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I am wondering if anyone has had success with rebuilding the vacuum system and if so are there kits available? Or is there an electric motor alternative that is recommended for quality and price? Thanks
I didn't even try to rebuild my vacuum motor....I remember what it was like as a kid riding in the truck in a rainstorm. I went electric. I got the motor out of a 92 cherokee and the switch out of an old F150. I followed what das54 did to modify my truck. Unfortunetly with photobucket deleting photos, his how to is gone.
I had a worn out electric wiper motor in my 51 F1.
I converted to a later model wiper motor out of a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I welded new arms to the 51 wiper arms and made a new pivot. Bench tested - worked well. Installed in the cab worked well but no windshield yet so don't have a final answer. Should do well. Bought an aftermarket switch with intermittent wipe. We'll see how that goes - it will be a wile. Paint and body work next. Good luck.
I rebuilt my vacuum wipers I used a vac reservoir from my donor and don't plan on driving when it rains it works ok no variable or intermittent
Just clears the Dakota gauge does not rub on the AC ducts and no blade yet!
My spare motor
This guy holds all the Trico vacuum motor parts and does a nice job rebuilding your motor. I run the vacuum motor and added a home made reservior. The reservior made a difference as I can get 14 full cycle sweeps with the engine off.
I also used the Cherokee motor. I initially ran it with an on-off-on toggle for hi and low, but have a two-speed heater switch I plan to swap in later. Works well.
I have some wiring notes somewhere...I'll dig around
anyone have a wiring diagram for any of these retro fits?
Wiring match up for Cherokee wiper motor and the F150 switch I used.
On the switch
Large black......Power in
Black/white stripe.....to washer
Blue/orange stripe......Red hi on motor
White.......Brown low speed
Red......Green park feed
Black/pink.......Blue park return
I used a kit (don't remember which one) in my 49 F-1 but was really never happy with it. The motor was very noisy and it required trimming defrost ducts to install. In my 48 F-3 I used the vacuum motor. I think I was happier with the vacuum motor. Very quiet operation and I think I could count on one hand how many times I had to use it since I also did not drive the truck in the rain. It was mainly to pass state inspection each year. If you can get your vacuum motor rebuilt, I'd stick with that.
I switched to a Vintique electric wiper kit when I had the stock gauges and it worked fine but had to modify the left defroster duct per their instructions. But like Schoo when I went to Dolphin gauges they wanted to live in the same space. So I went back to the original vacuum wipers. I took the vacuum motor apart and just cleaned things up. Reassembled everything and added a vacuum canister from JEGS through AmazonPrime.
This works well with my power brake booster too. I added a smaller brass fitting for the wiper hose where they have a plug.
Thanks Pete. I just ordered the Jegs vacuum canister you are using. My vacuum wipers haven't been used in over 50 years. They weren't working when I was a teenager in the 60's. LOL. I have the wiper motor out of the truck, and when (just for fun) I attached a vacuum line to it, and moved the little slide controller, the wiper arms began to Move! I couldn't believe it. The speed and strength of the movement appeared as though the wipers could actually work. Is that possible? I thought they were disconnected years ago because there was something wrong with them.
I rebuilt my vacuum wipers I used a vac reservoir from my donor and don't plan on driving when it rains it works ok no variable or intermittent
Just clears the Dakota gauge does not rub on the AC ducts and no blade yet!
Roy, do you know the size of the bolts that go into the caged nuts under the dashboard and hold the whole wiper assembly in place? I seem to have misplaced mine and I can't find any replacements that will screw into the nuts. It may be that the nuts were damaged when the cab was sand blasted but it's hard to see whats going on up there.
