Window Covers - Reflectix and Felt

[Pixelchrome]

Here's how I tackled window cover situation on my Toyota...

Naturally, I used the Reflectix. Cheap, effective and easy to work with...no brainer.




Just one layer seemed a bit flimsy to me...and with the way the plastic is molded around the rear windows, a friction fit wasn't reliable.

So, I got a can of 3M 77 spray glue, and made double layer covers.




On top of that, I glued a layer of black felt.

This made the covers nice and substantial.

But, this made the friction fit issue on the rear side windows a bigger problem.
So, I put strips of the hook side of industrial velcro on the plastic to bite into the edges of the covers.



It worked a treat and they plug into the windows real snug without a single crack of light leakage.



I put tabs of Gorilla tape on them to make removal easy, so the edges don't get boogered as fast trying to peel them out in the mornings.


The good thing about having identical windows on each side of the vehicle is that you can swap the covers to do double duty:  total black out stealth at night with the felt side, and some sun/heat protection during the day with the foil side. (Since they're double layered and sit totally against the glass, they actually do offer some heat protection compared to a loose single layer.





Rear passenger windows




Driver and passenger window (I got lazy and only did single layer on these..meh)




Reach glass hatch cover




Made a cardboard storage sleeve for 'em.



This is quite the improvement over my early days when I car camped in a soft top jeep - all I had then was some swatches of dark fabric that I had to fuss with every night to hang over the rear supports of the soft top.


Pxl.

 

[WanderingBiker]

Great job....

thanks for the DIY installation info and pics.....

jT

 

[Cammalu]

You really did a nice job on those

 

[ratfink56]

Thanks for the Velcro tip!

 

[sparkett788]

What a great idea. Good explanation. I live in a camper.. I used cardboard to fit windows, only 2. Then covered in pretty fabric with Modge Podge. I store against back wall behind mattress and call it 'wall decoration.' lol

 

[Pixelchrome]

Thanks for the Velcro tip!

Just remember to clean the plastic with acetone or alcohol.

When I first started trying to do mods on my car, I was going crazy because I could not get velcro to stick - how could super tacky industrial velcro not stick?! I'd put it on, and it would just peel off like it was on wax paper. Or, I come back the next day and it had fallen off. :dodgy:
I thought it was just some weird thing with automotive polyesters or something.

Then I decided to risk using acetone to strip the area clean of any wax, armor all or dirt...the plastic might melt or bleach out, but I didn't care at that point.
Tada! It worked.
The plastic was not damaged in the slightest.
The velcro even stays stuck after the interior has been broiled for a day in the sun.


Pxl.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would be very careful using Acetone on plastic. Acetone will dissolve ABS, and PVC almost instantly. on other plastics it damages them, only this damage will not be apparent right away. some types of plastic IS COMPATABLE with Acetone. it's best to identify the type of plastic and research if it's compatible with Acetone. you can find the type of plastic on the backside of auto parts. the auto industry uses many different types of plastic so there is no universal answer to "is Acetone compatible". just a little FYI. highdesertranger

 

[Pixelchrome]

I would be very careful using Acetone on plastic.  Acetone will dissolve ABS, and PVC almost instantly.  on other plastics it damages them, only this damage will not be apparent right away.  some types of plastic IS COMPATABLE with Acetone.  it's best to identify the type of plastic and research if it's compatible with Acetone.   you can find the type of plastic on the backside of auto parts.  the auto industry uses many different types of plastic so there is no universal answer to "is Acetone compatible".  just a little FYI.  highdesertranger

Yep. It's the stuff in ABS/PVC pipe cement.
Yeah, so folks test a hidden area of the plastic before using acetone.

I realized the plastic molding in the Toyota was some type of polyethylene when I tried to glue a cracked section of the back panel. Absolutely nothing would stick to it...not epoxy or even hot glue.
I didn't have any JB Weld to test on it, so I had to weld the cracks with a soldering iron.

Even so, I did do a small test before I went full on with the acetone.
(I've made the mistake in the past of having the acetone rag bond instantly to plastic parts in an unholy mess...)