wipers collide in a "T"
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Bucky
Take either one of the arms loose at the base, 13mm wrench, them hit the switch and let them cycle, and "park" then tighten the one you loosed, making sure you align them according to the factory manual. I don't know the age or manufacturer of the wiper blades, but, I'd in vest in a good quality set like Bosch, or even Triple-edge. It's also a good idea to hand clean your windshield often, even though it may not look dirty, it keeps the minute oil and grime off that makes the wipers "chatter". The least that you could do to reduce the chatter is to get some extra fine sand paper and fold it in half, and run it over the wiper blade edge. Keeps them up to snuff.
Gene
P.S. Some of us have even used that "invisible wipers" stuff you can get at parts houses and if you keep it on the windshield, you don't need your wipers that much, because that stuff really works, especially on the much angled GT windshield.
Take either one of the arms loose at the base, 13mm wrench, them hit the switch and let them cycle, and "park" then tighten the one you loosed, making sure you align them according to the factory manual. I don't know the age or manufacturer of the wiper blades, but, I'd in vest in a good quality set like Bosch, or even Triple-edge. It's also a good idea to hand clean your windshield often, even though it may not look dirty, it keeps the minute oil and grime off that makes the wipers "chatter". The least that you could do to reduce the chatter is to get some extra fine sand paper and fold it in half, and run it over the wiper blade edge. Keeps them up to snuff.
Gene
P.S. Some of us have even used that "invisible wipers" stuff you can get at parts houses and if you keep it on the windshield, you don't need your wipers that much, because that stuff really works, especially on the much angled GT windshield.
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1,956 Posts
great ideas...thank you
I had to drive almost 40 miles in a huge cloudburst...on a 4
lane ..shut down to 2 lanes..mac trucks..rush hour..once again
"celeste" got me thru..w the angle glass that was designed in a
wind tunnel in Stuttgart..a "normal" car wouldn't have made it.
thanks for your help ..I will work on it tonight.
I had to drive almost 40 miles in a huge cloudburst...on a 4
lane ..shut down to 2 lanes..mac trucks..rush hour..once again
"celeste" got me thru..w the angle glass that was designed in a
wind tunnel in Stuttgart..a "normal" car wouldn't have made it.
thanks for your help ..I will work on it tonight.
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6,778 Posts
Bucky,
When you remove the wiper arms, have a look at the inside of the hole that fits over the drive post. There should be grooves inside that engage matching splines on the drive post "cone". The arms are "pot metal" (a zinc alloy) and the groves sometimes get worn out. Once the grooves in the arm gets stripped out, it is bigger than the "cone", and the arm "bottoms out" on the shoulder at the base of the drive post, so tightening the nut more just strips the threads.
What I have found that works is to take a small strip of aluminum tape (such as muffler tape) and wrap it (once) around the drive post. That makes the cone slightly larger, so that when you (gently) tighten the nut, it provides a compression fit between the cone and the arm. I used this technique last winter on Kat McCoy's GT, and it is still (at last report) holding.
HTH
When you remove the wiper arms, have a look at the inside of the hole that fits over the drive post. There should be grooves inside that engage matching splines on the drive post "cone". The arms are "pot metal" (a zinc alloy) and the groves sometimes get worn out. Once the grooves in the arm gets stripped out, it is bigger than the "cone", and the arm "bottoms out" on the shoulder at the base of the drive post, so tightening the nut more just strips the threads.
What I have found that works is to take a small strip of aluminum tape (such as muffler tape) and wrap it (once) around the drive post. That makes the cone slightly larger, so that when you (gently) tighten the nut, it provides a compression fit between the cone and the arm. I used this technique last winter on Kat McCoy's GT, and it is still (at last report) holding.
HTH
While you are fooling with the wipers, make sure the posts are turning freely in their bushings. The FrankenOpel's were heavily oxidized on the passenger side and required the attention of some fine sandparer to free them up after they were hammered loose to get them to move.
Another item is that the passenger wiper parks considerably higher than the driver side blade, so test the synchronization sufficiently to assure they clear each other while running.
Bill and the FrankenOpel
Ok. . . so it doesn't rain in Arizona
Another item is that the passenger wiper parks considerably higher than the driver side blade, so test the synchronization sufficiently to assure they clear each other while running.
