I had been adjusting the wiper arms via the nuts in the cowl. Later on at some point, I noticed the wipers worked fine dry at high speed. But when I sprayed the windshield with water, the wipers started chattering and making alot of noise in the cowl. And they would sometimes hit no matter how I adjusted them. Then when the water was gone, they worked fine. I tried adjusting more, but it didn't do anything even though I did not have this problem before.

Then while the arms were parked, I checked for play. The driver is fine, but I noticed I can pull the passenger arm down past the firewall even though the bolts in the cowl are tight. I'm guessing something must have broke in the passenger arm while I was previously adjusting it?

So, does this mean the arm is bad, transmission, or something else that can be replaced?

I'll have to look and see if I can pull that arm off.

 

Typically there is a goodly amount of play in the linkages especially after some age. try to watch the pivot post under the wiper arm to see if there is any play to rule out the arm being stripped.

Dunno about the chattering, seems strange it would do it while wet. try replacing the blades if they are a year old or more. As soon as mine start that I replace em, new rubber is much better on the nerves.

 

I had just replaced the blades while I was doing the adjustment. I didn't have any problems till the last time I messed with it. I noticed noise when I wet down the windshield while the wipers were on high. And it looked like they might have hit some in the middle. When the water went away, so did the wiper noise and chatter.

I tried adjusting more where I had the passenger arm parking half way up the windshield and they still did it.

Before I had the passenger wiper arm touching the driver arm, and no problems.

I'm guessing what could have happened is while adjusting the passenger arm. Maybe I pulled it down before I had the two bolts loosened all the way?

Last I checked, I had the wiper arms in park. The driver side arm was tight, but I could pull the passenger arm down past the firewall, and I didn't notice any movement in the wiper linkage inside the cowl. Does that mean the wiper arm needs replacing? As that passenger arm play is the only thing I can think of as to why now I have chatter and crashing when wet and on high speed no matter where I adjust the wiper arms to. Before I never had any problems.

If I pulled the arm off, could I then tell if the arm is bad? How do you pull the arm off?

 

I had the same issue but worse. Mine collided while in use. The driver's broke off. After I replaced it I still had the same issue.

So I just unhooked the motor and put Rain X on the glass. No more problems.

 

I've been trying to adjust mine for 2 years now. I ended up changing one of the blades, (forgot if its the drivers side or pass. side) to a 19 inch blade to avoid collision. Adjusted the best I could by loosening the bolts by the cowl and left it alone. I believe its the transmission, arm linkage that has play and slop in it.

 

What would cause the slop in the transmission all of a sudden?

I noticed when in park, I could pull the passenger arm down past the firewall, and the linkage inside the cowl didn't move. I believe the arms shouldn't move in park. So, would that be an arm problem or transmission? I think I've read something in the arm can get stripped or broken causing play in the arm.

How do I get the arm off? And would there be any way to tell with the arm off whether or not the play is cause of the arm or transmission?

I'm thinking that passenger arm play is what is causing the chatter and noise. Though it only does it when the windshield is wet. Which I'm guessing the blades hit the water causing the play in the arm to show up. I must have done something to it when I was adjusting the arms as it didn't do this before nor after I adjusted it a few times. It was later on that I noticed the chatter and noise not matter where I adjusted the arms to.

 

I think there are bushings pressed in the arms at the pivot points. This has been driving me nuts, but I called it quits. Its not my daily driver, so its not that bad. The wipers do work and they dont collide, however I cant get the drivers blade to park as I would like it to.

 

I've got a diagram of the wiper arm that tells you to pull a piece to remove the arm. I'm gonna try and pull the arm, so I can see if the spline in the transmission is stripped, or if it is stripped in the arm.

 

Your diagram is correct. Pull the slide lock and the arm will come off. With the age the key inside may pop off and then you have to JB Weld the guide key back in. Ask me how I know!

The arm is not the problem since there is a guide key. The arm will not slip and slide around if that is still in place.

Your prolem lies in the linkage underneath. Pull the arms off, take the cowl off, and re-install the arms. You can then see what is going on.

Rain X is the cheap and easy fix.

 

Yep, there is a slide lock that sits in a groove on the pivot. Slide it outward and get under the arm base with two flat screwdrivers or a straight claw hammer. Careful where you set the prying tools to not break anything underneath. They will probly be pretty corroded so wiggle it around some.

