DIY - Windshield Wiper Linkage Tune Up (1 Viewer)

[Ayune]

Hi all, my front wipers were sluggish and squeaky so I removed the linkage and tuned it up. Took me about 1.5 hours from start to finish.

Tools & supplies needed:

• 10 & 12mm sockets
• Flat head screwdriver
• Needlenose pliers
• Waterproof grease. I used some Phil Wood bicycle grease I had in my garage, this is a low-demand application.
• Pick set, like Harbor Freight #93514

Here are the steps:

- Open hood and remove the rubber weather seal below the wiper cowling. The seal is held down by small plastic clips (below center). The rubber seal can be gently pulled off of each clip, leaving the clips in place. Once the seal is off, remove the clips by squeezing them underneath the head with your needle nose pliers. If you end up breaking some, the part number is 90467-08108.

- Remove wiper arms: Pry off the plastic cap and remove the 12mm nut. Mark both the stud and arm to take the guesswork out of re-installation (below left). Mine didn't need a arm puller to come loose, just a good tug. Mark them 'L' and 'R' once you pull them off.

- Remove the two plastic cowl pieces by first sliding them down away from the windshield. They have clips which latch under the windshield (below middle). Now's a good time to clean and paint this sucker, it's probably faded from years in the sun.

- Remove the wiper motor by unscrewing the four 10mm bolts to the firewall. When the motor pulls away from the firewall you'll see the linkage ball & socket covered with a rubber boot. You can disengage the motor from the linkage by simply pulling them straight apart. Be sure the ball is aligned to pull straight out of the socket or the ball end's far shoulder may resist separating (below right). I pulled back the rubber boot before I separated mine (below left) but it's unnecessary.

- Remove the bolts holding the linkage to the body metal, three for each wiper. One of the passenger side bolt heads was pretty close to the windshield edge, so be careful working around the glass.

- Pull out the linkage and move it to your work area.

 

[Ayune]

- All of the linkage pivots are ball & socket joints covered by rubber boots. I recommend working on one joint at a time to prevent mix-ups during reassembly. The rubber boots can be gently pulled back using the flat blade screwdriver. Some joints can be popped free as-is (below left) and some have screws securing them (below middle). Remove the screws and pop 'em apart by prying with the screwdriver (below right).

- Tip: When separating the joints be sure the balls are aligned to pull straight out of their sockets to prevent hang-ups.

- Clean each ball & socket, liberally grease, and push them back together. Re-install screws, fill the boots with grease, and fold the boots back over the joints.

- One of my boots was torn at the arm. After cleaning & lubing I secured it with a zip tie best I could.

- The pivots for the wiper blades can be serviced as well, though mine were still smooth as butter. Remove the thin circlip using the pick, and push the pivot out of the housing, clean, and lube. There's an small oring under the circlip too (below right).

- When the linkage is all gussied up re-install it in the truck (48 in-lb on the six bolts). Careful working next to the windshield...

- Clean the wiper motor ball & socket and squirt some grease inside the boot. There's a metal hook on the socket that hooks on the body (below) while you press the motor ball & socket together. Thank you, Mr. T!

- Re-install the two plastic cowling pieces, and insert the small plastic clips into the rubber weatherstrip (below). Then place the weatherstripping on the truck, align the cowl & body holes, and push the clips home.

- Re-install your wiper arms (15 ft-lb on the nuts) and you're done!

 

[Crazy Dragon]

You're so lucky yours didn't need an arm puller to pry them off. I've been trying to get them off and I'm sure I need an arm puller. But none of the arm pullers I've got would fit with the plastic cowling pieces in the way. If anyone else has tips on how to get stuck wiper arms off, let me know please =)

 

[abuck99]

Great write up!

 

[Ayune]

You're so lucky yours didn't need an arm puller to pry them off. I've been trying to get them off and I'm sure I need an arm puller. But none of the arm pullers I've got would fit with the plastic cowling pieces in the way. If anyone else has tips on how to get stuck wiper arms off, let me know please =)

Let some penetrating oil work for a couple days then try again. First time I took them off I found that grabbing the metal wiper arm and rocking the joint back & forth would eventually loosen them up.

 

[LandCruiserPDX]

If your wipers have become loud or sloppy in their transitions, this is the thread you’re looking for. Dealer confirmed it was linkage and wanted 600 or 800 bucks to replace. I found the part on Toyota deals dot com for $220 bucks, so if your feeing cheap but not ready to rebuild your own linkage, it’s the way to go.

when I pulled it apart, the culprit was obvious:

 

[legzzy]

Hi all, my front wipers were sluggish and squeaky so I removed the linkage and tuned it up. Took me about 1.5 hours from start to finish.

Tools & supplies needed:

• 10 & 12mm sockets
• Flat head screwdriver
• Needlenose pliers
• Waterproof grease. I used some Phil Wood bicycle grease I had in my garage, this is a low-demand application.
• Pick set, like Harbor Freight #93514

Here are the steps:

- Open hood and remove the rubber weather seal below the wiper cowling. The seal is held down by small plastic clips (below center). The rubber seal can be gently pulled off of each clip, leaving the clips in place. Once the seal is off, remove the clips by squeezing them underneath the head with your needle nose pliers. If you end up breaking some, the part number is 90467-08108.

View attachment 1922674

- Remove wiper arms: Pry off the plastic cap and remove the 12mm nut. Mark both the stud and arm to take the guesswork out of re-installation (below left). Mine didn't need a arm puller to come loose, just a good tug. Mark them 'L' and 'R' once you pull them off.

- Remove the two plastic cowl pieces by first sliding them down away from the windshield. They have clips which latch under the windshield (below middle). Now's a good time to clean and paint this sucker, it's probably faded from years in the sun.

