Headlight Armor - DIY Install - Smoked Tails - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Sedan

(Ralliart & Lancer Sedans also follow the same process)

Step 1: Clean the lenses. Clean your hands. Make sure there are no residues from the cleaning process remaining on the lenses or your hands. Without removing the lens cover from the backing paper hold it up to the lens and make sure you have the correct one / orientation (i.e. Slightly ovoid lenses). If it is cool - below 65 degrees F gently warming the lens with a hair dryer will help things along. Wet down one lens with water - a clean spray bottle / plant mister works great.
Step 2: Carefully remove the cover from the backing paper - handling the adhesive as little as possible - Use handling tabs when possible. Mist down the adhesive side and gently place on the lens. Handling the edges align the inner edge of the piece - (left side of the photo) then generally align the remaining edges. The piece will be 'floating' on the beads of water on the lens. Be gentle the adhesive is pressure sensitive.
Step 3: Squeegee this inner edge - about the first inch or so from top to bottom as shown.
Step 4: Next re-wet the adhesive side of the kit and align to the vertical protrusion as shown.
Step 5: With the kit aligned firmly squeegee from the inner edge where you started straight across the center of the taillight as shown. Use firm pressure squeegeeing to the high point of the protrusion.
Step 6: From the center line you squeegeed in step 5, squeegee to the bottom in short overlapping strokes. Stopping about an inch and a half from the vertical protrusion.
Step 7: Generally align the front corner as shown.
Step 8: From the center of the top of the vertical protrusion firmly squeegee down the front side and then diagonally down to the front corner of the kit as shown. Stopping about an inch and a half from the vertical protrusion at the bottom and at about the horizontal centerline at the top.
Step 9: Warm the area at the bottom of the vertical protrusion with a hair dryer to soften. Then firmly press the material into conformity around the bottom of the protrusion, being careful not to trap any air or water bubbles.
Step 10: Follow up with firm squeegee pressure to the bottom of the kit in very small motions across the 3 inches or so wide area of remaining material under the vertical protrusion until completely down. Additional warming with a hair dryer will likely be helpful. Do not overheat, you just need to soften the material.
Step 11: Steps 11-13 are going to take the most effort and squeegee pressure. If it is cool out the use of a hair dryer on low will be necessary. Do not overheat the film, you just want it to be warm and conformable. From the area you squeegeed in steps 5 & 8 squeegee toward the top of the kit in .25 - .5 inch increments from left to right along the entire edge to distribute the film as shown. Strong squeegee press will be required. Wrapping your squeegee with one of our ultrasuede detail towels will also help.
Step 12: Continue firmly squeegeeing in short strokes as in Step 11 with firm squeegee pressure and heating with a hairdryer as necessary.
Step 13: Continue firmly squeegeeing in short strokes as in Step 12 with increasing squeegee pressure and heating with a hairdryer as necessary. Depending on how well the kit was aligned you can likely roll the top edge into the rounded contour of the lens housing. Before any final trimming with a sharp razor knife, let the kit sit for 15 minutes or so. Move onto the other pieces of the kit while waiting for the first to set up a bit. With a sharp razor knife carefully trim off the handling tabs. If you have any areas that are misaligned or overhanging you can either wrap the edge if it a flat surface or simply trim off the excess. On this application the edges along the trunk opening, the bottom edge and the front corner of the lens should be trimmed flush. Go over the edges with a suede detail cloth / paper towel wrapped squeegee to make sure the edge is fully set. Gentle heat from a hair dryer on low can help things along if it is cool out.
Now you are done, stand back and enjoy! The Light Smoke (50%) covers shown in this tutorial will turn the bright pink / red stock tails to rich medium burgundy red. Any chrome areas will be greatly toned down. If you are looking for something darker you can select Standard Smoke (30%) or an even darker Stealth Smoke (20%).
With our Smoked taillight covers you will be able to change to look of your vehicle - while still allowing your brake lights and running lights to function as intended. You can remove these at some point in the future if you are so inclined - though they can only be used once. Great for leased vehicles!


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