Driver Side Windshield Wiper Arm

viper69 · Post by **viper69** » 20 Aug 2016, 12:20

I periodically ask this question of 850 owners because people come and go from the forum, and new people have new experiences.

What are people doing for the driver side 850 windshield wiper arm that chronically raises off the glass? I heard there's an arm from a later model Volvo (1996 and forward) but couldn't remember the following:

1. What model and year are people using for their drop-in replacement arm?
2. For my 95 850 GLT, do I only need to get the driver side arm, OR both new arms?
3. What are you using instead of future Volvo model's arm.

I used to bend the arm, but that is no longer good enough. I want it working properly all the time hah.

Thanks!

Post by **Clemens** » 20 Aug 2016, 15:29

Someone on a german forum posted that he used a dremel to file away some material on the lever where the wiper arm is mounted on. There seems to be a little ridge that prevents the arm from touching properly as that lever ages and bends over time. I will try to look that up and link it here. I might give it a try on my wifes 850 where the wiper barely touches anymore and post results here.

ashitaka695 · Post by **ashitaka695** » 20 Aug 2016, 20:07

On my 94 850 I just put a small shim. I used a thin copper washer. I had to work the metal a bit so it was a cone shape. I used the end of a spud wrench and a ball peen hammer. It works great for now.

Post by **dosbricks** » 21 Aug 2016, 10:06

I tried several different bending contortions and also the '98 S70 passenger wiper arm for the driver side 850. The latter contacted (by height) the hood at the end of the down stroke. None of that worked to give a good clean wipe.

Finally I stumbled across the method for reducing (I used a Dremel tool) just a bit off the two little bumps under the arm that act as the limit for how tightly the springs can pull the arm down toward the windshield. This increased the spring pressure against the windshield and have had a full sweep clean wipe ever since no matter how light or heavy the rain. I think this method is discussed somewhere on MVS.

Post by **rguzz** » 21 Aug 2016, 16:45

RSPI has a video detailing a couple of fixes if I recall. Leaves little to the imagination I recommend it.

Post by **rspi** » 21 Aug 2016, 20:23

The best thing is to shave a little off the arm near the spring like DosBrick did. Don't take to much off.

jjs70pdx · Post by **jjs70pdx** » 25 Aug 2016, 00:24

Go to salvage yard, pull a good one from another '93-'97 850 that is not raised (close hood to test the clearance). Simple <$5 fix compared to the dremel method, IMO. I had the same issue on my passenger side arm, so it wouldn't hurt to pull both sides while you are at it.

viper69 · Post by **viper69** » 15 Nov 2016, 20:10

rguzz wrote:RSPI has a video detailing a couple of fixes if I recall. Leaves little to the imagination I recommend it.

What is RSPI?

Post by **erikv11** » 15 Nov 2016, 21:41

viper69 wrote:
rguzz wrote:RSPI has a video detailing a couple of fixes if I recall. Leaves little to the imagination I recommend it.
What is RSPI?

Look up two posts from yours. See who wrote that one?

viper69 · Post by **viper69** » 16 Nov 2016, 16:13

erikv11 wrote:
viper69 wrote:
rguzz wrote:RSPI has a video detailing a couple of fixes if I recall. Leaves little to the imagination I recommend it.
What is RSPI?
Look up two posts from yours. See who wrote that one?

Haha..thanks. I thought it was some site for some reason. Yeah his info is helpful no doubt.

I may end up getting a new arm, but not the same model as that doesn't fix the problem, just delays it. I could have sworn some people have used later model arms and didn't report any issues.