NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/rec/autos/tech/18364

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-27 | 2.0 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!ogicse!hp-cv!sdd.hp.com!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail
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Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: windshield wipers
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 26 Jan 93 03:05:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: alpha.93Jan26.070521pst.11800
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Well, now that we've all had our fun with that poor guy who needed new wipers,
I've got a question: how in God's name do you release the wiper arms from a GM
J-car (84 Buick Skyhawk, if it matters)?  I got one off mainly by accident
after a lot of pushing, pulling, poking, twisting, and cursing, but even with
it off, I still don't understand how they work and I never was able to remove
the other one.  They don't have a handy little release lever like on the
A-cars.  Instead, there's a spring clip that engages a groove at the base of
the splined shaft.  To install, you just push down until the spring clicks in.
However, once in, the spring is inaccessible, even with a narrow screwdriver.
Is there some special tool for this job?  The shop manual says nothing about
this.

And how about the stupid wiper design on the Celebrity?  There's a plastic stop
the wipers rest against.  That's fine, except that the stop was designed to
press against the rubber instead of the metal part of the arm.  This guarantees
that after a few months, the blade is permanently deformed causing a one inch
wide streaky zone right in the middle of your field of vision.  The worst part
is that there's nearly a full second delay between the time you turn on the
wiper switch and the time the wipers actually start moving.  That can make
things exciting when you're cruising along and get blatted with a load of slush
and need it cleared off *now*.  Whose idea was this anyway?  Spiros - tell the
wiper control design guys they're fired.  (Boy, I'm grumpy today).

            - Michel

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