Help needed with wiper blade install

w30bob · Post by **w30bob** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:17 pm

Hi Guys,

Ok, no laughing. I mean it. Really. I feel stupid enough as it is. I finally got around to replacing the electric wiper motors that came on my A1 with the correct vacuum motors, arms, etc. Got everything installed, ran all the hoses and then went to put the blades on the arms. I'm embarrassed to say I'm stumped as to how the darn blade hooks into the arm. I know it's simple.......but I'm apparently over-thinking it. I looked in the maintenance manual and there is a paragraph describing how to do it..........but without pics I'm just not getting what they are saying. Can someone help me out here please?

thanks,
bob

RonD2 · Post by **RonD2** » Thu Oct 04, 2018 8:40 pm

Hey Bob,

Hope this helps!

Flummoxed me too. New pieces were a little stiff fitting together the first time. And once it was together I'm thinking it's going to fall off any minute......so far it hasn't. Looks kind of like a goofy mount, but couldn't be any simpler and seems to do the job. The rivet (swivel) in the center-piece was real stiff to adjust so the blade rides flat when parked on the bottom edge of the windshield rubber.

On the other hand, I'm a rookie so it wouldn't surprise me if the vet's here piped up and said I had it on back a$$wards!

w30bob · Post by **w30bob** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 5:46 pm

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the pic. I installed them as you did.......they sure feel flimsy this way, but I guess they work. I then installed the arms on the wiper motors with the acorn nut, and then extended the wiper arm so the blade reached the bottom of the windshield. I'm assuming that will give me the widest sweep and clear the most glass. It looks like I need to bend the extendable section of each arm to keep both ends of the blade in contact with the glass, although I remember reading somewhere that's why the end of the arm has that pivot on it. I think bending the arm would be better than using the pivot.....but I'll experiment with it tomorrow. If I don't bend the arm the bottom of the rivet for that pivot makes contact with the top edge of the blade. I'll try to post a pic later to show you what I mean. Bottom line is they're on and I don't plan on driving in the rain. So I just need to do a little fiddling. Thanks again for your help!!!

regards,
bob

RonD2 · Post by **RonD2** » Sat Oct 06, 2018 7:03 pm

Glad to do it Bob.
I'd like to see your photo.

I used some other advice I found in the forum and put a couple of coats of Rain-X on the inside and out of the glass.

I have no plans for driving in the rain in my future either, but at least they work. I'd look pretty silly if I get caught in the rain --- I haven't made that huge investment in top canvas yet......

Regards,
Ron

w30bob · Post by **w30bob** » Sun Oct 07, 2018 8:33 am

Hi Ron,

Here's what I've got. Now I think the screw that hits the top of the blade is supposed to be a rivet.......I think my arms are new reproductions, which use a screw instead of a rivet. I've seen other supposedly original arms that did have a rivet, so maybe that cures my issue. But for what I have I think if I bend the extended part of the arm outward (concave toward the windshield) it will clear the screw and better place the whole blade on the glass. Sorry for the crappy pic......was in a hurry.

regards,
bob

RonD2 · Post by **RonD2** » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:11 pm

Hey Bob,
I've never seen one with a screw mounted swivel instead of the rivet, but I haven't seen a lot of them.

Maybe trim the screw a bit and/or put a washer under the head? A bend where you're pointing might not do enough to eliminate the interference?

And my bust....although I read your post that you have a M38A1 --- I guess it didn't register to me that it could be a different set-up than a M38 uses (which I have).

I'm thinking now that I'm really not the guy to be giving you advice about this! I beg your pardon!

Post by **wesk** » Sun Oct 07, 2018 11:24 pm

This should satisfy both of your querries:

It's unfortunate that the M38 TM 9-8012 offers no closeups of the wipers nor does it offer the detail of the instructions in the M38A1's TM 9-8014. Fortunately a quick check of the ORD 9's for each show exactly the same ARM & Blade used on both!!!!

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Oct 08, 2018 7:12 am

Maybe my eyes are that bad, but it almost looks like the part you want to bend is bent just a little away from the windshield. You might put a straight edge on the whole arm and see.