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‘70 Cutlass wiper arms not parking/moving correctly
I’m replacing my wiper motor and I’m trying to get the wiper arms to sit in their proper parked position and have the proper travel, but I can’t seem to get them lower than what you see in the picture. I’ve never seen the wipers work on this car, so I want to get this right. The wiper motor is out - the arms are moving freely. Is there a way to get them both to sit onto the blade stops as the CSM shows? I can’t find anything in the manual about this adjustment. They will move far past where they should reach when on (second picture). What am I missing?
There is an adjustment on the motor arm that the ball of the wiper levers attach to. Usually done when the screen is off, but can be done if you want to fuss a lot moving the motor on and off. That left mounting doesn't look correct.
Last edited by Yellowstatue; July 1st, 2019 at 06:11 PM.
There is an adjustment on the motor arm that the ball of the wiper levers attach to. Usually done when the screen is off, but can be done if you want to fuss a lot moving the motor on and off.
The motor is completely out of the car. It's not connected in any way. This is the free movement of the arms without being attached. If they won't go all the way down now, how will they park when the motor is attached?
The left hand wiper stub is rotated CW. Grrrr. Went down stairs and looked at my car. Your stub is mounted correctly, but your wiper arm secondary rod is not looking like mine, so I think you have the wrong arm, or maybe not. It's hard to tell with that angle.
Last edited by Yellowstatue; July 1st, 2019 at 06:47 PM.
It seems like both of the shafts are rotated clockwise - is there a way to rotate them back?
So I took the arms off to see if there was any way to rotate them on the splined shafts (there isn't) and when I reinstalled the driver's side, now it doesn't even come down to the chrome strip anymore.
Last edited by BSiegPaint; July 1st, 2019 at 06:43 PM.
The left hand wiper stub is rotated CW. Grrrr. Went down stairs and looked at my car. Your stub is mounted correctly, but your wiper arm secondary rod is not looking like mine, so I think you have the wrong arm, or maybe not. It's hard to tell with that angle.
The one thing that would be common to all arms is the center keyway and the orientation of the mounting stud to that, as well as the travel of the stud to the proper position. I haven't seen any wiper arms with a different keyway on the bottom side, but I haven't really looked that hard.
Is that wiper trans original to the car? Could be from another GM.
I really don't know. At this point anything is possible. I've replaced so many crazy things on this car - it blows my mind to think someone may have replaced it with the wrong part. but why not?
I have measured a spare arm and the secondary rod is 14 5/8" from the pivot end to the mounting hole. The main arm is 12 5/8" from the pivot rivet to the pivot rivet at the cast piece .
I have measured a spare arm and the secondary rod is 14 5/8" from the pivot end to the mounting hole. The main arm is 12 5/8" from the pivot rivet to the pivot rivet at the cast piece .
That's exactly what I measure as well. And I've been looking at various transmissions online and can't see that I have the wrong one - but I suppose taking it out is the only way to make sure.
I confirmed the part number on the transmission, so I have the right one. I'm really at a total loss. I'll take a look again sometime tomorrow night. I'd hate to finally get the wiper motor working but not have the wipers work....
I don’t think you can adjust the wiper arms without the wiper motor installed..one of the GM manuals cover wiper arm adjustment, but I’ll don’t recall which one. From memory, with wiper motor off, install arms below the bump on the w/s cover, raise the it arm’s up to the stops, and turn on wipers. This assumes you have hidden wipers.
I don’t think you can adjust the wiper arms without the wiper motor installed..one of the GM manuals cover wiper arm adjustment, but I’ll don’t recall which one. From memory, with wiper motor off, install arms below the bump on the w/s cover, raise the it arm’s up to the stops, and turn on wipers. This assumes you have hidden wipers.
You have it correct, and I have hidden wipers. The problem is that when they are completely disconnected from the motor, as they are now, they do not move below the points you see above. You're supposed to start with the driver's side wiper and place it below the stop and then tighten the nuts on the transmission arm to the wiper motor. But I can't even start by placing the arm in the correct position - it won't go down that far. Maybe I have the wrong wiper arm, but comparisons I've made so far tell me it's correct....
After a fresh look this morning, I'm going to reach out to a couple guys and see who has a nice original arm - this must be a repop I"m working with. There's no reason this isn't returning to the proper position. Thanks for your input and help!
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Look in your Chassis Service manual. The problem is described and is one of 2 things: a bad ground, or the wiper motor needs servicing. Those wiper arms aren't reproductions, they look OEM
Look in your Chassis Service manual. The problem is described and is one of 2 things: a bad ground, or the wiper motor needs servicing. Those wiper arms aren't reproductions, they look OEM
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It’s not a problem with the motor - the motor is not even in the car. This is the free, unconnected movement of the wiper blades and transmission. I’m happy that you think I have factory arms.
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Well here's a direct quote from the Fisher Body Works manual (1972) which is likely the exact same procedure for 1970 since they both use the same park system to hide the wipers. You may not like this, as it requires you to reinstall that wiper motor to do this.
WIPER ARM
Adjustment
The only adjustment of the wiper arms(s) is to remove the arm(s) from the serrated transmission shaft, rotate the arm(s) the required distance and direction and reinstall to transmission shaft.
Well here's a direct quote from the Fisher Body Works manual (1972) which is likely the exact same procedure for 1970 since they both use the same park system to hide the wipers. You may not like this, as it requires you to reinstall that wiper motor to do this.
lol no problem reinstalling the motor, as I just got it back and it's ready to go. I can see that the passenger side can be adjusted by simply removing it and moving it on the serrated stud. But the driver's side has a keyway - it only goes on one way. Is there a difference between '70 and other years...? The '70 Fisher Manual is still in the mail to me. I'm going to go see if there is any "play" in the keyway - a small adjustment could make a difference in positioning.
