Wiper refills
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
Wiper refills
A few minutes ago FedEx dropped off the wiper refills I ordered on Amazon. 12335960-drivers side and 12335961-passeger side.
They are clearly marked as GM and are in sealed plastic sleeves.
They appear to be identical.
Anyone know if they are supposed to be different(re the different part numbers) from one another?
Thought I would check before pulling the car out of the garage to install them (I can't open the hood as it's parked under a 4 post lift in my garage.
They are clearly marked as GM and are in sealed plastic sleeves.
They appear to be identical.
Anyone know if they are supposed to be different(re the different part numbers) from one another?
Thought I would check before pulling the car out of the garage to install them (I can't open the hood as it's parked under a 4 post lift in my garage.
Last edited by JoesC5; Jun 24, 2015 at 01:57 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Miami FL
2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16,'17,'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
What year is your car? Gene Culley's website, http://www.cultragfactoryparts.com, lists two different part numbers for my 2006.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
I haven't pulled the car out of the garage yet, so I don't know. It's hot out there, so I wanted to make sure I have the correct refills before moving the car and removing the old blades.
I originally thought when I ordered them that maybe the reason for two different blades(ie: two different part numbers) might be because of different lengths, but the two new ones are the same length.
I originally thought when I ordered them that maybe the reason for two different blades(ie: two different part numbers) might be because of different lengths, but the two new ones are the same length.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
Both of the new ones are ~20.5" in length.
Maybe a slightly different hardness rubber between the two?
Seems odd that GM would assign a different part number between the drivers side and the passenger side if they were the same refill.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
What year is your car? Gene Culley's website, http://www.cultragfactoryparts.com, lists two different part numbers for my 2006.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 462
From: Southern Utah
Nice thought...but I would be more inclined to figure that GM just needlessly applied two part numbers to one part. NAPA lists them the same and length is the only parameter. GM doesn't make them anyway, a supplier does...ANCO, TRICO etc.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
When I purchased my Mercedes refill at my Mercedes dealer they were in Mercedes packaging but were made by Trico, and were not constructed the same as the OEM blades. When I purchased refills for my C5 from my Chevy dealer, they were in ACdelco packaging but were made by Anco, and also were not constructed the same as the OEM blades. In those two cases, it appears that the refills sold at the dealerships were made by aftermarket companies and not the OEM suppliers to Mercedes and GM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,040
Likes: 939
From: Bonney Lake Washington
Is it just me?
A. Why can't GM make wiper arms (passenger side anyway) that completely lift away from the windshield to make installing easier (like my wife's Prius)?
B. Past experience, replacement blades don't work as well as initial factory ones.......
First world problems in any case.....
B. Past experience, replacement blades don't work as well as initial factory ones.......
First world problems in any case.....
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
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FYI, you can replace just the "blades/rubber inserts" in the holder, and do not need to buy the entire blade and holder instead.
Local auto parts store has the rubber inserts part is self for a few bucks each, and easy to just change the blades once a year. As for during the year, just use an alcohol wipe or some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clean the blades.
As for removing the blades from the holder, squeeze the retainer hook, slide the blade out of the C holders of the are then slide the new blades back on to the holder. I will install the new blades with the Hook retainer towards the bottom of the windshield (if the arms where straight up and down, and do not remove the plastic Blocks on the refill. the hold the metal rods on the sides of the refill blade, and as you slot the blade up the C claws, the plastic blocks will slide down as they get to the end C claw, and off the blade as you go to hook the retainer into the bottom/last C claw of the arm.
Local auto parts store has the rubber inserts part is self for a few bucks each, and easy to just change the blades once a year. As for during the year, just use an alcohol wipe or some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clean the blades.
As for removing the blades from the holder, squeeze the retainer hook, slide the blade out of the C holders of the are then slide the new blades back on to the holder. I will install the new blades with the Hook retainer towards the bottom of the windshield (if the arms where straight up and down, and do not remove the plastic Blocks on the refill. the hold the metal rods on the sides of the refill blade, and as you slot the blade up the C claws, the plastic blocks will slide down as they get to the end C claw, and off the blade as you go to hook the retainer into the bottom/last C claw of the arm.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,118
Likes: 122
From: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
The wiper blades are different on the two sides. The driver's side has a little "wing" on it (presumably to keep it pinned to the windshield at high speeds, but I'm not sure who would be driving that fast in the rain), and the passenger side is bare.
You can also replace the blades with aftermarket available at Wal Mart and auto stores, such as Bosch, RainX, and Michelin. I like the ones that have an internal spring, e.g., RainX Latitude, but they're more expensive than the OEM ones.
You can also replace the blades with aftermarket available at Wal Mart and auto stores, such as Bosch, RainX, and Michelin. I like the ones that have an internal spring, e.g., RainX Latitude, but they're more expensive than the OEM ones.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 462
From: Southern Utah
FYI, you can replace just the "blades/rubber inserts" in the holder, and do not need to buy the entire blade and holder instead.
Local auto parts store has the rubber inserts part is self for a few bucks each, and easy to just change the blades once a year. As for during the year, just use an alcohol wipe or some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clean the blades.
As for removing the blades from the holder, squeeze the retainer hook, slide the blade out of the C holders of the are then slide the new blades back on to the holder. I will install the new blades with the Hook retainer towards the bottom of the windshield (if the arms where straight up and down, and do not remove the plastic Blocks on the refill. the hold the metal rods on the sides of the refill blade, and as you slot the blade up the C claws, the plastic blocks will slide down as they get to the end C claw, and off the blade as you go to hook the retainer into the bottom/last C claw of the arm.
Local auto parts store has the rubber inserts part is self for a few bucks each, and easy to just change the blades once a year. As for during the year, just use an alcohol wipe or some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clean the blades.
As for removing the blades from the holder, squeeze the retainer hook, slide the blade out of the C holders of the are then slide the new blades back on to the holder. I will install the new blades with the Hook retainer towards the bottom of the windshield (if the arms where straight up and down, and do not remove the plastic Blocks on the refill. the hold the metal rods on the sides of the refill blade, and as you slot the blade up the C claws, the plastic blocks will slide down as they get to the end C claw, and off the blade as you go to hook the retainer into the bottom/last C claw of the arm.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,401
Likes: 52
From: Norman OK
I purchased a pair of PIAA wipers and they are the best I have ever used. I never saw any sense in going cheap with wipers, when you need them you want the best. It takes two minutes to swap the entire assembly but just changing the rubber blade is a PITA. IMO
Last edited by okie08vette; Jun 24, 2015 at 08:07 PM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
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From: Springfield MO
Yep. I purchased the refills, not the complete arms. I have had poor luck with aftermarket refills over the years, so I only wanted GM OEM refills.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,753
Likes: 29
From: McKinney TX
Premium Supporting Vendor
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From: Reading PA
What year is your car? Gene Culley's website, http://www.cultragfactoryparts.com, lists two different part numbers for my 2006.