More Wiper Fun (Transmission & Cables)

[vwnate1@juno.com]

 As I plan to attend the Sacramento meet in June , I figured I'd better
finish fixing the wipers.

  Before you start you will need  first and foremost the grommets that
fit where the wiper shafts stick through the body - these are an
important leak (RUST!) preventative and must be ordered before any thing
comes apart .

 Tools~ a very short phillips #2 and a flat bladed screwdriver , I found
it necessary to utilize a 90 - degree phillips to remove the glove box
screws too . also you need grease , anti-sieze , penetrant and aerosol
electro-contact or brake cleaner . I used my favorite moly grease but
white lithium grease might work too (it comes in nifty aerosol cans @
Home Depot) . an old jar lid from mayonaise or peanut butter is helpful
to keep track of all the very small parts you will have rolling about
trying to escape under the seat . drop a magnet in it and you'll always
know exactly where every screw is .

 The wiper arms are easily removed by simply grasping them at the base
and gently twisting back and forth as you pull away , they are a friction
fit and slip right off .

Next  you need to remove the glove box liner (cardboard part) - empty it
first or it will tear apart as you remove it . then  the radio and
defroster ducts and take the cover off the wiper motor , it has three
screws , and lift the wiper cable out and disconnect the driven link .
now you can look up under the dashboard and see the little phillips head
screws that hold the transmissions to the body - I used a Stanley offset
ratcheting screwdriver to do one of these , might be able to just use
short #2 . note these screws are special , they have points on them to
aid in re-installation .

 once you have the screws out and saved them , gently grasp the
transmissions and pull them into the car untill the wiper shafts are
clear of thier holes .
it is now a simple job to snake the cable and transmission assy. out from
under the dash - sounds complicated but I had it out of the car in 20
minutes , working very slowly.

 Lay the complete assy. on a CLEAN work place , I used an old towel .
take out the various screws and lift off the covers one by one , lay all
parts out in the order they come apart and it will be simpler to
re-assemble later . the wiper shafts push right out of the transmission
body , if there's paint , crud or rust on the exposed part , clean it
with a wire brush first , then it'll come right out . once all is apart ,
draw the cable out of the bowden housing and lay aside .

 Now the fun part - put on rubber gloves (cheap medical gloves from drug
store work fine) and use old toothbrush and lots of aerosol cleaner to
make everything squeaky clean ~ you MUST NOT leave any trace of the old ,
hard grease or all your hard work will be in vain .

 Pack the transmissions with grease , lube the shafts and install along
with the covers , now install the bowden tubes and leave the screws loose
, lastly grease the cable well as you go and you feed it in - it may bind
a bit , just twist it gently and it will go in , if it really hangs up ,
loosen the clamps holding the bowden tubes in place , wiggle and twist
untill it goes in . 

 Wash your hands and install the new rubber grommets , make sure to put
your hand under the outer panel to assure proper seating of the inner lip
or they'll pop out later .

Now the fun part ~ wipe off all the excess grease and feed the
cable/transmission assy. back under the dash and fit the wiper shafts
through thier holes , wiggle a bit to fit through the new grommets and it
will stay in place whilst you apply anti-sieze to the phillips screws and
install them , tighten securely .

Hook up the cable to the wiper motor . install the cover and turn on the
key and thence the wiper motor - it should run smoothly , assuming the
motor is good and/or you've previously cleaned and lubed it . if all is
well , tighten the small screws holding the bowden cable clamps , I found
the by rotating the bowden tubes whist the motor was running , I was able
to find a place where everything lined up and the motor speeded up a bit
, then I tightened the clamps down . 

 re-install the other bits (glove box , radio etc.) turn on the wipers
and watch the wiper shafts move back and forth - when they are at one
extreme of movement , shut off the wiper and install the arms again by
pushing firmly whilst twisting , adjust to suit park position .  

I don't have small hands , this job would go much simpler if you have
small hands IMO .

 Don't get frustrated and don't drink much beer on this job , it's a
simple but delicate job that needs your undivided attention . 

 Notes : the transmission bodies are interchangable , I saw more wear on
one and so exchanged them to equalize wear . 

 The only hard part was re-installing the darn phillips screws that hold
the transmission to the body - I really wished for smaller hands ! . 

 When you first turn on the wipers , they run a bit slow for a moment as
the grease moves about into it's operating position , then they will
speed up a bit . 

 Be carefull to not install the wiper arms willy-nilly , they can scracth
the paint if not adjusted to sweep correctly .

 The ground wire for the wiper motor (black) goes into the harnes and
comes out again at the heater motor where both are grounded to-gether . 

I'm sure there's more I forgot but I'm tired so this is it for now .

   -Nate