Do I need new wiper arms

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BustedVibe
Posts: 139
Joined: Sun May 22, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Do I need new wiper arms

Post by BustedVibe »

Well, this is interesting. I took my wiper arms off a while back to adjust their height, as several members commented they were sitting way too low. But now I wish I hadn't because I don't know if I did something wrong reinstalling them (is that possible??) or if the act itself just revealed worn out arms ready to be replaced anyway.


My wiper blades chatter, skip across the window etc. They leave streaks, dont' clear the water properly, in that even if a wipe in one direction cleans the windshield, on the reverse wipe it'll leave bits of water trailing that gets blown around by the wind etc.

They skip a lot / chatter in the rain. Definitely after a car wash on a dry windshield. At first I thought it was the blades, so I bought new ones and nothing changed (except they made the problem seem worse).

Mechanic says its possible springs have lost tension / aged. But I find it odd this problem would happen after my fussing with them.


I did note during my adjustment of the blades, that one came off rather easily, the drivers side, so I had very little fuss with it (yet it gives me the most trouble with skipping etc). I didn't even have to take it all the way off the mounting bolt. I just adjusted it smoothly after lifting it up a little.

The passenger side was more strange. It only wanted to push down onto the bolt at set intervals, and the first time I forced it down, I wanted to adjust it more and almost couldn't get it to come off. at least one of the arms did "bend in" i.e the mount had enough room to move that the spring pulled things together more, but I reset that and didn't think it would be an issue.

When I reinstalled them, I did not have them in the "up" position like when you are cleaning the windshield at a gas station. I had them laying against the windshield. Could this be the problem?

Winter is coming. I am sick of skipping blades and also I want to be safe and able to clear snow and ice. So I am prepared to buy new arms. Is there possibly anything I could have done to mess up the reinstallation or is it likely that just being handled caused old springs to go over the edge and lose tension ?

My symptoms seem consistent with bad springs but I'm unsure.
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jolt
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Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by jolt »

Could be everything you talked about that could cause the wipers to chatter because of lack of down force. Also check to make sure the glass is not contaminated with something, clean the glass. I would clean with alcohol first to remove any oils and then I would use Bon Ami cleaner. Damp rag with some Bon Ami sprinkled on it, wipe, let dry to haze, and then wipe clean with dry cloth. DO NOT use Comet Cleanser as the Comet will scratch the glass. Here is link to product; http://www.bonami.com/

You said you replaced the blades but I know cheap blades will chatter too. It seems that about $15.00 or cheaper blades, you run the risk of chatter and going bad fast. Something else that does help with chatter are blades that have, for lack of a better word, wind scoops on them that put more down force on the blade when driving.

p.s.
I see you're dealing with snow and ice. A tip to keep the doors from freezing shut in ice and snow; spray a rag down with a can of silicone spray and wipe the surface of all the weatherstripping in the door jambs. This repels the water so it can not freeze the door shut and also lubes the door and rubber for a better fit.
BustedVibe
Posts: 139
Joined: Sun May 22, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by BustedVibe »

The replacements I bought were Bosch blades and almost $20 each. Just putting that out there. I'll consider trying the Bon Ami stuff.

So do I want the "powder cleanser" or the original 1886 powder ?
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jolt
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Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by jolt »

Use the "Bon Ami Powder Cleanser" in the gold colored can. Most grocery/food stores have it. This is also one of the best and cheapest ways to remove water spots from the glass too.
Derf
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Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by Derf »

Agree it could be anything, but also had this issue with a car, turned out it was tree sap and building paint over spray. Used a new clay bar to wipe down the glass, could tell it felt smoother when done.
2005 #10,524 Neptune Vibe "Bandit" Auto, Moon & Tunes 235k :D
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ehoff121
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Location: Conn.

Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by ehoff121 »

One of my teenage jobs was working in a detailing shop. We used steel wool on the glass (not the interior sides!) to clean any crud off, like tar, paint, etc.

You can also use dish washing liquid to dissolve any oil/grease and then spray off well with water.

Have you tried Rain-X washer fluid? I've found that it reduces my use of wipers to the intermittent setting most of the time.
2005 Pontiac Vibe AWD - Platinum
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vibenvy
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Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by vibenvy »

I would suggest using a Mother's clay bar followed by Mother's California Gold Water Spot Remover on the windshield.
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BustedVibe
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Joined: Sun May 22, 2016 6:27 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Do I need new wiper arms

Post by BustedVibe »

I'm kind of indecisive now.

I did pick up the Bon Ami as it was pretty cheap. But it has a warning on it not to use on glass because it will scratch it.

Maybe I'll try dish soap first
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