Windshield wipers out of synch

Alaskan Itasca · July 16, 2012, 03:35 AM

until today my windshield wipers did not work I figured out they were out of synch and trying to go oppisite directions which just bound them up and caused it to trip a relay. The switches were also fried which didnt help much. so I figured out what was going on when I broke the clip on the drivers side and the bracket popped off and the passenger side wiper started working...so I figured out the wipers are off. Is there an easy way to resynch the linkage? I have to make a trip to napa for a c clip to replace the plastic one I broke trying to fix the wipers. I'm glad it was thendrivers one I broke which is easy to reach since I already the dash apart trying to figure out the switches and melted wires which appear to be unrelated to the wipers....

Alaskan Itasca · July 16, 2012, 04:53 AM

I think i just realized how to fix this.....reconnect everything and set the wiper arm to match whatever position the other arm is in...I dont believe it slides on in only one position on the linkage, I'll have to check that out tomorrow when I reassemble everything.

ClydesdaleKevin · July 16, 2012, 07:05 AM

If I remember right from our old 77 Itasca, the wiper arm assembly comes off a knurled (grooved) part that sticks out of the fiberglass front of the RV...and if you pry them off after taking off the nuts that hold them on, you can put them back on any way you want...you can adjust the position in small increments.

Also make sure you check the tightness of the retaining nuts that hold the assembly in the fiberglass...one of ours was loose and played all kinds of havoc with the works until I figured it out and made sure they were snug.

Kev

Alaskan Itasca · July 16, 2012, 10:24 AM

I have removed the arm and the whole drivers assembly so I can take it to Napa and get the right c clip to fit in the groove I hope it is that easy to fix. I have made a few trips without wipers now and it stinks to drive in the rain without them. It has been raining here for days now and I leave tomorow on my my fishing trip.I figure if I fix them it will stop raining and be sunny since driving in the rain won't suck any more.

Oz · July 16, 2012, 11:26 AM

You may already be doing this but I thought I'd mention it... use RainX on your windshield. At 40+ mph, the rain beads up and literally blows off the windshield surface.

I hope you get this done today for your trip tomorrow and, I hope it stops raining so you have a great trip and a haul of a fish catch!

Froggy1936 · July 16, 2012, 11:36 AM

Most likely the arms were installed on the drive splines incorrectly. Just remove both arms turn on the wipers and watch the drives. (to verify they are in sync) then turn off the wipers and allow them to park (if they stop anywhere you turn them off and do not continue on to a park position) you will have to determine where park should be and install 1 arm at that point then operate wipers to check operation turn off when it is in the position you want them to stop at then install the other arm recheck all with wet glass if ok you will just have to turn off at position selected (park operation is not absolutly necc) Requires a new motor and is extremly difficult to replace !!

Alaskan Itasca · July 17, 2012, 05:16 AM

It was the splines that were off on the drivers side. I did not realize they popped out. I took the core out stuck it on the linkage and then positioned the drivers side to match the passenger side and pushed it back on the splines(a previous owner had forced it over to line up with the passenger side at some point which caused the whole mess in the first place...). I also found a replacement pair of the goofy top mounted with a screw wiper blades at NAPA they had to go upstairs to find a set, so I'm guessing not a lot of people use them anymore. It was easy to replace them with the arms off....The hardest part was getting a washer to fit over the linkage (I'm glad I keep every bolt and washer I remove from things, I had the right size washer in my coffee can) and then getting the c clip in the grove, That took longer than any thing else.....I reconnected everything and now my gas gauge doesn't work....I have a feeling it was somehow rigged into the mass of melted wires I poked around in....So now I don't know if the tank switch is working since the gas gauge doesn't work...guess I'll test it out on this trip.

I ran out and found some toggle switches at Fred Meyer at midnight so I can at least turn on the wipers on high and run the windshield wiper fluid pump as well. I don't understand how the low speed works I can only find two wires for the switch hanging in the dash and the low-off-high switch had three wire spots....I'll figure that out another day. I'm just glad I have wipers again....I'm guarunteed it won't rain now since I spent many hours fixing the windshield wipers....It cost about $30.00 to fix including the new wiper blades.

On the fishing note 130,000 red Salmon hit the weir 19 miles up stream yesterday, I should be able to get my family limit pretty fast with this many fish coming in now. I can take up to 55 red salmon with a family of 4 dip netting.

ClydesdaleKevin · July 17, 2012, 08:28 AM

Enjoy the fishing!

Kev

Alaskan Itasca · July 23, 2012, 04:32 AM

fixing the wipers staved off the rainf for two days. The windshield wipers worked great when I neede them.

I got 22 red Salmon, 2 flounders, 2 halbut(did a charter for those). my friend got 8 reds and a flounder, and my other friend got 2 halibut, a ling cod and pole fished 6 reds this afternoon before we drove back in the rain whoch was no problem since my wipers now work at least on high.

ClydesdaleKevin · July 23, 2012, 08:15 AM

Outstanding! Sounds like you had a great trip!

Kev

Froggy1936 · July 23, 2012, 09:48 AM

See how important having windshield wipers working are to catching fish !!!! Frank