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I recently bought a '73 Bronco that was shipped to me in Texas from the seller in Ohio. When it was shipping, it looks like both wiper arms were stripped. The linkage and motor work great, but the arms were not moving in sync or fast enough to move any water.
I got the old ones off with just a little prying and wiggling. Now I can not get the replacements on the splines. I hit the crap out of them with a mallet, and still not getting them on. The driver's side worked briefly, but the arm started to wiggle back off.
Anybody have any tricks to get the new ones on? I already broke the tab off one so I will ordering another, but want to have a plan when it gets in.
I'm not sure what was done... if the splines on the vehicle are stripped they need to B replaced. If they were hit hard enuff it may have been pushed into the windshield frame. The spline on the wiper arm has to B a duplicate to what's on the vehicle. Is there a lot of rust there so the 2 can not be eyeballed & compare?
Is the linkage (inside the vehicle) OK? U may need to focus on the whole assembly to diagnose "...but the arms were not moving in sync or fast enough to move any water..."
Yeah, something screwy going on. Splines are one thing, but stock for this year is one electric 2 speed motor w/park and if linkage is on right can not be out of sync. Once motor parks, install wipers pointing the same way.
You never know what a previous owner has done. Could be a motor lowering bracket for a bikini top and linkage is on wrong, any number of things. Even stock wipers aren't exactly great, but they should be in sync. Some holiday, had to put brakes on the pickup to pass inspection this week.
The linkage and motor are fine. The reason they get out of sync is because the arms are not seated properly on the stud. I can not get the arms onto the studs, even with some serious mallet / dead-blow hammer hits. Any ideas on how to get the arms on the studs?
I'll go look in the day light, passss this ol man's bd X.
Must B some clips - No hammers, it's just flimsy stuff - could break em...
I got spares if needed. Kinda glad it's on the inside.
Those lill splines (out side) R fragile, a lill difficult (4 me) 2 source/replace.
Nite...
OK, it's very hard to describe the angles of the arms (inside linkage) on the pass. compartment side of the windshield (ws) to guide U in assuring correctness. I think that may B where ur prob is on them flopping un-coordinated... A pic of yourn would help diagnos.
I'm imagining that somehow (pretty easy to do) the 4 bolts (2 each arm) that hold the splines thru the windshield & attach the linkage to the inside of the ws frame got turned 180*. Not sure if it wuz 1 or both. I think Richard asked if there wuz a drop bracket added to the wiper motor (for soft top mod). May B @ that time the PO screwed up the linkage. The pic would also assist, if taken from the outside, to check those splines condition. Seems like some 1 stripped out the splines on the 'mounting pegs' or it's mate in each wiper. No pic? a local could help assess & we could advise on proper alignment of the linkage (or they could figure it out). Keep talkin...
After dealing with a few thousand other problems, I finally got the wipers working. I bought a new mechanism and arms and they are working great now. When I compared the splines or ridges on the studs of the old mechanism to those on the new one, I could see a little wear and tear, but apparently that was enough to strip them.
Thanks for the help. Even though it took me months to get them done, I appreciate the help.