Fix for slow wipers

[BlackThunder]

I need to do this repair because my wipers have slowed down drastically lately. But I was unable to get the wiper arms off of the car. I removed the 13mm nut and pulled on the wiper arms but they don't want to come off. Any suggestions? Just wiggle it or put some PB blaster on it?

Dustin

[Ozark Lee]

Just wiggle it or put some PB blaster on it?

Yes - all of the above.

I have the best luck rocking the arms back and forth near the base.

...Lee

[BlackThunder]

Cool, I'll try it. Thanks.

Dustin

[BlackThunder]

I sprayed some PB blaster on the wiper arms and they seem to be working better. Hopefully they won't get worse I don't want to tear the wiper assembly out in the middle of winter!

Dustin

[renns]

If you have corrosion problems like mine did, the shot of PB will give only a short-lived improvement. I'd suggest you do the full repair now, before the cold weather sets in.

[davis911s]

Excellent article! Fixed mine today, The corrosion on the left side was incredible but all good now

[renns]

Glad to hear it! The good news is that the wipers on the old 855 have been trouble-free since I did that repair over 2 years ago. So far our V70 is OK, but I'm sure it'll need that treatment eventually as well.

[BlackThunder]

7.) Mark the drive link position with respect to the motor shaft, then remove its retaining nut and washer.
8.) Slide wiper shafts and associated mechanism down and out of aluminum casting. This may take some work, as one or both of the shafts are likely stuck in the casting. Mounting the mechanism in a vise, and slowly prying upwards while pivoting the housing may help. Driving the shaft through with a hammer is another alternative, but be sure to stick a nut on the end of the shaft to protect the threads. The stock nut is aluminum, so using a spare steel nut for this task is recommended if you have one available. There are washers at top and bottom of the shaft - make note of position.
9.) Once disassembled, polish the offending shaft with fine emery cloth or sandpaper. I used some 600 grit, and it worked nicely to remove the corrosion.

Finally, I was able to take everything apart - even though I've been meaning to do this since October. Anyway, I was only able to get the passenger side to move. The driver's side was stuck in the shaft.

The question I have is Do I need to take off the brass (colored) nut that holds the motor onto the assembly to get both of the wipers to come out of their respective shafts?

I cleaned what I could in the time I had and put things back together. The wipers are working better but I know I'm going to eventually burn out the motor due to the dirver's side wiper arm being so corroded/dirty.

Dustin

[renns]

The question I have is Do I need to take off the brass (colored) nut that holds the motor onto the assembly to get both of the wipers to come out of their respective shafts?

Sorry Dustin, but I don't recall those specifics. I do remember I ended up taking mine apart completely in order to get access. I'd suggest you have another go at it, and post up some pics if there are issues. Now is the time to do it, rather than on a cold rainy day in November.

[ratfink1]

Thanks for this article. Just did the job and my wipers are working again!

One thing I'd like to add is that the plastic cap on my passenger side wiper was cracked and that one had the worse corrosion. The cap on the driver's side was intact and that side had no corrosion. I'm probably going to replace both caps and pack them full of grease before installing them. It probably wouldn't hurt to pop them off every year and re-grease them.