So I drove my E350 in the rain the other day and was amazed at how little of the windshield the wipers cleared. I thought perhaps it had the wrong size blades on. I checked and its running 20" blades as recommended.

I looked at the wipers and windshield today, and it appears that 22" would easily fit, maybe even 24". Have any of you tried using larger blades? With good or bad results? What have you found works best?

 

I use 22" exclusively----hate the 20's for some reason.

I would advise you to check and/or replace the wiper arms if the existing are more than 5 years old. From Ford they're less than $40 for the pair, make all the difference in the world with longer new blades.

I'd avoid 24's---what are you looking at that high up on the windshield when driving?

 

What does changing the arms improve?

Is it challenging?

 

What improves is the tension placed on the wiper blade as it runs across the windshield. (FWIW I've been in the auto/truck glass/windshield business full time since 1988.......)

Its nothing more complicated than lifting a small clip on each wiper arm holding it to the shaft of the wiper drive assembly. Place the new arm in place, install new wiper blades to your preference and you're done.

Here's a few photos:

Normal appearance:


Latch raised:


Pull wiper arm free of shaft:


This isn't something you must do but it greatly improves wiper action when they're needed. Otherwise just do as you prefer and we'll leave it at that.

 

Another DIY trick you can do to increase preload on the wiper blade is to simply put a little arch in flat metal end of the arm.

I too noticed that the wiper blades seem a little small for the windshield in these vans, it certainly has the biggest windshield of any vehicle I have ever owned.

 

BGLeRoy,
I wondered for years why 22" wiper blades were not stock on our full size econolines. The 20" blades seemed to leave unnecessary gaps and there was room for larger blades. I've been using 22" blades for over 10 years on my E250 without any issues. The outer tip of the passenger side blade doesn't totally hug the contour of the windshield when it swipes on the downstroke, i.e. when it's in the parked/off position, but it's never been a problem. The actual overall full inch of coverage gained at the ends of both wipers is noticeable and was a good improvement.

 

I do want to point out that if you drive in freezing drizzle, icy and/or snowy conditions, anytime there is blade lift off the glass, it can cause a rapid build-up of ice under the blade...which will result in build-up of ice on the glass.

Just sayin....

 

I hadn't thought of going bigger but I will next time I buy wipers.....

 

I went to buy wipers for my 99, it lists 20" blades, but the same bodystyle, years ago have 22" listed, I think it's under 1994, I thought it strange. BTW the rubber ones were rotten, not even a year old, I had silicon ones for 10 years, yet under the suggestion of someone, I replaced them, and it wound up being something on the glass, not the wiper causing it.

 

pulled my winter wipers off this winter, was driving in freezing drizzle and the wind drag on the wipers was lifting them off the windshield, stopped and put on the cheapest metal and rubber 20s I could find and they worked perfect.


I laugh at people who flip their wipers forward in the winter so they don't freeze to the glass. they are destroying the tension spring in the wiper arms.............

 

Metal frames conform to the glass, those winter wipers are a joke, only suitable for flat windshields, the factory I worked for made wipers, I had a CJ 5 Jeep, so I was good, but when I looked at them on other vehicles I realized they were a joke.

 

The sad part is those people are doing what works for them but like you I don't do that either. Its better than the typical steps most use to free frozen blades---that's the comical and often times costly mistakes they make.

The "secret" to dealing with iced over wipers is removing it before using them. During icy weather I warm the truck along with running the defrosting system at max temp, sometimes up to 20 minutes before driving any distance. While this sounds like something everyone should know it often comes as a surprise to many when its forwarded.

It should be noted wiper arms aren't intended to last forever, just like other mechanical parts use and age wears them out requiring replacement. So far the only real solution to weak tension springs is replacement.

 

I start the vehicle, turn on the defroster to max, and then spray some of that windshield de-icer on the glass and the blades. It works well.

There's probably someone somewhere who has a reason not to do this, but it works for me.

 

I run 28" Autozone, beam-type Aero-style. The blades actually measure at 27.5".

The only 'problem' I have is that at full rest, approximately 1/8" of the passenger blade rests on the windshield surround rubber. If it ever gets to bothering me, I'll just clip off the outside corner.

Being 6' 3", I like being able to see without scrunching down to do it!

 

Did they do it due to strain on the system, I can't see why the listed wipers aren't sized for the glass, or is it just because the vehicle manufacture releases them with the bare minimum to get by, so it's just listed as the standard size rather than call them out on it.