Bill and the FrankenOpel
Ok. . . so it doesn't rain in Arizona
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1,956 Posts
wipers still will collide in a T..saw next?
there is a lot of slop in my system...even tho the I have a firm grip on the motor shaft with the metal tape as described by keith ....I think I may take a saw and shorten the driven side blade( or guess I could remove one blade)
I try not to drive in the rain,,but when you get caught in it ..you need them
there is a lot of slop in my system...even tho the I have a firm grip on the motor shaft with the metal tape as described by keith ....I think I may take a saw and shorten the driven side blade( or guess I could remove one blade)
I try not to drive in the rain,,but when you get caught in it ..you need them
Attachments
My wipers 'T'd' as well
Well opeldean started the latest thread of my life - major cloudbursts here from all the huge storms crossing the country and the other day my wipers collided and then went wonky. To make a long story longer, the usual problem was the cause. The pot metal on the arm had stripped out and was just grinding away on the drive post. Splines on the drive post are still faintly there (may have been that faint all the time - never had a reason to look until now) and used the metal tape trick to fix. I thought. The other nite I have a repeat of the problem on the driver side wiper. Double up the tape this time and so far it's okay.
Here's the deal. Now I don't trust them. Plus, I'd like to find a more 'permanent' solution. What do you think of this? Dan and I were discussing it and he mentioned something that I had thought of (one of the possibilities). We thought of a pin. Going thru the arm and the drive post. But what about the chance of further wallowing on the arm and also the drilling thru the arm weakening the arm (pot metal)? JB Weld has been suggested and variations thereof ... . I thought of a sleeve inserted into the arm but you might end up with the same 'spinning' problem with the sleeve in the arm... . We considered an indexing type of solution but that would be the same as the splines just bigger and less in number than a bunch of splines.
Please impart some deathless wisdom here.
Well opeldean started the latest thread of my life - major cloudbursts here from all the huge storms crossing the country and the other day my wipers collided and then went wonky. To make a long story longer, the usual problem was the cause. The pot metal on the arm had stripped out and was just grinding away on the drive post. Splines on the drive post are still faintly there (may have been that faint all the time - never had a reason to look until now) and used the metal tape trick to fix. I thought. The other nite I have a repeat of the problem on the driver side wiper. Double up the tape this time and so far it's okay.
Here's the deal. Now I don't trust them. Plus, I'd like to find a more 'permanent' solution. What do you think of this? Dan and I were discussing it and he mentioned something that I had thought of (one of the possibilities). We thought of a pin. Going thru the arm and the drive post. But what about the chance of further wallowing on the arm and also the drilling thru the arm weakening the arm (pot metal)? JB Weld has been suggested and variations thereof ... . I thought of a sleeve inserted into the arm but you might end up with the same 'spinning' problem with the sleeve in the arm... . We considered an indexing type of solution but that would be the same as the splines just bigger and less in number than a bunch of splines.
Please impart some deathless wisdom here.
Unfortunately the only real good fix is to find a pair that have not been stripped. I'll take a look when the sun comes up to check stock on good ones. Right now I'm not sure but suspect within the next week I can probably turn up a few. Jared may have a few about too. I know I sent a pair to Britain but there should be more. Dean and Ging is it one side or both that are bad?
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730 Posts
Another "possiblity" is to get a GM replacement arm from a local parts house. I won't say for sure cause I haven't had to replace one. But it may be a standard GM fit, "weather" std or metric,
Just me 2c's
std or metric,Just me 2c's
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5,564 Posts
Repair Option
Loctite (TM) makes a product for replacing the metal in stripped threads - think it is called "Neu-metal" Just pour it into the stripped thread, insert the bolt and it sets to form a new thread as strong as the old one. I am sure this type of repair product could be used in the ends of the wiper arms to reform the slogged out taper and even the wee splines. I'll do some more investigating at work.
Loctite (TM) makes a product for replacing the metal in stripped threads - think it is called "Neu-metal" Just pour it into the stripped thread, insert the bolt and it sets to form a new thread as strong as the old one. I am sure this type of repair product could be used in the ends of the wiper arms to reform the slogged out taper and even the wee splines. I'll do some more investigating at work.
A NEW issue on my wipers
Another chapter in my wipers saga ...
Got an entire wiper system a while back eliminating the need to solve the 'stripped' arm syndrome (thanks GA Opelers and Gene) but now there's a new trouble. We're in the middle of the rain month here and the wipers got a good test a few days ago in a truly terrifying solid walls of water storm. They worked beautifully except for this: the passenger side wiper is going right over and off the edge of the windshield gasket in it's furthest extension/up position. This was not due to incredible wind pressure - down to 30 mph on the interstate at one point and no blasting winds. However, at rest the wiper is in good position. Arm is above the driver side arm and both nice and low on the windshield in the 'rest' position. No colliding with the other wiper.
