Help- broken wiper arm tab

[Ramairgod84]

So the safelite glass guy was out the other day replacing the windshield in my other car, so i asked him if he could adjust the wiper arms on my t/a so they sit flush with the cowl. He said sure. When i came down later he said he tried but didnt have the right tools. Well it rained today, and the windshield wiper went past the windshield and into my driver's window. so i looked when i got where i was going, and the tab that the arm connects to is broken. I can't figure out if it's a plastic tab or a soft metal material. It's broken tho. And the guy never told me. So first question is, what the hell is that thing, and how can i replace it? second, would i be able to call safelite and make them replace it, eventhough the car wasnt the one the guy looked at? kinda sucks not having a driver's side wiper...

[Y2KArcticSS]

They should come on the wiper at the store. I would just replace the wipers and be done with it. Not worth the hassle IMO.

[Ramairgod84]

no no, this is what the wiper arm attaches to underneath the cowl. you have the nut and bolt on the arm, then what it connects to. its either a soft metal or a plastic tab that broke in half

[Y2KArcticSS]

Oh...my bad I was at the other end

I will look further into it...

[Ramairgod84]

lol thankyou. yea it was weird..i was going along and noticed the wiper acting funny, and then it got stuck in the driver's side window!

[Y2KArcticSS]

Think you could post a pic for clarification?

[Y2KArcticSS]

Looks it is all one assembly, minus the plastic cover for the nut. Used you can find them pretty cheap....new, not so much. You could try to get it out of Safelite, but I doubt you'll have much luck. I've pretty much learned that nobody F'ing touches my car but me lol, that way there is only one to blame. Any decent salvage yards in your area? I spent some time in AZ, but that was before I had my SS.

[Y2KArcticSS]

GMPartsDirect has them for ~$53.00 new. I found used ones all over eBay and misc. websites for $10.00 - $15.00

[Ramairgod84]

wiper.jpg

best picture i could get. you can see the tab broken

[Smittro]

wiper.jpg

best picture i could get. you can see the tab broken

Yup under the rubber donut you can see the drive mechanism..

The wiper arm drive mechanism needs replaced or welded.

If it's the bracket for the mechanism it's made of non-weldable pot metal..

It can only be replaced..

If it's the splined portion it can be welded.

[Smittro]

Looks like someone thought if they got the nut off they could just pull the wiper arm off..

Which you can't.. You need a puller to get them off after the nut is removed to avoid possibly damaging the mechanism.

[Y2KArcticSS]

I was still on the wrong side of the equation...keep this up my Tech Team badge is going to be removed Yep, the tool he was talking about is the puller....sounds like he fudged it up, then was like uhhh, I'm not sayin' nothin'. Now I'd say go raise hell, which still might get you nowhere, but that makes me mad and it didn't even happen to me.

[Smittro]

I was still on the wrong side of the equation...keep this up my Tech Team badge is going to be removed Yep, the tool he was talking about is the puller....sounds like he fudged it up, then was like uhhh, I'm not sayin' nothin'. Now I'd say go raise hell, which still might get you nowhere, but that makes me mad and it didn't even happen to me.

Nah it happens man.. I had to weld the splined protion of mine because the drive arm stripped under the donut.

Total PITA and little room to work. If you drop one of the mount bolts it's gone forever as it will fall within uni-body..

If you're lucky it will land where you can see it, if you have luck like mine you'll be needing new bolts..lol

[Ramairgod84]

well sounds like the simplest way is just to replace it. i think it is that pot metal you were speaking of. where can i get it on parts direct? i dont even really know the correct term for that tab

[Smittro]

well sounds like the simplest way is just to replace it. i think it is that pot metal you were speaking of. where can i get it on parts direct? i dont even really know the correct term for that tab

Sorry you can't just replace the tab that I know of.. You'll have to get the whole nine there.

That pot metal tab is part of the main body and mount of the whole driver side mechanism,

you'll need to tear it all apart to replace it.

Pull the arm off, pull out the rubber donut,

(it's thin and soft) then you'll have to feel around for the bolts to remove it.

You'll have to separate the push/pull rod from it's ball joint (takes some force to put on and take off),

and then the entire mechanism can be removed.

[Ramairgod84]

Fantastic....are there any writeups on how to replace it? And whats the part called so i can look it up on gmpartsdirect?

[Smittro]

On the push/pull rod there is a gromet that MUST be seated the entire way onto the ball.

The cup or gromet has to stages if you don't apply enough force to seat the ball all the way down,,

it will pop off the first stage the first time you try to use the wipers.

Then you get to take it all appart again to press the gromet back over the ball..

[Smittro]

1). Remove the wiper arm with a puller.

2). reach into the opening and remove the rubber washer.

3). remove all the mechanism mounting bolts and maneuver the mechanism so you can get to the push/pull gromet.

4) with a set of medium needle nose pliers placed between the gromet and the ball (not fully gripping it with your pliers) give the pliers a twist.

This should free up the ball joint so you can remove the mechanism.

5). reinstall the gromet on the push/pull rod over the ball on the new drive by sqweezing it tightly till it "pops" all the way down over the ball with your pliers.



IIRC the mechanism is called the "wiper arm drive."

[Smittro]

It also helps to turn your wipers on just till they reach the vertical possision on your windshild.

Then turn the key off.. This will aid in moving the push/pull rod into a better spot to work on for getting them apart and together.