Wepaiwing wascally windshield wiper wobble

My wipers would skip, hop, wobble, jump, alternately build up and release energy...whatever. Not awful, but not right. I noticed that one wiper head was at such an angle that it kept one wiper blade edge, one side of one wiper blade, always pressed against the glass. As a test, I used two crescent wrenches and bent, twisted, torqued, helically adjusted,(word?) the last several inches of flat metal of the wiper arm before the head. I call the "head" that wide part of the wiper arm that attaches to and holds the blade. I used a small square to check as I bent the arm. The head finally met the surface of the windsheild at a 90% angle, and so presumably, the wiper blade. As first found it was far from that, maby damaged from when the windsheild was replaced. Several days later we had a spitsy rain, with occasional showers. They passed the test just fine, true, smooth, and consistent. I do warn you that if you have a hernia, false teeth, hemorroids, or bulging eyes, something may pop if you work on the drivers side wiper the way I did. I stood on a shoort step ladder and juggled glass damaging tools, whilst in an awkward half falling foreward stance that I would not recommend, but it worked for me. Forgive if this is old news, but I couldn't find anything about it.

I find often times the rubbers in the blades will simply get deformed to the side like that from not being used for a few months, especially in the summer heat. New inserts fix it easier than bending parts that will later need to be straightened when the inserts do eventually get replaced. Around here, it's best to replace the blades in the Fall, just before the rains set in.
That's just been my experience.
Jef

Additional note: check the free play in the wiper mech (with wipers off!). After a few years it's not uncommon for there to be enough excess play to allow the blades to run off the side of the 'screen in their most upright position.

Just pick up a wiper blade tip and observe free play like that. Shouldn't move much at all. Worn will be immediately apparent.

Wiper mech is ~£150, easy DIY fit.

cedarsanctum said:

I find often times the rubbers in the blades will simply get deformed to the side like that from not being used for a few months, especially in the summer heat. New inserts fix it easier than bending parts that will later need to be straightened when the inserts do eventually get replaced. Around here, it's best to replace the blades in the Fall, just before the rains set in.
That's just been my experience.
Jef

Click to expand...

Thanks, good point, but my refrence was to that metal housing, I called it the head, which carried the blade. I should also add that the "bending" was confined to that small several inch section of single bar directly before the head. One tool holding the metal bar, the other doing the bending, before the head. Do not pick the arm up and bend it willy nilly. These respondents understand, but I don't want to mislead. I kid about it, but it can be a hard thing to do correctly.

An adjustable wrench is a really good tool for bending (straightening) flat stock.