The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1954 Chevrolet wiperarm over-travel ???

Hey folks,

I have myself a slight probelm with my windshield wipers.

They are the typical vacuum operated wipers. They work ok for what they are, but my problem is they like to lock up on the driver's side. The arms goes past the side of the windshield and then that's where they lock up and then I have to reach out and kick start them again.

What is the remedy for this? It's kind of like they get stuck at the maximum part of the travel stroke. AND it's NOT as if it's catching on the molding or anything.

I feel rather stupid rolling down the window in a downpour and giving it a slight tap and they go on their way again, for a little bit then it's back to the same thing. Could there be something worn and it hits that maxium part and that's where it's binding up maybe? I've even tried to slow down the speed of them with no avail.

I have disconnected both control arms from inside the cab, the motor doesn't stop, with the right hand side connected. With just the driver's side hooked up by itself, it then will lock up.

John Niekamp

This is a nearly worthless response, but its worth what you're paying for it...

Instead of rolling the window down and reaching outside, why not reach under the dash to see it you can jiggle the mechanism and get it going again?

Have you lubricated the shaft that comes thtough the cowl? Maybe even dissasemble it and clean and lubricate the shaft and the tube it turns in? Also check the bar and the pins it pivots on for wear.

Well not a bad response in the least. Only problem is when this happens I'm always going down the street and it's so far up and under the dash. I really can't reach the control arms. YES, I have lubricated everything that I can get to, but no I haven't actually taken the knurled or spline spindles out, but they don't feel to have much wear. After you mentioned it, I bet it's more the little pivot bushings you are talking about.

There has to be some reason on why they over-travel, because if you move the wiperarm another spline or tooth, then it hits the top of the cowl and bangs on the molding, in the "off" or "parked" position. While in the "off" position, both arms are straight about 1/4 of an inch from the top of the rubber molding on the bottom of the windshield.

Do you know how the spindles that come through the cowl is removed? It appears that the spline knob is peined over on the shaft, after installing the knob. I hope they come out from the outside of the cab. Maybe take off a lock nut, inside the cab and then pulled straight out from outside of the cab ????? I don't know, just hoping and guessing.

John

I had that problem. The arm would go "over center" and lock up. The problem was the motor was not centered between the two pivots that the wiper arm attaches to (You called them spindles - is that right?). The motor mounts are slotted and the motor can move left and right slightly (or the mounting bracket may be bent). Centering the motor by adjusting the motor towards the side that locked up fixed the problem.

The spline knob is smaller in diameter than the lock nut and bezel, John, Just remove the nut and bezel on the outside and the whole shaft assembly can then be removed from the underside.

i corrected mine yeaterday by popping the wiper arm off the splines and repositioning it problem solved. it is held on by spring tension, a big screw driver by putting the blade under the baseof the arm and twisting did the job. ron

Thanks Bolters,

I will try one of these ideas. BUT not until it warms up.

I don't know if they called them spindles or not, just what I called them.

It's really amazes me on what few and really small problems that this old turck has deveoped, going on 3 years now, especailly after sitting for so many years, not to mention everything has been REAL cheap and easy to fix..

Thanks for all the suggestions here.

John Niekamp