View attachment 1922675

- Remove the wiper motor by unscrewing the four 10mm bolts to the firewall. When the motor pulls away from the firewall you'll see the linkage ball & socket covered with a rubber boot. You can disengage the motor from the linkage by simply pulling them straight apart. Be sure the ball is aligned to pull straight out of the socket or the ball end's far shoulder may resist separating (below right). I pulled back the rubber boot before I separated mine (below left) but it's unnecessary.

View attachment 1922673

- Remove the bolts holding the linkage to the body metal, three for each wiper. One of the passenger side bolt heads was pretty close to the windshield edge, so be careful working around the glass.

View attachment 1922676

- Pull out the linkage and move it to your work area.

View attachment 1922672

 

[legzzy]

Thanks for the very informative instruction and photos! Does the linkage all come out of the hole that the wiper motor inserts through(once removed) ? Is it tricky to reinstall the linkage assy through this hole and then to fit the nuts to hold the wiper pivots in place etc? Should I be looking to replace the whole linkage with a new one or a good used genuine toyota one?

 

[kinjokatana]

Hi all, my front wipers were sluggish and squeaky so I removed the linkage and tuned it up. Took me about 1.5 hours from start to finish.

Tools & supplies needed:

• 10 & 12mm sockets
• Flat head screwdriver
• Needlenose pliers
• Waterproof grease. I used some Phil Wood bicycle grease I had in my garage, this is a low-demand application.
• Pick set, like Harbor Freight #93514

Here are the steps:

- Open hood and remove the rubber weather seal below the wiper cowling. The seal is held down by small plastic clips (below center). The rubber seal can be gently pulled off of each clip, leaving the clips in place. Once the seal is off, remove the clips by squeezing them underneath the head with your needle nose pliers. If you end up breaking some, the part number is 90467-08108.

View attachment 1922674

- Remove wiper arms: Pry off the plastic cap and remove the 12mm nut. Mark both the stud and arm to take the guesswork out of re-installation (below left). Mine didn't need a arm puller to come loose, just a good tug. Mark them 'L' and 'R' once you pull them off.

- Remove the two plastic cowl pieces by first sliding them down away from the windshield. They have clips which latch under the windshield (below middle). Now's a good time to clean and paint this sucker, it's probably faded from years in the sun.

View attachment 1922675

- Remove the wiper motor by unscrewing the four 10mm bolts to the firewall. When the motor pulls away from the firewall you'll see the linkage ball & socket covered with a rubber boot. You can disengage the motor from the linkage by simply pulling them straight apart. Be sure the ball is aligned to pull straight out of the socket or the ball end's far shoulder may resist separating (below right). I pulled back the rubber boot before I separated mine (below left) but it's unnecessary.

View attachment 1922673

- Remove the bolts holding the linkage to the body metal, three for each wiper. One of the passenger side bolt heads was pretty close to the windshield edge, so be careful working around the glass.

View attachment 1922676

- Pull out the linkage and move it to your work area.

Hi all, my front wipers were sluggish and squeaky so I removed the linkage and tuned it up. Took me about 1.5 hours from start to finish.

Tools & supplies needed:

• 10 & 12mm sockets
• Flat head screwdriver
• Needlenose pliers
• Waterproof grease. I used some Phil Wood bicycle grease I had in my garage, this is a low-demand application.
• Pick set, like Harbor Freight #93514

Here are the steps:

- Open hood and remove the rubber weather seal below the wiper cowling. The seal is held down by small plastic clips (below center). The rubber seal can be gently pulled off of each clip, leaving the clips in place. Once the seal is off, remove the clips by squeezing them underneath the head with your needle nose pliers. If you end up breaking some, the part number is 90467-08108.

View attachment 1922674

- Remove wiper arms: Pry off the plastic cap and remove the 12mm nut. Mark both the stud and arm to take the guesswork out of re-installation (below left). Mine didn't need a arm puller to come loose, just a good tug. Mark them 'L' and 'R' once you pull them off.

- Remove the two plastic cowl pieces by first sliding them down away from the windshield. They have clips which latch under the windshield (below middle). Now's a good time to clean and paint this sucker, it's probably faded from years in the sun.

View attachment 1922675

- Remove the wiper motor by unscrewing the four 10mm bolts to the firewall. When the motor pulls away from the firewall you'll see the linkage ball & socket covered with a rubber boot. You can disengage the motor from the linkage by simply pulling them straight apart. Be sure the ball is aligned to pull straight out of the socket or the ball end's far shoulder may resist separating (below right). I pulled back the rubber boot before I separated mine (below left) but it's unnecessary.

View attachment 1922673

- Remove the bolts holding the linkage to the body metal, three for each wiper. One of the passenger side bolt heads was pretty close to the windshield edge, so be careful working around the glass.

View attachment 1922676

- Pull out the linkage and move it to your work area.

View attachment 1922672

Excellent work instruction !!!

 

[zhloea]

If your wipers have become loud or sloppy in their transitions, this is the thread you’re looking for. Dealer confirmed it was linkage and wanted 600 or 800 bucks to replace. I found the part on Toyota deals dot com for $220 bucks, so if your feeing cheap but not ready to rebuild your own linkage, it’s the way to go.

when I pulled it apart, the culprit was obvious:
View attachment 2339955

Could you please let me know the part number of it?

 

[Ayune]

Could you please let me know the part number of it?

1998-2000: 85150-60210, no longer available
1999-2007: 85150-60240

 

[Jack90210]

Nice write-up on the linkage, I'd suspected that mine are getting sloppy but hadn't ever seen anyone comment about theirs wearing out.

Thanks for helping me spend $230 on a new linkage at McGeorge, ha.