TheSamba.com :: View topic - Windshield Washer Jets

Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:03 pm

After breaking the tabs on two sets of new WW jets, anyone have a good way of getting them in without breaking the tabs.

I tried gently popping them in the way they are supposed to go, (upright) and it broke one of the tabs. Popping them in turned a quarter allowed them to go in without breaking the tab but turning broke it off when I tried to turn them into position. Soap didn't help.

I thought maybe heating them up with a heat gun might soften them enough to make it easier.

Any thoughts? I'm sure there is a painfully obvious way that I'm missing.

Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:13 pm

I had to heat the last ones up I installed. It made it much easier!

Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:23 pm

hans j wrote: I had to heat the last ones up I installed. It made it much easier!

Hot water soak or gentle heat gun warming :wink:

Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:36 pm

Thanks you guys - I always think of these things too late.

Mon Jan 27, 2014 4:50 pm

Great idea on the hot water soak. Allows an opportunity for the heat to go beyond the surface of the nozzle.

Tue May 13, 2014 11:48 am

So how does one get the old ones out?

Tue May 13, 2014 7:30 pm

I've played with them a few times on junkyard Vanagons and have never gotten them out without breaking them. Others say "turn 90 degrees with pliers and pull" but that leaves pliers marks on the old plastic and without fail breaks them. The only success I've had was with the dash out squeezing the tabs from the back side with pliers and wedging them out with a plastic body tool. That's assuming you want to reuse them. If not, just pliers and yank.

DougM