Wiper Door Spring, How important?? 71 Vert
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,105
Likes: 96
From: Sunrise FL
Wiper Door Spring, How important?? 71 Vert
Am getting the wiper door functional and aligned for the first time. Wondering if a frozen torsion spring will cause problems, and what exactly is its function?
I tried to free it up, drilled a hole thru the sleeve, PB Blasted it etc, but I gave up and installed it anyway. Rest of the mechanism is fine.
Thoughts??
I tried to free it up, drilled a hole thru the sleeve, PB Blasted it etc, but I gave up and installed it anyway. Rest of the mechanism is fine.
Thoughts??
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
Likes: 240
From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
Am getting the wiper door functional and aligned for the first time. Wondering if a frozen torsion spring will cause problems, and what exactly is its function?
I tried to free it up, drilled a hole thru the sleeve, PB Blasted it etc, but I gave up and installed it anyway. Rest of the mechanism is fine.
Thoughts??
I tried to free it up, drilled a hole thru the sleeve, PB Blasted it etc, but I gave up and installed it anyway. Rest of the mechanism is fine.
Thoughts??
It has worked fine all those years, but once I knew it was frozen, I had to fix it before I put it back in the car. Ya, it's a sickness! 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,267
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
The spring doesn't function as we usually think a spring does… change in total length at one or both ends from either being in compression or in tension.
The tangs on this spring mount at one end to a tab brazed to the long rod that forms the side to side length of the mechanism (left in pic) , and at the other end to the lever that's part of the linkage that extends forward to the wiper door actuator (right in picture)…. so the spring as it coils or uncoils puts the rod and actuator linkage under load.
Regards,
Alan
The spring doesn't function as we usually think a spring does… change in total length at one or both ends from either being in compression or in tension.
The tangs on this spring mount at one end to a tab brazed to the long rod that forms the side to side length of the mechanism (left in pic) , and at the other end to the lever that's part of the linkage that extends forward to the wiper door actuator (right in picture)…. so the spring as it coils or uncoils puts the rod and actuator linkage under load.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,105
Likes: 96
From: Sunrise FL
Alan, Thanks, but I see it as more of a shock absorber for the lever from the vacuum actuator. I don't think the spring will coil and uncoil.
I still wish I could un-freeze it
I still wish I could un-freeze it
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
It's a torsion spring as you mentioned in the original post. The purpose seems to be to keep the linkage under tension when the door is closed (or is it open? My car is in storage, can't reference it)
Mine was also seized. I had to drill a few holes into the sleeve to provide access for the penetrating oil. It's a long sleeve. Even then it was a bear to free up. I had to keep working it back and forth while holding the shaft in a vice.
It may not matter whether it's free or not if the door doesn't rattle in either position. I freed mine mainly because it bugged me knowing it was frozen...
Mine was also seized. I had to drill a few holes into the sleeve to provide access for the penetrating oil. It's a long sleeve. Even then it was a bear to free up. I had to keep working it back and forth while holding the shaft in a vice.
It may not matter whether it's free or not if the door doesn't rattle in either position. I freed mine mainly because it bugged me knowing it was frozen...
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,267
Likes: 4,362
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi m,
I understand you thought about it being a shock absorber but if that were it's intended purpose the door wouldn't 'bang' against the 'stops' as it reaches fully open…..the spring would cushion it's stop.
The movement of the spring's ends is really very short….maybe about 30 degrees?
Regards,
Alan
I understand you thought about it being a shock absorber but if that were it's intended purpose the door wouldn't 'bang' against the 'stops' as it reaches fully open…..the spring would cushion it's stop.
The movement of the spring's ends is really very short….maybe about 30 degrees?
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Dec 18, 2015 at 07:03 AM.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 459
Likes: 6
From: Fort Worth Texas
I believe the spring is there to hold the door closed under tension so the door doesn't rattle or move when shut... while the car is being driven down the road.
As Alan mentioned, it is designed to coil and uncoil, and has nothing to do with the door opening. It is fully unloaded as the door opens.
To "set" the spring, with the door shut (and no tension on the spring), the actuator rod is adjusted to apply a little tension to the spring and hold the door down.
I also believe that the frozen spring is the reason many of the linkage mounts break over the years. When it freezes, and the actuator is not adjusted to accommodate, the linkage bar will torque when the door shuts, and eventually break the mounts that hold it to the door
Here is a thread on freeing it up https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ge-spring.html
As Alan mentioned, it is designed to coil and uncoil, and has nothing to do with the door opening. It is fully unloaded as the door opens.
To "set" the spring, with the door shut (and no tension on the spring), the actuator rod is adjusted to apply a little tension to the spring and hold the door down.
I also believe that the frozen spring is the reason many of the linkage mounts break over the years. When it freezes, and the actuator is not adjusted to accommodate, the linkage bar will torque when the door shuts, and eventually break the mounts that hold it to the door
Here is a thread on freeing it up https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ge-spring.html
Last edited by bellaireroad; Dec 19, 2015 at 12:59 AM.
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
Likes: 240
From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
I believe the spring is there to hold the door closed under tension so the door doesn't rattle or move when shut... while the car is being driven down the road.
As Alan mentioned, it is designed to coil and uncoil, and has nothing to do with the door opening. It is fully unloaded as the door opens.
To "set" the spring, with the door shut (and no tension on the spring), the actuator rod is adjusted to apply a little tension to the spring and hold the door down.
I also believe that the frozen spring is the reason many of the linkage mounts break over the years. When it freezes, and the actuator is not adjusted to accommodate, the linkage bar will torque when the door shuts, and eventually break the mounts that hold it to the door
Here is a thread on freeing it up https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ge-spring.html
As Alan mentioned, it is designed to coil and uncoil, and has nothing to do with the door opening. It is fully unloaded as the door opens.
To "set" the spring, with the door shut (and no tension on the spring), the actuator rod is adjusted to apply a little tension to the spring and hold the door down.
I also believe that the frozen spring is the reason many of the linkage mounts break over the years. When it freezes, and the actuator is not adjusted to accommodate, the linkage bar will torque when the door shuts, and eventually break the mounts that hold it to the door
Here is a thread on freeing it up https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ge-spring.html
Last year, I converted my wiper door to electric operation; during that process I closely scrutinized the linkage for fit and function, and that is when I realized the spring was frozen to the main shaft. After freeing up the spring, I realized the spring's function is to put extra pressure on the door in the closed position. In my case, after the door was in the fully closed position, I adjusted the actuator to pull the linkage an additional 5/16".
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