Wipers query

Post by **Mike Shipman** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:47 pm

Hi
My wipers are rubbish, there appears little pressure against the windscreen...
I need new rubbers, but should I replace the whole thing or can I replace part of them?
Ive looked on ESMs site and the rubbers seem to be attached to the metal arm - do I have to buy them this way?
Also, I understand there is a water repelling product you can put on the windcreen - anyone kno its name? - is it any good? how long dooes it stayt effective?
Thanks for any thoughts.

Post by **rusty_68** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:17 am

you mean RainX I find it works ok and lasts about a month theres also an anti mist stuff by them for inside thats quite good for old cars with not the best heaters

are the springs on the wiper arms tight ie will they spring back onto the screen with a thud ?
if not the springs are probably stretched or you have cheap rubbish modern arms as my mini arms are rubbish due to weak springs

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:56 am

I spent an evening taking my arms apart and messing around with the spring profile and stuff, and although the pressure has increased somewhat (and they got through the MOT), they still don't do a brilliant job of clearing the glass. The problem is I'm loath to buy a new pair for £15 unless I'm sure they're going to be better than the ones I've got. I have the earlier clap-hands type of wipers.

Post by **ColinP** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:22 am

Mike,

I use these people :-
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/home.php?cat=709

The Bosch blades are pretty good (maybe black not chromed holders), but at about £4.00 per blade I can live with that!

I also find that I have to get the widnscreen really clean - there's about 40 years' history of road dust/oil/grot on the windscreen.

I also had to loosen and re-adjust the spindles on the scuttle - they had crept nearer the glass....

Colin

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:15 pm

If any of the springs are weak you are not getting the best wipe possible, and also the wiper blades do seem to vary in quality.

Post by **Mike Shipman** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:53 pm

Is it possible to buy replacement springs? - if so where from...?
Thanks.

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 3:05 pm

I doubt it - the way mine work is that end of the arm itself is the spring. It acts on a cam inside the shroud, and the only way to get the arm apart is to drill out a couple of rivets, then replace them with screws and nuts when you put it back together. Reshaping the end of the arm did help a bit, but not as much as I would like.

Post by **Kevin** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 3:52 pm

The other thing to check is that the arms are actually sitting flat on the screen as they can twist out of shape, to check remove the blades and make sure the flat part of the arm is flat to the screen and not twisted if it is gently twist with a small pair of pliers to get them to lay flat.

Post by **Mike Shipman** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:42 pm

THanks for all of your responses...Mike

Post by **Welung666** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:47 pm

I've had a look at Phoebe's wipers today (63 clap-hand non-splitty) the passenger side is a great wiper with the spring the same as Alex's but the drivers side is the sprung type minus a spring! explains why I can't see anything when it rains!

I'll have a dig in my box of asorted springs tomorrow see if I can't find a substitute spring