Removing windshield wiper arms

white86tercel · Post by **white86tercel** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:44 pm

I removed the covers and the bolts on top of the windshield wiper arms but the arms won't come off the car. I really need to get them off so I can paint the car. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Chris

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:10 pm

I had a similar situation whilst removing mine to paint them (Rust-Oleum Satin). I soaked their juncture with PB Blaster for a while and then carefully prised them up. If the plastic covers are not removed intact, they respond well to being glued with Super Glue or a cousin; one of mine broke into 4 (!) pieces, yet I was successful in the repair - which did surprise me!
A replacement tip would be to use a Dremel-type wire brush on the splines and a light coating of grease. Also, get the arm at a right angle to the "mounting piece" and install them with the arm up (away) from the windshield so the spring tension does not affect the placement; seems straightforward, but that is the "trick."

What color are you going to use on the car?
Tom M.

white86tercel · Post by **white86tercel** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:42 pm

Thanks for the advice ARCHINSTL, I've never heard of PB Blaster but I will give it a shot. I'm going with Tremclad white gloss. I did two coast on my hood and I'm pretty happy with it...

Chris

P.S. Do you have any pics?

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:09 am

I just encountered PB Blaster after I bought the Tercel a year + ago. Autozone and Advance carry it, so I would imagine most other parts stores would stock it as well. It is by far the best penetrant I have ever used, and I do go back a few years.... I would heartily endorse it.
At least some Home Depot and Lowes stores carry it as well.

Alas, no pix of the process. Kinda like the recent post I made about replacing the wheel studs; I made some neat pix of that process with arrows and colors and all, but when I realized just how simple it was, I abandoned my tutorial on the subject.
Tom M.

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:05 am

3 other hints:

* sometimes the arm rotates on the splines..so you'll need to take a pointed object and clean the soft metal out of the hard splines

* and don't overtighten the special nut used...they are soft steel and difficult to find

* I use some grease on the splines so next time it's a little easier to get them off

simon84 · Post by **simon84** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:33 pm

Why not just mask them off and paint the car with them on. That's what I did.
I did need to take them off to replace the windshield but I could only get the one near the centre off. I managed to get the metal panel behind the hood off but I had to bend it a bit and sort of pry it up and slide it up over the windshield wiper with the blade removed. The panel is not exactly straight now that I put it back on but it's ok.
Good luck with the paint job. post pics.

white86tercel · Post by **white86tercel** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:26 pm

Thanks again for the great advice. I masked off the arms for the first coat of the hood but I would prefer to remove them for the second, third and fourth coats because

1)I think it will make the paint job a little easier.
2)I want to thoroughly repaint the arms.
3)I'm considering replacing the springs on the arms. The spring on the drivers side arm is very rusty and it seams to be impeding wiper performance/increasing wiper noise.

Fingers · Post by **Fingers** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:05 pm

Just grab em at the base, and give em hell wiggling them from side to side while pulling upward. I have had a few that were tough, but never had any real problems getting em off. I have heard of a few people taking the bolt off and throwing on a washer and snugging em down a bit tight to get them to break loose, but I have never needed to do that.

Fingers