TheSamba.com :: View topic - Do I need a new windshield wiper assembly?

Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:08 am

I've noticed a little slippage of my driver's side wiper during the drizzles we've had the last few days. So I figured it's time to get the dental pic out to clean the splines of the the wiper motor shaft. No big deal, right?

Well the first time I did this about a year ago, I remember thinking as I tightened the nut down that those threads felt a little "soft", it seemed that they were about ready to strip. I wasn't torqueing the heck out of it either, just snugging them down, but I don't know how much grunt previous owners had applied.

Well apprently too much. When i was taking the nut off this morning, it seemed like there were a few shavings of metal. The threads didn't look good under visual inspection. After the splines were clean, Nut goes abck on, and I get to the point where I'm just starting to feel it tighten up, and BAM, it's spiing freely. No threads are holding, it's just spinning. It's so badly stripped the nut won't bite enough to loosen it either.

I managed to get the nut off by spinning my socket while prying up under the nut with a thin blade screwdriver. So it's off.

Is this thing salvageable with a tap & ide set? I've never used one in this application. Any suggestions on what size to go with? Surely someone's done this before. I'm hoping this doesn't mean I need a new assembly, requiring dash removal to get to!! :shock:

Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:38 am

Maybe take the nut into the store and size up the next size down? You would only need the tap. My thought would be that the diameter might end up being too small to handle the load/stress. :(

Have you tried installing another washer to bring the nut up to a place where threads are better? Maybe that and some Locktite type stuff would suffice.

I replaced the parts with my dash off, so I'm guessing a little here but.....

Maybe you can do this job with the dash on.

If you pull of the instrument cluster, can you can get your hands on it?

If so, here's what I'd try.

Remove glove box, pop off driver side arm at wiper motor, remove wiper shaft nut/washers on the exterior, screws at top of dash holding the wiper shaft assembly to the body, then using the arm just popped off the wiper motor, *carefully* pull the assembly out by the arm. ( you really don't want this part pulling on any wires etc. while removing it)

If you do this, it's totally worth replacing the grommet at the wiper shaft.

Take apart the new wiper shaft and lube it before installing! (easy to miss this point)

Not saying it's possible to do this, but might be worth looking into.

Neil.

Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:19 am

You can buy the wiper shaft itself.

http://www.van-cafe.com/vanagon_parts.jsp?pa=p&p=950842567

You don't have to pull the dash but you do need to pull the instrument cluster. It's actually a pretty easy job. Popping the relay arm off and back on is the hardest part. It helps to have a helper that can be on the outside of the van installing the big nut while you do the work inside through the dash.

It's been a long time, but I seem to remember that the wiper shaft body is "peened" to the sheetmetal bracket. You will have to transfer the bracket to the new shaft. The bracket is held to the body with the two large Phillips head screws that you can see next to the windshield.

Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:29 am

loogy wrote: You can buy the wiper shaft itself.

http://www.van-cafe.com/vanagon_parts.jsp?pa=p&p=950842567

You don't have to pull the dash but you do need to pull the instrument cluster. It's actually a pretty easy job. Popping the relay arm off and back on is the hardest part. It helps to have a helper that can be on the outside of the van installing the big nut while you do the work inside through the dash.

It's been a long time, but I seem to remember that the wiper shaft body is "peened" to the sheetmetal bracket. You will have to transfer the bracket to the new shaft. The bracket is held to the body with the two large Phillips head screws that you can see next to the windshield.

Thanks for confirming what I was "guessing" about Loogy. :)

Good point on the peening thing. I recall doing that when I rebuilt my wiper stuff. The metal is soft so not hard to do. Just need to have the parts properly in place so they're tight when it's done.

Of note, and IIRC, on one of my old wiper shaft assemblies, there was play between these "peened" spots, and between the lever and shaft on backside of the assembly. Combine that with loose wiper arms/slop in the shaft, and one can have some pretty sloppy wipers! ;)

Cheers,

Neil.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:36 am

Well, as soon as Van-Cafe opens up today, I'll order the wiper shaft assembly for a permanent fix. In the meantime, nothing to lose, so I'm experimenting with an alternative fix. This stuff:

According to their website, it will:

Repair ferrous metals
Rebuild engine parts, fill cracks and seal leaks
Form nuts & bolts, repair stripped threads
Repair metal tools, equipment, pipes, appliances and auto bodies
Will not rust or shrink
Excellent filler before powder coating. Can be applied, powdercoated, then oven cured along with the powder.

Specifically the instructions say that it can be "tapped or dyed" about 60 minutes after application.

We'll see how this works and see if it will hold up for a few days. I'm not counting on this to be a permanent fix, not really expecting it to work at all. Just experimenting.

We are getting bands of rain from Fay here in Georgia, so not the time to be without a driver's side wiper!! :shock: