When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I put new blades on but the drivers side still doesn't do a clean wipe of the windshield. The outer reach of the blade wipes over the glass and doesn't wipe off the water. The passenger's side is perfect. I swapped the blades and the problem remains. Anyone ever have/fix this problem?
The complete wiper arm will disconnect from the shaft at the pivot point, and there is a little locking mechanism that you have to slide out slightly to release the arm. Is this mechanism not fully seated perhaps? You should not be able to see the splines on the shaft of the arm is correctly installed.
You know, this is quite ironic. Both of my Ford trucks have this exact same problem. It's always the driver's side, always the very end of the blade.
On my '85, I figured it was just a bad wiper arm (replaced the blade, still did it). When I bought my '89, and found it did the same thing, I figured I'd just give up on trying to fix it... Must be a Ford truck thing.
I'm going to keep watching this thread to see if anyone can offer an explanation as to why these trucks do this.
Usually the arms get a little weak. the spring tears the thing a bit, or the arm slides.
I make sure i buy microedge wipers.
Winter wipers are bad bad bad bad bad.
Shoot yourself in the foot if you use them.
If you are afraid of them iceing in the winter. use silcone spray on them before you put them on.
I just bow my arms a bit more, its a little rough on the motor, but if i have good wipers on i have no problems.
If your unsure about microedges. get the teflon ones at advanced, they are very good also.
I prefer the 91 and older style holders however, because you can install the wiper however you want, unlike the new ones which only go on one way.
I have yet to go get an old set to see if they fit on the newer trucks.
Being able to flip them over is handy if they start to get a bend in them.
I think I figured it out. I found that the bottom of the wiper arm where it attaches to the shaft was no longer round. The round splined hole that slips over the splined shaft was somewhat oval shaped. I think it just stretched a bit over the years. I fixed the wiper problem by bending the arm just a tad. Now it wipes perfectly.