Wiper Arm Problem

[geohunt]

Seems the passenger side windshield wiper arm is not excerting enough tension (pressure) on windshield as it is not wiping away the water completely. I have a 2000 Beetle.

Did anyone ever replace a wiper arm due to this? Or maybe put in a new tension spring (if ya just buy them)? Or fix by just bending arm?

Thank you,
George

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

I have never replaced the wiper arm on any vehicle, ever. Vehicles with over 400k miles, in Houston, where we get a massive amounts of rain (well, most years). Typically this is a failure of the springs on the blade, and I used to encounter that regularly. My last set on every vehicle I have are "beam" blades that use a totally different technology. Bosch "Icons", have a built in wind vane that helps apply pressure to the windshield.

However, I am not saying it could not be the cause. If you can't feel a significant difference in pressure between the two sides, the simplest piece of equipment to test it with would be a fish scale.

And as a side note, the great upside to the beam blades is they are like winter wiper blades. No icing problem in the wiper frame work.

M.

[janitz]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

I have never replaced the wiper arm on any vehicle, ever. Vehicles with over 400k miles, in Houston, where we get a massive amounts of rain (well, most years). Typically this is a failure of the springs on the blade, and I used to encounter that regularly. My last set on every vehicle I have are "beam" blades that use a totally different technology. Bosch "Icons", have a built in wind vane that helps apply pressure to the windshield.

However, I am not saying it could not be the cause. If you can't feel a significant difference in pressure between the two sides, the simplest piece of equipment to test it with would be a fish scale.

And as a side note, the great upside to the beam blades is they are like winter wiper blades. No icing problem in the wiper frame work.

M.

Do you find with your blades that the wiper only makes weak contact at the far end of the blade lower down on the window?

I found that to be the case on my bug, and have tried many brands at 21" blade length. I found with a 20" wiper blade that I didn't have the problem.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by janitz

Do you find with your blades that the wiper only makes weak contact at the far end of the blade lower down on the window?

I found that to be the case on my bug, and have tried many brands at 21" blade length. I found with a 20" wiper blade that I didn't have the problem.

Discounting the brand, have you tried different types, e.g. standard or beam? Going to go look at mine and the profile of the windshield in different positions of the blade.

[janitz]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

Discounting the brand, have you tried different types, e.g. standard or beam? Going to go look at mine and the profile of the windshield in different positions of the blade.

These were all beam type. As you mentioned they're good in winter, which is half the year here almost.

As the blade goes up the windshield it makes full contact. It's pretty easy to see with the dirty winter road water we have here, creates a nice streak.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

Discounting the brand, have you tried different types, e.g. standard or beam? Going to go look at mine and the profile of the windshield in different positions of the blade.

Looked at mine and it's hard to visually see a difference in winshield contour. Almost as if the entire windshield is part of a sphere. In the middle of a business project right now, but I'm going to have a closer look later. I did notice the arm lengths are significantly different, the passenger side being much longer. I haven't changed mine out to beam because we haven't had any measureable rain during this past years draught, so I want to compare my appearingly OEM blades to some different aftermarkets at the parts store for spring design.

[IndyTom]

I like the Bosch Icons but they are sooooo damn expensive so I switched to the Blades that Sam's Club sells. They are called PEAK OPTIX and are $10 Dollars plus change each which is cheaper than one Bosch Icon. They are the Flat Blades and they do wipe pretty good. They also use some sort of new Rubber technology, at least that is what they claim. One thing I noticed is when I wiped them down with an alcohol swab there was no black residue whatsoever. All other wipers that I had in the past always had some black residue when I wiped them off. They don't carry the BOSCH name but they do the trick at less than half the price Also I use RainEX Windshiled Washer Fluid (Orange color) it works fantastic in getting the Bugs off in the summer and the ice in the winter. I get it at Meijer for about 2 bucks a Gallon which isn't too bad. Not sure about the wiper arm and the pressure. Those springs are usually pretty tight and don't wear out that easily but anything is possible. Not sure if you can replace the spring. Probably just as cheap to get to a junk yard and pull off a wiper arm off an old beetle. Make sure you bring some Deep Creep (Seafoam) spray because those things don't come off easy.

[geohunt]

Originally Posted by janitz

Do you find with your blades that the wiper only makes weak contact at the far end of the blade lower down on the window?

I found that to be the case on my bug, and have tried many brands at 21" blade length. I found with a 20" wiper blade that I didn't have the problem.

I'm liking the 20" blade idea. I thought of that too. Thanks!

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by IndyTom

I like the Bosch Icons but they are sooooo damn expensive so I switched to the Blades that Sam's Club sells. They are called PEAK OPTIX and are $10 Dollars plus change each which is cheaper than one Bosch Icon. They are the Flat Blades and they do wipe pretty good. They also use some sort of new Rubber technology, at least that is what they claim. One thing I noticed is when I wiped them down with an alcohol swab there was no black residue whatsoever. All other wipers that I had in the past always had some black residue when I wiped them off. They don't carry the BOSCH name but they do the trick at less than half the price Also I use RainEX Windshiled Washer Fluid (Orange color) it works fantastic in getting the Bugs off in the summer and the ice in the winter. I get it at Meijer for about 2 bucks a Gallon which isn't too bad. Not sure about the wiper arm and the pressure. Those springs are usually pretty tight and don't wear out that easily but anything is possible. Not sure if you can replace the spring. Probably just as cheap to get to a junk yard and pull off a wiper arm off an old beetle. Make sure you bring some Deep Creep (Seafoam) spray because those things don't come off easy.

I hear ya' on the Icon price, but I bought a stock for all my vehicles when Advanced had a 40% off the entire order if you spent x amount. Composition, however, is another consideration, from what I read somewhere Bosch uses a hybrid composite, that if I remember was silicone based. Way longer life than what you get in all the old skool style. I do good to get 6 months out of those because of the heat and UV. If I get a year out of the Icons they pay for themselves at the regular price. Coming up 9 months on all of them, except the Bug which haven't been put on, because what was on there was new and working well. Up north I always swapped out to the winter blades during the snow and ice season. Once you do, you never go back to standards during the winter. But now with the beams...

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

I hear ya' on the Icon price, but I bought a stock for all my vehicles when Advanced had a 40% off the entire order if you spent x amount. Composition, however, is another consideration, from what I read somewhere Bosch uses a hybrid composite, that if I remember was silicone based. Way longer life than what you get in all the old skool style. I do good to get 6 months out of those because of the heat and UV. If I get a year out of the Icons they pay for themselves at the regular price. Coming up 9 months on all of them, except the Bug which haven't been put on, because what was on there was new and working well. Up north I always swapped out to the winter blades during the snow and ice season. Once you do, you never go back to standards during the winter. But now with the beams...

So you got a stash of Icons laying around that you want to part with eh. WOW, I don't change wipers but maybe once every couple of years or until they start streaking.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Yeah, me too, when they start streaking, maybe 6 months down here, and I tried every high end I could find before the beams came out. 9 months on the beams now, we'll see.

[geohunt]

Originally Posted by janitz

Do you find with your blades that the wiper only makes weak contact at the far end of the blade lower down on the window?

I found that to be the case on my bug, and have tried many brands at 21" blade length. I found with a 20" wiper blade that I didn't have the problem.

Just an fyi, swapped the 21" ers out for 20" ers today. AutoZone let me return the 21's and swap them for the 20's "no charge!" Wiping does seem better w the 20's!!! Regards, George