i have a '03 wind star van. The wipers don't sweep the drivers side clean. It leaves a triangle patch of glass about 10" on a side right in front of the driver" very annoying.
I've changed arms, blades and checked to see that the motor was mounted securely. I even swapped arms with the other side. Nothing seems to help. I've also checked, as near as I can, to see that the windshield was flat.
Anybody have any experience with this? I know it doesn't rain in Ca much but that spot gets very dirty.

 

I might point out that you're in the wrong forum as we're discussing E-series vans here.

But it seems to me that as long as the motor is operating the wiper hub just fine then the problem is either in the wiper arm (which isn't replaced when you change wipers) or the wiper blade. The only other possibility is that the wiper hub somehow got dislodged or tweaked from it's correct position and so the wiper arm is out of position and the wiper blade doesn't have adequate pressure or correct alignment. The windshield itself is not likely the culprit. If you've changed the blade and arm, then all you can do is try bending the wiper arm to eliminate the problem.

 

Even though this thread is about a Windstar we might be able to help none the less...........

Being in the windshield install biz its possible but not too common the windshield could be the problem here. Whether some SafeLite POS cheap ill-fitting piece or long term wear a low spot can exist that would cause your issues. I've seen it with the lower priced and quality windshields.

Changing the spring-loaded arm along with adding a new good quality blade tends to rectify this sort of issue. Because you've already done that---assuming new parts were used---the only other thing would be the glass itself.

Has this existed since you obtained the van or a recent development?

 

It has existed since I owned the van. I have not renewed the arms, I merely switched the arms from left to right sides. They are different but it made no difference in performance. My thinking was maybe someone switched them inadvertently before I purchased the van.
Living in central Ca. We don't get much more than three inches of rain a year but soon I'm going to move to Tulsa Ok. It rains a lot there.

Thanks for the response.

 

This seems to be a problem with all Fords, I have had to "fix" our Rangers, my old F150, and my new E250 van. The fix is quite simple too.. just put a little arch in the arm to apply a little more spring preload on the wiper.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but to hijack the thread... We busted 17 windshields across 5 vans over a 5 month stretch last winter. I chalked it up to the cold weather, but it was most frustrating to not be able to keep an un-cracked windshield on a van for months straight. This year we've done better but I still frequently replace windshields.

We've been using Safelite as they are way cheaper than the other guy in town. I figured all windshields were just built to a spec and so there wouldn't be much difference in terms of cracking. Is this not the case? I'd be VERY interested in finding an indestructible or significantly stronger windshield.

I've noticed that almost every time we break a windshield, it starts with a chip that happens within about 1 inch of an edge to the windshield. I was contemplating putting down a 1 inch strip of some kind of rubbery soft tape all around the edge of the windshield to cushion rocks but I've never done it. Is this worth trying?

Just wanted to bounce this idea and our windshield breaking problem off someone in the industry who doesn't have a direct profit motive from our business. I'd appreciate any thoughts.

Might be best to break this out into a new thread if you've got comments.

 

are they PPG ?
who's making them ?

 

Can't recall seeing a PPG logo on them however I didn't really look at them. I assumed Safelite is the manufacturer since they are the installer and a manufacturer I think.

Does anyone make some kind of Gorilla Glass for Ford vans?

 

Listen up Kiddoes----voice of experience talking here........

First up Safelite is cheaper for a reason----it shouldn't be a surprise the cheapest guy in town compromises on something in order to be cheap. FWIW Safelite makes (or has made) their brand of SGC or Service Auto Glass to an absolute bare minimum DOT standard relating to overall thickness. Oddly enough that standard covers nothing but the PVB laminate material found between the inner and outer glass layers.

The tint level is mandated as well but apart from those two aspects there are no other quality standard(s) governing vehicle glass.

The former PPG Auto Glass has been spun off to its own privately-owned company no longer associated with PPG as we once knew them.

Generally since Chinese-produced windshields so prevalent in the aftermarket windshield biz finding something still made in the USA is a huge chore. Because the buying public demand cheap prices operating costs of the sometimes ultra-competitive or insurance price controlled glass business pretty much demands reductions be made at the parts source.

Rock chips are an almost certain death to a windshield as they tend to crack and run. While Safelite and other outfits offer "free chip repair" sometimes with "lifetime guarantees"---BS. These are highly misleading promises Joe or Jane AverageCustomer are drawn in like flies to honey, no offense intended. I can expand on this if its of interest.......

While chip repair can extend the life of a windshield more often than not it doesn't prevent full length runs. Non-DOT regulated vehicles don't have to worry about this as most times inspections strongly suggest repair/replacement---generally a vehicle is allowed to continue operating if properly registered & licensed.