I am going to go out there and readjust the arm on it's post if possible without causing any colliding - readjust both arms if necessary, if not probably.
Anyone dealt with this before? Have any ideas?
Much grass,
Another chapter in my wipers saga ...
Got an entire wiper system a while back eliminating the need to solve the 'stripped' arm syndrome (thanks GA Opelers and Gene) but now there's a new trouble. We're in the middle of the rain month here and the wipers got a good test a few days ago in a truly terrifying solid walls of water storm. They worked beautifully except for this: the passenger side wiper is going right over and off the edge of the windshield gasket in it's furthest extension/up position. This was not due to incredible wind pressure - down to 30 mph on the interstate at one point and no blasting winds. However, at rest the wiper is in good position. Arm is above the driver side arm and both nice and low on the windshield in the 'rest' position. No colliding with the other wiper.
I am going to go out there and readjust the arm on it's post if possible without causing any colliding - readjust both arms if necessary, if not probably.
Anyone dealt with this before? Have any ideas?
Much grass,
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4,128 Posts
Ging;
If you remove the Cowl just under the center of the windshield, there is an adjustment nut which should should resolve your over extension of your wiper. Just loosen it, set your wiper and retighen.
I spoke to Gil at Carlisle about the "t" problem. It might be worn out nylon bushings in the wiper mechanism. The only solution is to get a replacement wiper motor and mechanism set from an area which doesn't get much rain, such as Southern Cal or Arizona as theirs won't have much wear on them.
My GT suffers from the same "t"ing problem. I use a shorter blade on the drivers side to help stop this problem. It has been semi-successful.
Jeff
If you remove the Cowl just under the center of the windshield, there is an adjustment nut which should should resolve your over extension of your wiper. Just loosen it, set your wiper and retighen.
I spoke to Gil at Carlisle about the "t" problem. It might be worn out nylon bushings in the wiper mechanism. The only solution is to get a replacement wiper motor and mechanism set from an area which doesn't get much rain, such as Southern Cal or Arizona as theirs won't have much wear on them.
My GT suffers from the same "t"ing problem. I use a shorter blade on the drivers side to help stop this problem. It has been semi-successful.
Jeff
Baz; I checked the wipers earlier today and I think that the parallel aspect is not correct and that you might have a good point there. I am going to reset that wiper (passenger) and see if it helps or clears up the problem.
Jlthunder; The infamous adjustment nut, ah yes! I fiddled with that a good bit when I put these in and like you advised am also going to fiddle with it again. Had adjusted for the 'T' problem and more than likely will end up working in a sort of backwards elimination to solve this.
Fun, fun, fun.
Jlthunder; The infamous adjustment nut, ah yes!
I fiddled with that a good bit when I put these in and like you advised am also going to fiddle with it again. Had adjusted for the 'T' problem and more than likely will end up working in a sort of backwards elimination to solve this. Fun, fun, fun.
Windshield wipers AGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVAAAAAAATTT Ting
I spent most of today on wipers on my '72GT. The motor, both speeds and switch seems to work fine. The problems are either the arms don't swing far enough across the windshield, swing down too low over the rubber and off the windshield, collide with each other, or after the switch is shut off the blades complete the cycle but then seem to start bck up the windshield before finally stopping up a 4-5 inches from the bottom rubber. Any suggestions. I have 18" blades on the arms because that was what was on the car probably for the last 30+ years however it has probably been at least that long since they even ran. I've owned the car 1 year. I never had the wipers running until today and started with the T-boneing problem, tried to make adjustments to the arms, linkages, and just got more and more frustrated. What is the proper configuration for the blades. Driver side arm over or under Passenger arm? Any suggestions or ideas will be greatly appreciated.
I spent most of today on wipers on my '72GT. The motor, both speeds and switch seems to work fine. The problems are either the arms don't swing far enough across the windshield, swing down too low over the rubber and off the windshield, collide with each other, or after the switch is shut off the blades complete the cycle but then seem to start bck up the windshield before finally stopping up a 4-5 inches from the bottom rubber. Any suggestions. I have 18" blades on the arms because that was what was on the car probably for the last 30+ years however it has probably been at least that long since they even ran. I've owned the car 1 year. I never had the wipers running until today and started with the T-boneing problem, tried to make adjustments to the arms, linkages, and just got more and more frustrated. What is the proper configuration for the blades. Driver side arm over or under Passenger arm? Any suggestions or ideas will be greatly appreciated.
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