without them being tinted, absolutely a game changer!! Another bonus is I started blowing a vent on my cup holders with a bottle of water in them and it keeps them nice and cold all day No more drinking hot water LOL