wiper blades

[Karl Mowatt-Wilson]

Greetings,

My wiper blades are getting a bit sad - they seem to wipe clean on the
upstroke & then smear/web the water on the downstroke. Pretty Annoying.
Maybe I need to build something to let them park in the up position instead
of down? Or maybe I just need to be sensible & get new blades.

So, does anyone have any particular thoughts on wiper blades? As far as I
can see, there are ordinary ones from Repco or a petrol station, or there
are different ones that get advertised by LV Martin and the Warehouse. Is
there any real difference, or are they just as good/bad as one another?

BTW: I'm using the Prestone Water Repellant stuff, and that seems pretty
good at keeping the windscreen clear, but it's not always effective at low
speeds (yes, I know I should be driving faster) or if the rain is light.


Karl.

[Charles Lynch]

I just got wiper blades from Repco for about $5 each. They are very easy to
fit and I'm really pleased with them. I don't think I'll wait as long before
replacing them next time!

[zorruno]

No big difference in them IMHO. Some offer 2 rubber blades in the one piece
(like gillette razors) These don't seem to do anything more though.
I've even seen some with RED blades! But sorry I wouldn't know where to get
them. You used to have to replace the whole metal/rubber wiper on the end
of the arm in older cars, but now you just replace the rubber with a refill.

Most gas stations/Repco etc have refills for $4-$12 that you install and
then just cut to length. Cut as long as will fit properly so you get as
much window covered as possible. In many cars (not sure with ours though -
haven't refilled yet) you can install the refill either way round, so you
can have a bit more length sticking out the top OR the bottom if necessary.
They come in different lengths from different manufacturers, but I've never
found one that was too short.

Make sure you get the correct WIDTH refill. There are about three different
widths. Sometimes you have to bend the metal on the blades a bit to get it
to slide in nicely, or fit snugly. The refills have either a bit of plastic
that pulls out then locks around a bit of metal on the blade, or a metal
springy type clip to lock it in place.

Be careful to fit the blade in snugly before you turn the wipers on. I've
seen the result of wiper on a window without rubber. Ouch!

I've also seen some people get newer springs for their wiper arms, as the
blade obviously works better if it is pulled firmly against the window, and
the spring can become slack over the years. You could probably pull a
couple of spring turns together with a cable tie or something if necessary.

I have never used the prestone stuff - some of the US listers swear by the
Rain-X stuff though. I'd just say replace the blades more often. I always
clean the blades with a cloth when I wash the car, and give them a quick
smear with silicone spray or an Armour-all type product to keep the rubber
in check.

You might find that one refill lasts a bit longer than another - but hey -
for a few bucks?! (9 years part time in a gas-cranking station has finally
proved its worth...)

H.