After getting new Bosch blades on the Little Red Wagon (new to me 2004 Focus wagon) it occurred to me that the arms, themselves, might be weak. They are exerting less than ideal pressure, especially the rear wiper.
I could order arms off of Ebay, but I'm likely to get ones with the same 15 year old hardware. Has anyone re-springed a blade? Any online source for them? Or just a similar size/length from a hardware store?
You may be able to find the arms new. I had to replace one on my 318TI because it tended to "float" over the windshield. BMW still sold them, and it made a world of difference. Might be easier to find than the correct replacement spring.
Never thought to see if new ones were still sold.
Have you checked to make sure they aren't just seized up at the hinges?
That is what usually happens.
probably not woth ford. Unless they continued to use that wiperarm beyond that model's termination. Ford is notorious for not only ending production of parts after 10 years, but actively destroying them at that point.
2004? That was like yesterday. When you said "restore", I was thinking the car in question was built in the 1960's. Does the dealer not carry the wiper arm in parts?
If the internets aren't lying, I'm looking at around $200+ for actual Ford arms. I think I'll try my own hardware store rig job before I fork out that kind of cash.
The US Ford Focus sold here until 2010 is just a restyle and continuation of the 2000 Ford Focus. I'll bet the windshield is the same for all Focus from 2000-2010. As such, I bet that the wiper arms are the same too. What I am getting at is that some junkyard 2010 wiper arms should yield you a 6 year newer part than your 2004 wiper arms. If that helps?
When ever I have that issue I buy them new.
I would think that the spring is unlikely to be stretched or weakened.. maybe some good lubricant at all contact and hinge points would help?
dculberson said:I would think that the spring is unlikely to be stretched or weakened.. maybe some good lubricant at all contact and hinge points would help?
Good advice. Make sure that what you already have is working properly.
also know that the beam style blades can have a tendency to lift due to airflow at speed. especially noticeable on cars for which the beam style wasn't OE.
I could not find an image when I went looking but gone are the silly aftermarket triple blade wipers with the triple spoilers on top of them. They appeared that they would make your wipers hug the windshield. They were probably made by APC, the same company that brought you Non-DOT approved Azzalia tail lights.
Another thing to consider: Are they steel? If so then it might help to soak them in barkeeper's friend as detailed here:
With a lot of stuff like this it's rust that's gotten down in moving parts. Soak in barkeeper's friend for a while, then hose down with lubricant and work it back and forth for a bit and it might work a lot better. I had great luck with it on my Sidekick's tailgate latch handle.
As usual, I'm starting with easy and cheaper and working my way up. Oiled the arm hinges. We'll see what that does, first.
My buddy with an S10 asked me the same question -- his wipers were missing a huge swath in the middle of his field of view.
I lifted the wiper arm, gently bent it a few degrees in the middle, done. This is a 30 second fix and free.
Add 2 degrees or so of bend at the arrow, increase tension.
I was going to say "Krylon semi-gloss" as my answer, but that's a different 'Restoring Wiper Arms' topic...
I'm a Rustoleum man myself.
Appleseed said:I'm a Rustoleum man myself.
just don't get it on your hootis.
One of the best wiper spoilers I ever saw or owned was on my old 1988 Hyundai Excel GS. Being the rare "sport" model, it had a single spoiler screwed to the driver's side wiper blade. I meant to take off of the car when I traded it in, but never did. Never saw another like it.
I've bent the arms in order to increase the pressure.
Bend arm to apply more pressure.
SEM Trim Black
That's the next trick. The oil/lube seems to be working for now.
In reply to Appleseed :
It's incredibly common at the rear wipers for most cars, but it happens at the front, as well. The pivots will wear out, as well, which will make them more likely to chatter.
You'll need to log in to post.
