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installation of wiper spring


rlcokc

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Any magic/secret to installation of spring which attaches both arms from transmission to wiper motor? The vent pivot is in the way but can be moved but the rotating arm of the motor will not allow one end of the pivot to be reached thru the vent. I am able to attach the arm from both right and left but access so limited I have yet to figure out how to get the spring over both connections so as to hold in place. Is there a different order of doing things which would work?

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I did mine a year ago on my 1940 56S when I had the instrument panel and grille out. Much easier, but it was still a bear to get the motor out and in. I would suggest if you have a radio, remove it and the grille (held on by Tinnermans) and then you can go after it that way. Maybe others have a simpler solution.

Cheers, Dave

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Not sure if this really applies to your situation, but I got myself twisted around while installing mine. Didn't make sense until I swung the motor to the other end of its travel, and, reversed the wiper linkages (the one that would have been on the "bottom" of the pivot now on the "top". Everything then fell into place.

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I reversed the motor and it doesn't rotate a full 180 and one side never comes down enough to become accessible. I would modify the pivot on the motor but it is pressed, mine is welded, to the rod coming out of the motor so there is no adjustment. I have a couple of other motors and they do not adjust either. I will check the other motors and see if the pivot is mounted in same position or if perhaps using a different motor would make life easier. I do have radio altho it is really not in the way--but center mount speaker is a little. Not tried to access from under the dash--only thru the vent outside the windshield. Wish I would have done this before I installed wiring harness but I am living and learning. Unfortunately I don't plan to restore another car so whatever I've learned will probably be wasted just like the few other things I've learned. Appreciate the comments/suggestions---all help is appreciated.

Thanks

Rod

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On my car ('38 40 Series) the "swing" of the motor output could be positioned at either extreme, end of travel position, and the links would still connect. One of the possibilities was correct, and one was incorrect. The incorrect position was not intuitively obvious, especially when lying on one's back underneath the dash. Swinging the motor output to the other end of its travel, and swapping the links was the solution to my confusion, if you see what I mean. (still not sure if this pertains to your issue, but I thought I would try to clarify what I said above.)

Jeff

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Jeff

Think I understand--if at one extreme position arm of wiper not operate properly? I thought that when attaching wiper arms to the linkage I could adjust the "swing" of the motor and wasn't concerned with connecting linkage as I thought adjustment could be made later. If that is in error I certainly want to address before I get the spring on the linkage. The part that is causing me the most problempost-32309-143143054201_thumb.jpg.

Additionally I find one of the retainers for the wiper transmission which are placed under the dash and are threaded to hold transmission in place--one is broken and I would like to purchase a replacement if anyone has one. They appear to be interchangeable from side to side.

Any additional ideas, suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

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Hi,

GM had a way of hanging the wiper motor on a string and then building the whole car around it. For my 37, the radio had to come out in order for a lithe and flexible teenager to reach up there and install the arms and the clip. Once you can get your hands on the motor output shaft, it's a relatively easy matter for a teenager trained monkey to slip the clip onto the pivots.

To be sure the motor was properly "set" for attaching the arms, I applied vacuum to the motor and set it to the off (parked) position. With the wiper blades also at park, it was obvious which arm went where.

The darned on/off linkage got in the way of all progress. As designed, it has to be installed to the motor before the motor and clip are installed. Impossible. I made a new linkage with two snap-on/removable ball joint ends (http://www.mcmaster.com/#rod-ends/=wmjzo9) and 3/16" brass rod (also mcmaster). This allowed me to place the motor and the arms without fighting the linkage. In all humility, this was a masterful stroke of genius.

post-62522-14314305709_thumb.jpg

One other thing I did was to replace the slot-head motor attachment screws, which require three hands and a Star Trek anti-gravity device in an impossible space to install while you are upside-down and discovering back pain you never knew could exist, with 10-32 threaded shaft knobs (mcmaster.com, Lowes, most hardware sources) that can be handled with one hand. HUGE aggravation difference when installing the motor. I loosely "started" one knob on one end, slipped the motor up and onto one mounting fitting (driver side as I recall, and balanced it on the other mounting fitting while I got the other knob in my hand and managed to start it in the threaded hole on the motor. Then I "easily" tightened them both.

NOTHING about dealing with a wiper motor is pleasant. But it can be done. And next time will be easier with the knobs and removable linkage rather than slot-head screws.

--Tom

Edited by trp3141592
Corrected knob thread size. Oops! (see edit history)
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.. LOL...:-)..

Nice fixing, (and story) Tom.

I slotted my wiper motor screws from the lower end, so i can drive it tight with a small srewdriver to the end . Complete tightening i do with a small hex head wrench.

In this case, im happy about to have a naked special without radio and heating ;-) ..

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Appreciate the responses.

I didn't have too much difficulty install the motor and have been able to get both metal linkages from the wiper transmission on the wiper motor but have not been able to install the spring keeper pictured above.

Tom-reviewed your post and see the new arm with mcmaster carr pivots is the on/off switch and not the attachment to the wiper transmissions. I believe that mine was attached when I put the motor on many moons ago and it has switch on dash centered just above the light/radio---maybe one-two inches inside the windshield. I will crawl under the dash tonight and make sure still attached and working. I actually had totally forgotten about the switch and don't think it is creating real problem with installation altho may be the reason I'm having such a hard time with the spring retainer. I assume your on/off switch is not located in the same location as on my 1936. If I am correct please disregard the questions below.

Tom--I'm interested in your set up but not sure I understand. The wiper motor pictured with rotating shaft, where the metal arms/linkage attach to motor are not attached in photo. My motor appears to be the same model-believe mine is SK 11-1--and I actually have some pivots from McMaster Carr I sued on my lifts to repair/remake the rods for the stops on each post. Don't recall the size of what I have but small enough they should work but don't understand how they connect to the pivot of the motor with the two male knobs over which the arms go. All help appreciated and perhaps my wife with her smaller hands can attach the spring keeper. Thanks

Rod

Edited by rlcokc
reread post and perhaps I undrstand (see edit history)
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Thanks Tom appreciate it. Did have wife with small hands get the spring keeper on altho realized the knob on dash was not seated on motor and therefore unable to turn on/off. Only way to fix is to remove and start over. At this point unless easy fix I won't fix as won't drive in rain in any event.

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Thanks to all for input and suggestions. Tom appreciate the photo and really was a inventive fix to the problem. I'll plod along and think I can loosen the wiper motor and jiggle the switch and then tighten the motor and hopefully get the on/off switch where it will operate the motor. If not I'll have wipers that look like they operate even if they don't. Thanks to all

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just an update for fun. I finally got the wiper motor back in--checked it before installing with vacuum from engine and it worked great. This has been a process and installed at one point without putting the chrome back in which holds the switch on the dash. Needless to say having installed and removed several times I now have the installation down. Unfortunately I didn't fully understand the post of Jeff and once I installed the motor, hooked up the vacuum hose and started car the wiper motor moved a bit and froze. I assume I have the linkages backwards and intend on removing and reconnecting today and hopefully all will be well. Seems like most of what I do I end up doing more than once---only good thing the more I do it the easier it is. Great board and appreciate all the help and suggestions.

Rod

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