Screen reshaped, painted, seals cleaned and treated.
Well, this is as far as it goes, and yes, I did it with a wet windshield. The driver’s side only goes on one way, while the passenger side can be moved. I wonder if over time the splined mount has just twisted on its axis a bit and if a replacement transmission may help in the future. I can lift the blade once parked and place it completely on the trim, but it won’t end up there in its own. Overall I’m pleased that the wipers actually work, they have the correct sweep pattern, and I don’t have to be worried about getting caught in a rain storm. I appreciated everyone who has added info here - thanks as always
Last edited by BSiegPaint; July 4th, 2019 at 10:51 AM.
Well... I took a year off for the coffee break. And not too long ago I decided that maybe this car for some strange reason had the wrong wiper transmission, and I bought another. Cleaned it, greased it, buffed it up, and got it ready to install. Tonight I removed the screen and the rubber hood seal and got out the old transmission - and it was exactly the same as the one I just bought. I compared everything, down to the markings and indents. No difference. But in the name of all the work I had done with the new arrival, I installed it. Lo and behold, the wipers park perfectly, as they were always supposed to. I have no idea why, how, what - there is no logical explanation for this, as far as I see. But what I DO see is my wipers in the correct position for the first time since I've had the car. So - a toast to wiper victory, and on to the next project!
Hey Bob thanks for the update. I just recently read this thread because I have the same issue you had. So your saying since the pictures in post 22 and the pictures in post 24 all you did was replaced the wiper transmission with another clean and lubed transmission? If that’s the case I think I will be pulling mine to clean and lube it to see if that works for me.
Hey Bob thanks for the update. I just recently read this thread because I have the same issue you had. So your saying since the pictures in post 22 and the pictures in post 24 all you did was replaced the wiper transmission with another clean and lubed transmission? If that’s the case I think I will be pulling mine to clean and lube it to see if that works for me.
That is all I did - just a full clean and grease of the replacement I bought. I can't help but wonder if the old one had a piece of dirt or grime or a rock stuck in it somewhere...? I really fought to try and move the arms before, even completely unhooked from the wiper motor, and they wouldn't budge. With the cleaned up unit, they actually travel below the park position, like they should. Everything about these two transmissions was exactly the same, visually.
Glad you got them in place. It's a weird process. I read the chassis manual, and it stated to set the LH arm under the rest, tighten the nut on the motor, and then pull the arm back over the rest. I did exactly that, and while I'm good with the positioning on the LH side, I feel like the arm on the RH side sits too low. Who did you wiper motor?
Glad you got them in place. It's a weird process. I read the chassis manual, and it stated to set the LH arm under the rest, tighten the nut on the motor, and then pull the arm back over the rest. I did exactly that, and while I'm good with the positioning on the LH side, I feel like the arm on the RH side sits too low. Who did you wiper motor?
While the driver's side arm can only be installed one way with the keyway notch, my passenger side had infinite adjustments, and I was free to install it on any notch at all to get the right setting. You should be able to pull it off and install it a notch or two more around the circle. My wiper motor was a GM rebuild (Rock Auto? I don't remember) and I disassembled it and repainted it, etc. I had to send it back once to get the correct one - there were some differences between what I had and what they sent pertaining to where the cam was when the wipers parked. This was the darndest thing ever - without the motor even being hooked up, the arms just refused to move to where I wanted them to sit. Why this ended up successfully, I'm sure I'll never know.
I too had wiper parking issues, 1970 442. I removed the wiper motor, gearbox, pump, transmission, and the remaining hardware associated with the wipers from the transmission to the windshield. I found dirt, and lack of lubrication in the transmission and at the other connectors going to the wiper blades. The gearbox on the wiper motor needed cleaning and fresh lubrication. The large plastic gear appeared in great condition and was reinstalled.
When it came time to install the LH wiper arm I attached it using anti-seize on the **** at the windshield. Then as WThirty1 mentioned attach the crank arm to the gearbox stud going through the firewall with the nut. Then attach the LH wiper linkage with the transmission on the end to the crankarm, pulling back and taking out the slack which positions the LH wiper blade closer to the stop on the chrome strip at the windshield. At that point, the RH wiper blade is a simple attachment at the correct angle after applying anti-seize to the ****. Also, using a wiper arm tool for removing and installing the wiper arms is a huge assist. Good for another 50-years of use, maybe.
I too had wiper parking issues, 1970 442. I removed the wiper motor, gearbox, pump, transmission, and the remaining hardware associated with the wipers from the transmission to the windshield. I found dirt, and lack of lubrication in the transmission and at the other connectors going to the wiper blades. The gearbox on the wiper motor needed cleaning and fresh lubrication. The large plastic gear appeared in great condition and was reinstalled.
When it came time to install the LH wiper arm I attached it using anti-seize on the **** at the windshield. Then as WThirty1 mentioned attach the crank arm to the gearbox stud going through the firewall with the nut. Then attach the LH wiper linkage with the transmission on the end to the crankarm, pulling back and taking out the slack which positions the LH wiper blade closer to the stop on the chrome strip at the windshield. At that point, the RH wiper blade is a simple attachment at the correct angle after applying anti-seize to the ****. Also, using a wiper arm tool for removing and installing the wiper arms is a huge assist. Good for another 50-years of use, maybe.
That is an excellent write-up w/ excellent images.
July 1st, 2019, 05:50 PM
