windshield wiper adjustment

[jvdaniel]

My windshield wipers go too low on the windshield, they hit the bottom trim on the windshield. There is no way to change the position of the arm on the post. Does anyone know how to adjust them?

 

[Joe Dirt]

yeah- I wanna do that too on my 95! I looked at the pegged setup and it looks like only one position is available, and didn't look any further. My driver side wiper sits too high at park and it annoys me. I'm staying tuned! Hopefully is isn't something stupid... lol!

 

[BrooklynBay]

I'm not sure if it's the same set up as my van, but I have a latch which lifts up to allow the entire arm to lift off. The shaft has small splines like a shower stem spindle, so you could put the arm in any position just as long as it fits in between the splines. You lift the lever, then flex the pivot on the arm to disengage it.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Yeah, the Ex has a "nub" on it, lookes like Mickey Mouse with one ear... Kind of makes it (as it appears) impossible to adjust the setting...

 

[BrooklynBay]

It must be like a key hole shape.

 

[Charlie]

Actually, with the key hole thing, I adjusted mine. Mine were actually too high, so I lowered them. I remember being able to adjust them about an inch or so up and down. There is wiggle room.

All you have to do is lift up the arm, then pull the tab on the base out. Then lift straight up. Then just re-seat it, and push in the tab.

Good luck!

 

[Abbondanza]

I have a 96 XLT with my passenger wiper blade sitting on the plastic below the windshield when off, which is causing the rubber on that blade to fail much quicker than it should when it hops over lip that every time.

Anyone ever re-position their wiper arms this way (removing then re-attaching)? Possibly have a picture of the 'tab' that needs to be pulled out? I'd like to re-position it higher but don't want to destroy the linkage where the wiper arm meets the motor peg. Thanks.

 

[Abbondanza]

So I found the video which describes the removal procedure here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-tR49oL1FQ

After getting it off the post, as described in the above post by Joe, it has that key-hole shape, so there doesn't seem to be away to re-seat and change the locked position...not sure how there would be wiggle room. Guess the motor gear somehow got out of position with the spline, not sure if there's a way to adjust that position (spline to motor gear).

 

[koda2000]

i don't know if your arms are the same as, or similar to, the 99-01 arms, but i'm sure they can be re-positioned on their splines. you just have to get the arms off the splines first. on the 99-01's there's a little tab/lever that you have to lift. it's what keeps the arm locked on the shaft/spline. sometimes the arms can be stubborn to get off, due to dirt or corrosion, but if you can wiggle them around a bit they usually will come off. if your arms can be lifted away from the windshield and will stay in the up position it makes it much easier to do as you don't have to fight with the arm's spring. then rotate the arm slightly in the direction you want to go and put it back on. it will probably take you a couple of tries to get it where you want it.

 

[Abbondanza]

yeah I got it off the spline, but my spline on a 96 isn't a perfect circle (great band), it has a nub, as Joe deftly described like mickey mouse with one ear....so the arm can only be put back on in that one position, which sucks. Have to see if I can re-adjust that spline position on the motor. Otherwise a new motor with the spline in the correct position would be the only remedy, which probably isn't going to happen being that they still knock rain off of my windshield!

 

[deweyville65]

yeah I got it off the spline, but my spline on a 96 isn't a perfect circle (great band), it has a nub, as Joe deftly described like mickey mouse with one ear....so the arm can only be put back on in that one position, which sucks. Have to see if I can re-adjust that spline position on the motor. Otherwise a new motor with the spline in the correct position would be the only remedy, which probably isn't going to happen being that they still knock rain off of my windshield!

Hey guys, I just went out and looked at mine, 96 XLT. There is the "Mickey mouse" nub, BUT there are splines on the wiper arm side of the mount. Across from the nub. These splines allow a good 2" of adjustment. You might get more, but mine were in a good position. If you need more adjustment, get out your handy Dremel tool.

 

[Abbondanza]

how do you get 2" adjustment when the nub will only fit in one fairly tight notch in the arm? Any rotation for me and the nub hits the side and the arm won't go on at all?

 

[deweyville65]

how do you get 2" adjustment when the nub will only fit in one fairly tight notch in the arm? Any rotation for me and the nub hits the side and the arm won't go on at all?

I don't know what to tell you, I just know how mine is. I removed the arm and replaced it so it would rest on the cowl, then removed it again and returned it to where it was previously. Maybe you are looking at it too hard. If it was meant to have no adjustment, there would be NO splines on it. They are very fine splines, but they are there, at least on my EX. Look in the wiper arm, on the side where the blade extends from. While I had it off, I did not look on the shaft itself. But there has to be splines for adjustment. Maybe someone in the past ground out the wiper arm. I do not know.

 

[deweyville65]

OK, I went back out and removed the driver side wiper arm. There is a spline section about .700 wide. The arm fits pretty sloppy on the shaft, but has never slipped in 2 1/2 years. I have a pretty good picture on my phone of the splines. If I was smart enough, I would post a picture, but the key words are smart enough. I can text the picture to anyone that wants it, just send me your phone#. I can also download it and send an e-mail. I know nothing about Photobucket.

 

[Sigmo]

Yes. The problem is that the small amount of available adjustment is not enough to correct for the displacement that many of us have. So there must be a way to adjust the positions of the oblong attachment thignies at the park position to achieve a greater range of adjustment when needed.