The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Any decent aftermarket wipers out there?

Howdy Folks --- After digging around the web and various shops, it seems like all the aftermarket electric wipers available are pretty much caca. Has anyone adapted a system from a modern rig with multi/variable speeds successfully?

My '46 school bus had what looks like a Brit/Lucas cable system that replaced the original vacuum and was totally worthless. I need to go electric and hope to find something that will actually wipe the split windshield enough to drive it in the rain.

I put in a specialty power windows wiper kit in my '40 chev pickup, and I have to say, that kit is one of the ONLY aftermarket kits left on my truck after 16 years. http://www.specialtypowerwindows.com/main.php I have nothing but good things to say about them, and Classic Instruments.

The blades / arms and options there weren't great, but I feel the problem is mine hang from above the windshield and it's a high pressure area, so anything above 55mph and the blades / arms kept coming off. I wanted to keep it hung from above though as I like to open the windshield. They work well below that speed though. We did a 7000+ Mile trip last summer, so we just popped the wipers off and threw 'em behind the seat so we could do 75mph.

It is electric, and variable, even has the push in option to wash the windows. As far as the kit goes, simple and straight forward, If you do go with it, the key to a long life is to put very generous, wide bends in the drive tube.

Any chance you could find something off a newer school bus that would work? I would assume they would be heavy duty enough.

In my research the Specialty Power Windows/Wipers seemed to be the most robust and reliable option. I have a set on the shelf waiting to be installed, they look to be of good quality but I can't yet speak to function.

They're also quite flexible in mounting and installing in tight or crowded spaces, the motor can be a good distance from the wipers. It's a push pull cable in an aluminum tube.

Grigg

Thanks Grigg...those look interesting. My bus came fitted with a single motor and cable system but it did not work worth a flip. I'm hoping you get your system installed as I would love to hear how they function. Also been looking at some marine systems that feature parallelogram sweep which could be nice but they are fairly bulky.

The tube (that cable fits in) can be bent to fit except keep the bends as long and gradual as possible. A common tube bender will make too sharp a bend, instead bend it around a coffee can or whatever large radius suits.

I'll be watching for your set up. The system that came on my rig worked the same but appeared to be an old Lucas arrangement off an MG or some such. Unfortunately, it worked about as well as anything from Lucas ever did.

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