Windsheild wiper mod

[97XJ2]

With a vehicle that gets parked outdoors here in snow country its handy to be able to tip your wipers out so they dont freeze to the windshield while you have it parked overnight or whatnot, it also makes it easier to brush/scrape with them out of the way. Our wipers pull about 6" or so off the glass and want to spring back. Has anyone ever modded the 'stop' that keeps the wipers from being pulled out perpendicular to the glass (flattened it, ground it out, trimmed). If this is confusing to anyone ill take some pics in the daylight and post them.

 

[BIGSLVRXJ]

With a vehicle that gets parked outdoors here in snow country its handy to be able to tip your wipers out so they dont freeze to the windshield while you have it parked overnight or whatnot, it also makes it easier to brush/scrape with them out of the way. Our wipers pull about 6" or so off the glass and want to spring back. Has anyone ever modded the 'stop' that keeps the wipers from being pulled out perpendicular to the glass (flattened it, ground it out, trimmed). If this is confusing to anyone ill take some pics in the daylight and post them.

I know exactly what you're talking about and I agree it would be a great idea. The rear wiper on 97+ XJs do this already. I've never looked at what allows it to happen, but I'm right with you if you do it.

 

[Shorty]

if you've ever removed the wiper arms, you've seen the little lock that keeps the arm away from the windshield-- I pull the arm out and flip the lock to keep it off the windshield. It seems to work well, but I haven't needed to do it since I moved to the "land of no climate change"

 

[97XJ2]

yeah in the last hour since i posted that ive come up with an idea or two, but those ideas are dependent on what i think it looks like, since its 20 or so degrees and dark i havent checked, so pics in the daylight hours

 

[Shorty]

fair enough!

--Shorty

P.S. 3:00A.M. and +50* outside!

 

[91Woody]

If it proves to be too much of a pain to mod the arms, try different wipers. I recently bought wipers that weren't the cheapest on the rack(usually shopped for the cheapest set) and they have not stuck to my windshield yet and there have been plenty of opportunity. I bought the Teflon coated wipers- they mold really well to the windshield as well, I am very happy with the extra money it cost me.

 

[97XJ2]

Alright, what was mentioned earlier about using the 'locking latch' that holds the arms on would work to hold the blades about 2~4 inches away. But I was looking for what most GM trucks do (sit perpendicular to the windsheild when folded out). so here's some pictures of both my wiper arm (97 xj) and one off my dad's 96 chev tahoe (which does what i want mine to do). Ok then anyone watching this thread know how to put pics in here, other than the add pic button because that wants a URL and then copy/paste they wont show up. Anyway looking closer at the stock Jeep arm it appears that even if the folding part of the arm is clearanced to clear the stop it may not be designed for it, but comparing it to the tahoe arm i think it would be possible to use arms off of a blazer/s-10 pickup, still waiting for a friend to tell me what his measures. I know this needs pics and im working on it.

 

[McQue]

Will the GM wipers fit on the Jeep?

 

[xj4fun]

I tried this about 5 years ago. The closest arm I found to match an XJ was from an Landrover Discovery. As I recall the spine count and size differed from an XJ so I moved onto other projects.

Later I tried to modified an XJ arm by grind off the stops so it would pivot the needed 90 to 110 degrees. I believe that created a problem with the spring being over extended. I dropped the idea again and haven't tried any other options.

I'd bet the winning combination might be to weld up a hybred wiper using only an inch of so of an XJ arm so the spines match.

 

[rstarch345]

The only bad thing about modding the arm to pull away is that you stretch the spring. After a short time the wipers won't have enough tenison to wipe the windows.

 

[RichP]

Why not just use arms off a TJ, they flip all the wayout and lock. I just walked out and measured them, same length just different bend shape. Will swap one tomorrow once the freezing rain and sleet stops. The TJ is 12" then bend horizontal for ~3", the XJ has three bends but was out of range of the house floods but it's close.

 

[Harlee&Tahoe]

I switched to those triple edge blades (5 yrs ago) they work really good as long as you have fluid.

 

[97XJ2]

The GM arms would fit the one's with the splined shaft (like on my dad's tahoe would fit the jeep) and xj4fun confirmed my suspicions with over extending the spring by modding the stop, i have pics but its just that the tahoe wiper arm is gargantuan for the xj. my friends newer s-10 is a bolt on arm and also longer, but i bet there is a gm match out there. i have pics comparing the two just having trouble getting them on the site.

 

[ehall]

...prop it up with a toothpick?

 

[Jess]

It seems this is alot of work and thought when you could just throw a blanket over the windshield and cover the glass and wipers both.

 

[Shorty]

Alright, what was mentioned earlier about using the 'locking latch' that holds the arms on would work to hold the blades about 2~4 inches away. But I was looking for what most GM trucks do (sit perpendicular to the windsheild when folded out). so here's some pictures of both my wiper arm (97 xj) and one off my dad's 96 chev tahoe (which does what i want mine to do). Ok then anyone watching this thread know how to put pics in here, other than the add pic button because that wants a URL and then copy/paste they wont show up. Anyway looking closer at the stock Jeep arm it appears that even if the folding part of the arm is clearanced to clear the stop it may not be designed for it, but comparing it to the tahoe arm i think it would be possible to use arms off of a blazer/s-10 pickup, still waiting for a friend to tell me what his measures. I know this needs pics and im working on it.

I would be very cautious if the plan is to leave them sticking straight out-- it doesn't take much force to get them to spring back onto the windshield and at freezing temps, you'd prolly be looking at replacing a cracked windshield if it happened.

 

[97XJ2]

That could work but then i have a soaked blanket... yeah i understand what your saying, just after living in wisconsin for my life then a over a year in Houghton, MI, there are perks for being able to do this, but one think i love for sure is the cowl on the jeep, there is no 'recess' to get packed with snow and leaves, like on most other vehicles

 

[bar]

I too live in snow country and have considered all the above. My biggest complaint is that it becomes very difficult to clean off a foot of snow with the wiper arms only a few inches from the windshield. Good question and if anyone finds replacement arms that will pivot out 90 degrees, please post it here. Thanks.

 

[Yucca-Man]

Use a couple of old (empty) soda cans under the wiper arms if you are concerned about leaving the rubber on the windshield.

Don't ZJ arms do the 90* thing? Wonder if they'd fit; I imagine if there was a chance something would, it would be that one...

Jim www.yuccaman.com

 

[xj4fun]

Why not just use arms off a TJ, they flip all the wayout and lock.

I'm pretty sure I tried this. I think the problem I noticed was the angle of the bend on the arm was much sharper then an XJ's. The result would be problems parking the blades and/or angle of movement.

Let us know how this goes, might just work . Maybe the arm could be rebent if needed.