Commercial vehicles are another story---as Del can attest. Legally any chip in any spot of a single windshield is a violation, subject to fines or in some instances grounding until replaced. This is very rare, most times a stern warning is issued. (Attitude of the driver during the inspection can/does greatly affect what happens.)

Split windshield can be less of an issue but that doesn't apply on any USA van produced since the 60's. We'll forego discussing them here in this reply.

Rock chips and their attendant breakage tends to be a function more of accumulated mileage rather than "bad luck" etc etc. Simply put the more miles we drive the higher the likelihood of windshield damage.

Considering the ineffectiveness of chip repair and its cost (when out-of-pocket) a fleet would be better advised to DIY this as there are many, many high quality single-use repair kits available, NAPA sells one as does Permatex and similar automotive-related suppliers.

Opinion: If operating/replacement costs are an issue find and/or negotiate the "best price" and go with it. There are no viable protection measures available to greatly reduce or avoid windshield damage. (Various race vehicles use "tear off's" which help in those situations but very few of those ever encounter conditions such as found on the streets and highways. They're amazingly effective for 4-5 hours at speeds approaching 200 MPH---again not something we encounter daily. )

FWIW here in Ohio this past winter had me busier than I've ever been during the same period before. I'm not surprised Del suffered through this--Winters tend to be harder on every commercial vehicle here. My competition was also swamped, normally they tend to significantly slow down from November through April.

We're welcome to spin this off into its own thread if interest warrants it.

HTH

 

That sucks

 

I guess we're not spinning this off - I was looking for how to do that and save the posts related to glass breakage but I don't see any obvious way. Might be an admin tool...

Anyhow my experience with chips is that they almost never develop into cracks when they are more than a few inches from the edge of the windshield. I don't bother fixing them. The DOT, at least in our area, does allow some chips, but they cannot be over about the size of a quarter in diameter in the field of view or something like that.

I still think a padded tape around the edge of the windshield would help. I've seen so many of ours start cracking from a tiny chip right at the edge of the windshield. If I ran across the right kind of all-weather tape I'd probably give it a try. Electrical tape is close but something a little thicker and more resistant to weather is what I had in mind.

 

Del give 3m's paint protective film a look-see---it would be a great way to test your idea.

I believe what you're noticing is mostly coincidental however if its what seems to happen most often in your fleet the tape surrounding the outside windshield might be a fix and slow your windshield issues. Here's one site I've used for this type material: Paint Protection Film - 3M Paint Protection | ClearMask | Headlight Protection | Invisible Mask | Ventureshield - clearmask.com

Worth looking into maybe...................

 

Long ago I earned an MS in the mechanical engineering field of fracture mechanics. I've got a vague recollection of crack singularities, boundaries and what not. I think there's a mathematical explanation as to why a crack is more likely to develop near an edge. Now I gotta dig up my text books...

But anyhow thanks for the 3M product suggestion. I'll look into it. I've gotta try something. The main reason we break so many windshields is that we are doing 70+ all the time.

 

I wouldn't mind expanding on this thread. I have an auto insurance policy that provides windshield replacement for $100 on my end.There is no stipulation as to who does it. I have replaced 1 Suburban windshield and 3 or 4 E 350 windshields over the years. Each has been with Safelite. I was never happy with the results. Both my current vans have issues regarding,what I think< are low spots in the glass,as no matter what I do (blades,arms,etc_) there is still a spot that wont wipe clean. It is somewhat annoying in rain,but a real PITA in snow. I did 2 trips to Denver from here in central Wisc last winter and had a real difficult time keeping the windshield clear of ice. So JWA, what is a good brand to buy? where do I get it? and what do I look for in a quality windshield?

 

I'll simply repeat one gets what they pay for--Safelite is cheap so the end result reflects that, plain and simple. Why you'd continue to use them after repeated unhappy results escapes me.

Insurance coverage tends to also net you the cheapest replacement parts--in this case the windshield---because insurance companies try to dictate the max they'll pay for any one replacement. Despite your out-of-pocket expense of $100 the balance is paid by the insurance company which is where using the cheapest parts begins.

Currently I use PGW which is so-so considering just a few years ago there were at least two other top brands available. So far PGW has been consistent quality, fits well without any complaints about visibility etc.

If a shop wants to add charges because you prefer a specific brand keep calling around until you find the best shop at a fair price. "Best shop" is not necessarily the one with the cheapest prices---you get what you pay for.

You might also talk to Safelite and specify PGW----they have it available but like anyone they'll use their own cheap crap to maximize their profits.