winshield wipers?

[RyanbabZ71]

Have any of you cnahged your wipers?

Just curious mine are streaking kinda bad

Truck is 1 yr 4 months old.  

Time to change?

[brax71]

did mine 2 weeks ago... what a difference!!!

finally broke down and did it when i couldn't see out of it anymore.  cost 6 bucks and took 10 minutes.  only bad thing is that now i can see all the crazies that are driving around when it rains.... it had been blissful ignorance!

[Smitty00Z71]

What size blades are they, it time for me to change them again, I forget if it was a 19 or 20"

[mblrds]

I've been thinking on changing mine lately, eventhough they still work fine.

I would like to change just the blade, you know, the rubber part and not the support/holder arm that holds the blade.

How are you suppose to remove the blade from the support/holder?

[Jpshostr]

I heard a good rule of thumb was that if you wonder if you should change the wipers that means you better.  For the small price that they cost you might as well.

[Kansas Kid]

I would go ahead and change them.  Afterall, they aren't expensive and not require much effort to change.  Better to be safe then sorry.

[NewbieZ71]

mblrds - its pretty simple...look at the end of the wiper and generally there is a clip you squeeze together.  Squeeze it and slide the rubber blade part out of the arm.  Sometimes there is another clip at the other end you have to squeex in order to let it slide out.  They vary somewhat but its pretty self explanatory if you look at it.  Not going to break anything!  

[Kania2k1]

Anyone use one of the California Water blades to dry their truck?  I've been using one since I purchased it and have just noticed it almost seems to put a gouge into the windshield.  Whenever it rains, I can see where the blade went and it kinda dams up the water for a second.  Kinda hard to explain, but it gets kinda annyoing!

[siume99]

Kania2k1,  I just bought one of those California car wipers.  I haven't used it yet though.  Please keep me informed on this.  I might take mine back.  If it leaves a "gouge" on the windshield, what does it do to the truck body?

[mblrds]

Newbie

Actually, no, there aren't any tabs to squeeze to release the blade.  I know what you're talking about, I have seen them.  What's on mine are basically all rubber with a flat metal piece with a notch in the rubber running the whole length of the blade.  What's holding the blade to the support/holder is that at one end of the blade the rubber notch swells up and then a little notch where one of the support/holder arms grip the blade.  Short of cutting the blade, how do you remove the blade to re-use the factory support/holder?

I would imagine that the blades you are talking about with the tabs should work as replacements, but, still, how do you remove...

[Shaners]

I treat my windows with the STP thing and then run RainEx windshield washer fluid and I rarely even use my wipers any more above 40 mph.

[brax71]

i fiddled with it for a minute or two and then broke out the needle nose pliers.  Squeeze on side of the rubber flap down so that it gets wedged under the metal clip.  hold that one there while you do the same thing to the other side and then apply some gentle persuasion and the blade will slide right out.  

[NewbieZ71]

sorry mblrds, I assumed they were the same on the truck.  Havent had to even look at mine yet.  Made the mistake of buying some "winter blades" for my last vehicle once.  They were horrible.  Shaners, I love the Rain-X but hate when it starts to streak after its worn down a bit.  I think I saw some new Rain-X thats was "heavy duty" or extended wear.....something like that...has anyone used it???

(Edited by NewbieZ71 at 8:35 am on Aug. 22, 2001)

[Shaners]

Newbie,

I use the Rain-ex washer fluid too, so everytime I squirt the bugs or dirt off I treat it to some more Rain-ex.  No streaking problems at all.

I use the summer stuff now and then I'll switch over to Winter rain-ex washer fluid w/de-icer about November.

[DallasZ71]

Quote: from Smitty00Z71 on 11:03 am on Aug. 20, 2001

What size blades are they, it time for me to change them again, I forget if it was a 19 or 20"

 

They are 22" i'm pretty certain of that.  I myself always change the blade out rather than going with just a refill.  Its so much easier that way, and i'm a big fan of Rain-X