wiper blades/refills

[cool57]

Replacing blades used to be simple, you went to the service station or parts store and bought Trico or Anco period. There are now a multitude of brands, materials, and "uses" i.e. seasons etc.

My Riv does get driven in rain(never snow), more often than I'd like but I like to drive it as often as possible.

 

Does anyone have a suggestion as to brand? I certainly don't want something that looks out of place such as weird colors or airfoils etc. 

Thanks.

[RivNut]

I found some at Advance Auto a couple of years ago but they come with a cheap/ugly plastic piece that you need to attach to the blade.  That cheap/ugly plastic piece then attaches to your wiper arm.  Trico part #22-183

 

Trico part #43-180 is listed as a refill for 18" blades but I can't find any dimensions to confirm that they'll fit the Riviera's blade.

 

Rock Auto shows an ACDelco blade that appears, in the picture, to be a good replacement.  Their part number ACDELCO 87150

 

Lots of info out there if you Google "classic wiper blades."

Edited November 5, 2015 by RivNut (see edit history)

[cool57]

Thanks Ed, since posting I have found a Trico "classic" blade both on Amazon and at O'Reillys 

 

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/TRIG/33150.oap?year=1963&make=Buick&model=Riviera&vi=1319600

[RivNut]

You need to see them in person; they may be the ones that have the funky plastic piece that connects the OE arm to the new blade.  I've got an old set of them and they look like the plastic would break with the least resistance.  They also take away from the nice finished original look.

 

Ed

[cool57]

Review from Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RK7NNKJRYYDPD/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000CPZVTS#RK7NNKJRYYDPD

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

" Thank goodness for these blades. Thanks Trico!, June 25, 2011

By Bobby B.

This review is from: Trico 33-150 Classic Wiper Blade, 15" (Pack of 1) (Automotive)

I have a 1960 Buick LeSabre. As any enthusiast knows, the new-style, now-ubiquitous black-finished wiper blades of today look ridiculous on such automobiles. My car arrived with this type of blade. I was resigned to digging up a set of old blades on Ebay or in a junkyard and fitting new refills. But when I read about the Trico Classic I decided to do a little research. I could not figure out from my reading if these blades were actually stamped stainless(?) like the originals. Decided to take a flyer on these anyway and am very glad I did. The stampings are not *quite* as well polished and finished as the originals, but they look right and fit properly.

I may, just may, sand them down a bit with a very fine grit and run them over a buffing wheel/metal polish. We'll see. Even if I don't I am very happy with the look."

I will go to O'Reillys to look at them prior to purchase.

Edited November 5, 2015 by cool57 (see edit history)

[RivNut]

A friend of mine who has a custom "65 Riviera polished his wiper arms to a brilliant chrome like finish.  He hates it because of the way the sun reflects off of them.  Something to think about, eh? 

[68RIVGS]

Some  parts places may still carry just the rubber blade portion of the wiper, and you simply cut the refill to the length required.

They are getting harder to find though, since there is more profit in selling a complete wiper blade, rather than just the blade refill.

[RivNut]

Update,

 

I bought a pair of the ACDELCO 87150 but returned them because they were only 15" long.  Correct in every way (complete arm and blade) except for the length.  But in today's "post" I received a pair of Anco U-18R wiper refills.  They fit the OE arms perfectly.    And they were less than $10 for the pair. I assembled one and the profile of the refill is a great improvement over the original; it appears that they should work well. 

 

Google the part number and you'll find them all over the price spectrum.  It also appears that there are lots of them available.  They're inexpensive at Amazon but you can only purchase them as an "add on," meaning that if you purchase other products for >$25, you can throw these in and get free shipping.  They don't ship them without something to go with them. ?????

 

Ed

 

Ed

[jframe]

O'Reilly's actually shows a 15" for my 65 as an alternative to 18". I bought a pair of the classic series in 15", and want to give them a try. How does the blade come off the arm? They have a piece on the bottom like a lever or something, and the blade has a hole on top that slides into a round tab on the factory arm.

[RivNut]

15" blades will fit and they're probably listed as replacements but the blades won't overlap and you'll have a large section in the center of the windshield that won't get any coverage.  Those blades are for 55 - 57 Chevies, a much smaller car.  If the blades that you got at O'Reilly's are correct, you can easily tell how they come off..

 

Ed

[Seafoam65]

                   I run the 15's on my car and they wipe the windshield just fine with no noticeable gaps. An added bonus

is that the 18's tend to hit the stainless trim on the driver's side pillar when the wipers are on high....the 15's don't do this. when I

bought my car the left pillar stainless was scratched from the wiper hitting it and I had to polish the scratches out. My Dad's 65 Riviera

did the same thing when it was a new car. The great thing is that the 15's are readily available and they look totally correct.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Seafoam65 (see edit history)

[RivNut]

Good point about the rub on the stainless.  I would guess that no more than these cars get driven in the rain, the 15" blades would work just fine.

[jframe]

I put the 15" blades on yesterday, and they seem to do fine. The 18's were pretty close to the chrome pillar trim. Won't drive much in the rain if I can help it anyway.