Kinda sounds like the guide pin may be missing where you have slop. Follow Camino's suggestion of taking the cowl off to check the linkages too.

Good luck!

 

I think I figured out why they started hitting. I bought a GM blade and found it didn't work on the driver side cause the end was too tall to fit in the blade catch in the middle of the windshield. So I moved it to the passenger side and put an Anco Aerovantage on the driver side.

I pulled the GM blade and put the Trico Exact Fit back on the passenger side. And they quit hitting. I was able to adjust the passenger arm back down to where it is supposed to be and they still didn't hit. And also the noise was down too. They still chatter some, but the main thing I was worried about is them hitting.

So, I guess that means 84-94 GM blades are crap. Since I've already got a 20" Anco Aerovantage blade. I may just move that to the passenger side, and get a 19" Anco Aerovantage blade and put it on the driver side to help prevent them from hitting.

 

Definetly do the 20inch and 19 inch thing

 

Actually, I think it may be good to put 19 inch on both sides. That way you can rotate them, especially since most don't use their wipers enough. Plus, I bet with the shorter blade, the arms would be more stable when they wipe. As I noticed the end of the 20 inch blades wobble while they wipe.

Though, on the Anco Aerovantage, the length on the end that is in the middle of the windshield is the same length on the 19" as the 20". But I hardly use the wipers. Only time is after I take it to an auto car wash. So, I don't think I'm gonna worry about it. I've got them adjusted to where they work fine and don't hit.

 

Drove home in a rain storm last night..one of my wiper blades ripped off (UV sun damage) mid drive. Pulled into Wally World used their look up book to select some new 20" blade/wiper sets - (no refills available) I believe they were the Anco brand. Got them home and tried to install them and the shaft holes were too large for the arm's pin....wobble city....nice Removed the new wiper then removed their blade from it and installed just the blade into my old wiper....threw the rest of their product in the trash....good to go.

 

Yeah, you have to be careful. Most have two holes, a small and a large hole. And others have one hole in the middle, either a small or large hole. 84-94 wiper arms use the small hole. 95-96 wiper arms use the large hole.

Next time, you may want to look into getting Trico Exact Fit, or Trico Teflon. They sit lower to the windshield than the Anco Aerovantage, which may keep them more stable. I do believe the Trico Exact Fit are the OEM blades for 84-94. They look pretty much the same to the OEM blades I've seen that some owners still have on their car from the factory.

 

there should have been a little plastic adapter which has the smaller diameter hole that snaps in the top of the blade.

 

It had that + the smaller hole the Josh was talking about....still no workey...clip was too small to fit over the pin and lock in place.

I went just looking for the refills in the first place but they didn't offer any. No big deal - I'm good to go for another year.

 

I'm not a 100% happy with the way the blades park when you shut them off, however I've adjusted them the best I can so they dont collide when in operation, and they actually wipe good as far as contact on the glass. The cars not my daily driver,mainly used for few weekend trips. Anyway, like my friend said, leave well enough alone.

 

I was able to get mine where the passenger blade touches the driver blade when they are parked. That way, when the hood is shut, the passenger blade is hidden. I have 20" blades. And I drove all around in the rain the other day and they didn't hit. So, that is pretty good. I too don't really drive in the rain.

I can understand why these things hit. There is alot of slop. I noticed while I was adjusting the blades. That while the driver blade was wiping. One wipe it was an 1" or 1.5" from hitting the trim, then the next wipe it hit the trim, then the next wipe it was 1" from hitting the trim, etc. That may be different depending what blade you use.

Though, I originally had the driver blade set too low. As while it wiped while wet, the clip on the arm would hit the parking ramp every down stroke. So, I barley moved it up, and it was hitting the trim. So, I've got the driver blade where it barely misses hitting the parking ramp, and comes real close to the trim. The rubber may actually touch the trim it is that close. So, I don't think I can adjust that anymore or it will be hitting the parking ramp on down stroke, or hitting more of the trim on the upstroke. But it isn't leaving any marks on the trim, so I figured that is good enough and put everything back together.

I do think it is good to find what brand of blades you like, and stick to them. As I noticed just switching to a different brand, that I had to adjust how they parked.