Wiper sweep, vacuum vs electric aftermarket, 55 Special

[TexasJohn55]

I am looking for feedback  on satisfaction of your electric wiper kits. Specifically, how does the windshield sweep area compare to original vacuum wipers?     John

[Dennis Hagen]

I put electric on my 56 and not real satisfied with the sweep, think it should be more, but don’t know what the vacuum sweep was. Bought kit from Julianos. Put same kit on my 51 and is ok. Have not driven either in the rain.

[Fr. Buick]

If you are just swapping the motor for electric, then you are limited to what the cables and pulleys under the dash will do.  Maybe more of a sweep between outer limit and where they would park at the bottom is about all you can do. They worked fine for the slower driving of the day.  I've been driving them for 35 years, and I guess I got used to them

[NTX5467]

Perhaps some sort of auxilary, continuous-duty vacuum pump might be adapted rather than the electrification project?  Or a dua;-diaphram fuel pump which feeds a check-valved vacuum reservoir, which then attaches to the wiper motor?

 

The kit from Julianos, who makes it?  Years ago, one of our late chapter members put a Newport Engineering kit on his '58 Century and was very pleased with how it installed and operated.  No mention of "sweep", though.

 

NTX5467

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

On 2/10/2021 at 6:58 PM, Dennis Hagen said:

I put electric on my 56 and not real satisfied with the sweep, think it should be more, but don’t know what the vacuum sweep was. Bought kit from Julianos. Put same kit on my 51 and is ok. Have not driven either in the rain.

 

 I did not find the kit on Julianos.  Perhaps discontinued?

 

  Ben

[TexasJohn55]

Mine is Newport. The tech said it had 120 deg sweep, I am getting more like 100  to 105.  Works OK, just disappointed. I will have to adjust the wipers to park a little high maybe.

[Dennis Hagen]

My units were made by Newport Engineering, I thought I bought them Julianos but that may be wrong.

[TexasJohn55]

6 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said:

 

 I did not find the kit on Julianos.  Perhaps discontinued?

 

  Ben

Cars LLC. You can buy from Newport but their marketing strategy does not get you a discounted price. (Keeps their dealers happy?)

[Smartin]

I put one on the 57 this Summer...it was not a great sweep compared to the vacuum one.  That is the only complaint the client had about it.  We set the wipers up a little higher in the park position.