Wipers Travel Reduced

[Danny Barratt]

Hi My 2002 Gal has just developed a strange one. The wipers work fine at all speeds except for the drivers side blade travels about 4" short of where it used to go to. This leaves a blind spot on the far right of the windscreen. I will tackle it this weekend and strip it down, but from reading the various probs with seizing wipers this doesn't sound the same. Maybe this is just stage 1 and they are about top slow up and then pack in?

If anyone has seen this I would appreciate the advice.

 

Thanks

Danny :18:

[Scorpiorefugee]

As the linkages wear, the range of the driver's side one reduces. This is more evident when the system is under load, as on a dryish screen, or when running slow. When they are running fast, the momentum carries it across the screen and the range can often increase.

 

When you get it out, you will probably find a worn bush about half way across the mechanism where the direction of the drive to the arms is reversed. When I did mine, which was very badly worn on both the bush and the steel pivot, I tapped out the old bush and replaced it with a piece of 15mm copper tube with a slot cut down the side to allow it to compress into the housing. It didn't take out all of the wear but, with a good dose of grease, it has worked without noticable deterioration for 2 years/60,000 miles.

[sparky Paul]

There's a good chance that it could be a worn bush, although I've just had the offside wiper shaft seize giving a similar symptom - a couple of inches off each end of the travel...

 

To check for seized wiper post shafts, open the bonnet and run the wipers. Look to see if the wiper framework is flexing as the wipers reach the end of their stroke - a sure sign something is stiff. If you then have a feel around all the moving parts, the seizing part will be hot!

 

The only fix is to remove the whole assembly and strip down - I had to press the o/s wiper shaft out it was so tight. It appeared that patches of the shaft plating was coming off and picking up in the bushes - it all cleaned out and was nice and free upon reassembly with plenty of grease, but I can't help feeling that I'll be doing this again at some point... :wacko:

[motorwise]

There's a good chance that it could be a worn bush, although I've just had the offside wiper shaft seize giving a similar symptom - a couple of inches off each end of the travel...

 

To check for seized wiper post shafts, open the bonnet and run the wipers. Look to see if the wiper framework is flexing as the wipers reach the end of their stroke - a sure sign something is stiff. If you then have a feel around all the moving parts, the seizing part will be hot!

 

The only fix is to remove the whole assembly and strip down - I had to press the o/s wiper shaft out it was so tight. It appeared that patches of the shaft plating was coming off and picking up in the bushes - it all cleaned out and was nice and free upon reassembly with plenty of grease, but I can't help feeling that I'll be doing this again at some point... :)

 

 

exactly right - I free off quite a few of these during the course of the year

[bofivefive]

Hi My 2002 Gal has just developed a strange one. The wipers work fine at all speeds except for the drivers side blade travels about 4" short of where it used to go to. This leaves a blind spot on the far right of the windscreen. I will tackle it this weekend and strip it down, but from reading the various probs with seizing wipers this doesn't sound the same. Maybe this is just stage 1 and they are about top slow up and then pack in?

If anyone has seen this I would appreciate the advice.

 

Thanks

Danny :)

on mine it was worn splines on the part the wiper blade bolts on to (not cheap)