Some folks may have seen my posts over the past two years as I've struggled to get myself out of a fortunately small minority - the Legion of the Chattering Windshield Wipers.

Like others on the web (and it seems to afflict both new and older cars, all makes and models and do-it-yourselfers and skilled mechanics) I checked to be absolutely certain my wiper arms were correctly mounted, replaced arms (there's a longer story there about one Corvette salvage operator), cleaned my blades with Isopropyl alcohol, replaced blades (multiple times!), claybarred the windshield, adjusted the angle of the blade mounting pin, checked the arm tension, checked for tightness in the blade mounting mechanism, tried RainX and cleaned the windshield and blade with BonAmi to get ride of the RainX. The only thing I didn't do that others did was replace my windshield. But still the chatter at all but high speed and even then, it was obvious something wasn't "right".

I gave it one last attempt, having one of those gut feelings it was something to do with the relationship of the windshield surface and the blade sweeping surface so I replaced my inserts (and just the inserts or "refills" as some folks call them) with Trico Teflon and problem solved! Evidently the Teflon provides just the right slipperyness (obviously I'm not an engineer!) to fix the problem (and only $7/blade!)

John

 

What wiper blades assemblys did you try? The dealer still sells the OEM wiper blades. Though, I don't know if those would work any better than off the shelf blades. I had planned on putting in the Trico Exact fit blades as one of the blades on there hits my hood.

 

Josh - My first alternative blade was Trico Exact Fit. They fit fine (as other folks have noted) but didn't solve the chattering. John

 

Dupont thanks you!

 

And I thank them and Trico! Now, bring on the rains .... John

 

My vette doesnt frequent wet weather much at all! BUT I did get caught in 2 rain storms that I can remember and just like you said... The blades CHATTER like crazy! Not a big issue to me because like I said the Vette doesnt see much rain but DEF extremely annoying! Glad to see you solved the problem!

Any links to where some may be able to puchase these "refills"?

 

Post back in 6 or 7 months when the blades have set into shape. I bet you they will be chattering again. My opinion is that fancy wiper blades are a waste of money - old rubber is old rubber, and replacing them will always be needed.

 

I found mine at Advance Auto Parts but most everyone including amazon.com seems to have them (except O'Reilly and AutoZone who don't carry Trico). The part number on the inserts is 17-200 and the blades (which I haven't tested to see if they fit) is 15-200. Incidentally Trico is running a rebate beginning October 1 for $5-20. John

 

So, did you reuse the Trico Exact Fit wiper assembly when you put in the new wiper refill? I know not all wiper assemblies are the same. Like the Trico Exact Fit is curved, where as others are more straight.

I wonder if it would have been better to just go with the OEM blade? You can get them at the dealer.

 

Josh - Your question is a good one but the answer - typical of so many things Corvette - winds from here to there with the explanations being as brief or as long as you have patience to read.

Yes, genuine GM arms (in the "improved" '95-'96 style) and GM blades might have been an answer and I spent several months trying to get the arms before finally learning - as others have - that they're discontinued and not to be had. Then I tried to get them used from other sources and in fact paid good $$ to a Corvette salvage operator who told me "Oh course his arms were genuine GM" but they weren't, just Trico.

But counting on the "genuine GM" arms I thought I'd be receiving from him I'd stupidly trashed the Trico arms that were on the car when I bought it (wiper arms built in the "improved" '95-'96 style rather than the '94 style) and the Trico Exact Fit Blades and as the "new" Trico arms (also in the "improved" '95-'96 style) for some reason had large blade mounting pins, I used the ANCO 31 blades with new ANCO inserts and then a couple of days later switched to the Trico Teflon refills. The ANCO 31 is as curved in my opinion as the Trico Exact Fit but it's a little heavier duty.

I told you it was long but thanks for asking.

John

 

I don't think Trico makes wiper arms. Haha. The only one I know of that makes them was GM. So, I don't see how the Corvette salvager sold you Trico wiper arms. Though, I'm guessing you were meaning that you bought wiper blades form the salvager? If so, I wouldn't put on used wiper blades on my car. Kinda like putting on a used coolant hose or something. Haha.

I find the Trico Exact fit wiper blades to have a half moon bend to them. Where as most other wiper blades are pretty flat.

I believe the wiper blades are the same for all the C4's. Just that the new style wiper arms needed a wiper blade with a larger mounting hole.

I guess next time or if your current wiper blades start chattering, then you might could try some OEM wiper blades from the dealer. I kinda wonder if that is why people have so much problem with chatter anyways, in that most put on aftermarket blades when the OEM blades wear out.

 

Josh - Trico did and does make wiper arms. The Trico website says they manufacture approximately 500,000 arms per week.

The new design genuine GM '95-'96 arms were analyzed with photos in a long "Tech Tips" article "C4 Wiper Arms" in the Forum back in 2001. Those arms carried GM Part Numbers 10288071 (left) and 10288072 (right). The Trico arms are stamped "Trico".

As for the purpose of my post ... simply to give one person's experience in trying to solve a perplexing problem in hopes that it might help someone else.

John

 

- i've replaced wiper blades on many vehicles with high-dollar blades, and after about a year, they start chattering - solution, replace the blades. as i recall, most automobile manufacturers recommend replacing the blades every year anyway.

i've noticed, that the blades take a permanent set over time. blades are designed to orient themselves, or flip, with the direction of the wiper arm travel, thus flipping the wiping direction as the wiper arm cycles. seems that the blades are frozen in one direction and chatter on the opposite stroke. without putting too much analysis into this, it's easier to drop the $20 on new blades, and not worry about it.

 

On my 2001 Ford F150 crew cab, I had chattering, but fixed it by using Bosch wiper blades. They work great for ~12 months until I have to replace them because they wear out due to the sun.

 

Why do you need wipers for, don't C4s melt in the rain?

Jim

 

Texas sun is a blade killer! My little work car (4banger Mustang) sits outside and goes through a set of blades about twice a year because they get COOKED by the hot windshield and get stiff. Instead of doing the flip-flop, they are going one way correctly,wiping like the bristles on a paint brush, and chatter like the dickens when going the other direction because they are acting like little rubber chisels driving against the direction of travel. The Vette stays indoors except for driving time so it has only needed one set since I got it a couple of years ago. I guess I have rookie's luck and got the correct refills the first time with some ANCO's. I don't even remember what the part number is on them so I hope I can find them again come replacement time, because they fit and work great.

 

Hmm. I've never heard of Trico making wiper arms before, I had thought they just made wiper blades.

Anyways, I plan to replace my wiper blades soon as it's been two years and one blade is a Trico Exact fit, and the other is an Anco and it hits the hood. That is what came on the car. I'm gonna try the Trico Exact fit and see what that does. Though, the only time I drive it in the rain is if I'm already in town and it starts raining.

Though, it does look like the PO had bent the passenger side wiper arm to look more like the newer style. At first, I had thought he had updated the wiper arms. But got to looking and realized it took the old style wiper blades.