The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Wiper Rebuild

I drove my panel truck the first year with no windshield wipers. Surprising how much wind whistled in the empty cowl holes! When it inevitably came time to install wipers I vacillated between using the original vacuum motor and an electric conversion. I have installed electric systems before, so I'm familiar with them. Nonetheless I chose to retain the original vacuum motor because 1) it's smaller, lighter, and simpler, with fewer underdash conflicts, and 2) my truck never gets intentionally driven in the rain, so a minimalistic wiper system is more than adequate.

Before reinstalling the 70-year-old Trico motor I performed the standard process of rehydrating the seals with brake fluid: pour brake fluid in the intake port, cycle the mechanism, repeat as necessary. To my surprise, the wipers worked perfectly - for about 6 months. Then they stopped working again. A quick call to Trico expert Rob Ficken confirmed that the brake fluid tactic is indeed only a temporary bandaid. He also advised that the best way to keep your wiper system limber is to use it regularly, something in which I'd been negligent. Rob is the acknowledged expert in vacuum wiper motors. Every review of his rebuilding service is glowing: fast turnaround, reasonable price, better-than-new performance. He charges $135 USD, and that includes return shipping. His business is in West Babylon, New York. He can be found online at wiperman.com

So today I mailed my original 1949 vacuum wiper motor off for a rebuild. I'm on the West Coast so Priority Mail postage was $14.90, plus it will take a few days to get there. I'll let you know how it goes and add a full report here when I get it reinstalled.

I also sent my wiper motor to Rob a little over a year ago. Fast turnaround and it now works great!

Thanks for the report! Be sure and use your wipers occasionally to keep them limber. Rob recommended turning them on for a bit every time you wash your truck.

Thanks for the advice. I do need to wait until spring. Any water hitting the windshield will freeze! LOL

He did mine a few years ago. Perfect. He is really the only and best choice.

I had him do mine also, a few years ago. Still works good.

Another satisfied customer. Only additional thing I need to do is install a vacuum reservoir to help with the slow/stopped action when going uphill.

RonR

Or, a fuel pump with a vacuum booster!

Or leave it go as a reminder of days gone by and the quaint vacuum wiper system, on the very few days you may have to actually use the wipers!

Fact is, I do drive my truck very often (well when I need to leave the homestead). The wipers are used frequently. If the gravel roads I drive on a near daily basis are more than a couple inches deep in fresh mud, I'll sometimes leave the '51 under the shed, but not often. Mud washes off. Of course it's best to do it sooner rather than later since our particular brand of red clay gravel mud sets up just a few degree of hardness under concrete.

RonR

I was surprised to get my wiper motor back today - just 7 days round trip from when I mailed it from the West coast! Given that 6 days of that was transit time, apparently Rob rebuilds these motors in just one day! BTW, like a dummy, I had taken my truck for a drive the previous day and couldn't understand why it was running so poorly. Yeah, open vacuum lines when you remove your wiper motor will do that...

Below is a pic of the rebuilt unit. As part of the rebuild Rob installed a set of the OEM oilite bearings on the rocker arm studs; I had already installed some nylon bushings there so had to break off the bearings to allow my transfer arms to fit. One thing he didn't replace was the vibation isolator rubbers in the mounting ears; not sure why.

Installation was the usual masochistic exercise in underdash contortionism and seafaring vocabulary. I started the truck, sprayed some Windex on the windshield and turned the dash knob clockwise. WOW - the wipers blasted back and forth like a metronome on meth! Actually considerably faster than the electric conversion units I've installed. Plus I like that the speed is infinitely variable.

So yeah, add me to the list of satisfied customers of Ficken Wiper Service! They're one of those great old specialty sole-proprietorships that are incrementally disappearing across America.

I had him repair my vacuum wiper motor a few years ago. Still running well.

Ficken Wiper Service - The Wiper Man - he is excellent

"Rebuilding is a standard fee of $135 which includes USA return shipping. Foreign Postage varies"

I have had four or 5 rebuilt - for small 1954 Chevrolet trucks and a 2-ton GMC COE truck.