Don't remove your windshield wiper arms...

[mot]

because you won't be able to put them back on.

Mine had surface rust so I decided to remove them (from the base) and sand/paint them yesterday.

All had gone well until it came time to slap them back on.

They would not come off easily and they would not go back on, no matter what I do. So far I've tried powdered graphite and WD-40 and using a hammer.

Is there any trick to getting them back on w/o stripping the base???

 

[Impreza]

All I can tell you is that mine seemed very simple when I did it a year ago. No idea what snag you are actually hitting. Did paint get into the mounting hole making it smaller?

 

[mot]

All I can tell you is that mine seemed very simple when I did it a year ago. No idea what snag you are actually hitting. Did paint get into the mounting hole making it smaller?

At the risk of sounding like a complete moron.... yes, "some" made it over the grooves.

I tried to remove it with brush, but maybe I need to get more vigorous.

Yes, I'm an idiot. It looked good though.

 

[retrofive]

From my past experience (Thank you C-Dan), the metal on the linkage is hard and the metal on the "arms" is soft, clean up the groove and align best you can then tighten back down. The softer metal will conform.

If we are talking about the same thing. Some sap stuck the blade to my window, soon as I hit the wipers it stripped, I cleaned out and did the above and haven't had an issue in several years.

 

[Rwhat]

Use some acetone to remove the paint in the splines with a Q tip

 

[Kernal]

FWIW I use foam earplugs stuffed into small holes when I paint stuff; happen to be painting my wiper arms this weekend also.

 

[mot]

You know, to be honest, I hesitated to start this thread because I felt so retarded.

But, as usual, I am glad that I did, because now "HOPEFULLY" I won't have to go out and get Rain X tomorrow morning in preparation of not having the windshield wipers.

Thanks again. You guys are awesome! (Yeah, I know, tell you something you already didn't know!)

Preview: I will most likely post about the glass run (the DS won't roll down anymore), changing the tranny fluid or the fuel filter in the coming weeks!

Stay tuned!

Thanks again!!

Hope you guys have had a nice weekend!

Mot

 

[86tuning]

FWIW I use foam earplugs stuffed into small holes when I paint stuff; happen to be painting my wiper arms this weekend also.

Thanks for the tip, Kernal!

 

[PDoyle]

I've always just tossed an old towel under the wipers and sprayed the arms.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

I remember when I bed lined my rig that I wanted to pull the arms during prep....

Took one look at the rusty nuts and said f#ck a bunch of that $h!t

Decided to tape around them and save myself potential heartache

 

[Marcus1983]

Just removed mine and had them powdercoated with some other items for a bicycle project. Even though it was free to have them thrown in, I think I would just rattle-can them in the future : too blingy.

I had no problems reattaching them. I did manage to lose one of the tensioning clips/springs that live inside the arm when my 2yo son helped relocate some parts into the neighbors front yard. Couldn't find a proper replacement - had to rig one from bailing wire.