Windscreen Wiper

[simonwedge]

Anyone know what car(s) the wiper arm/wiper blade are originally off? Mine doesn't press down onto the screen very hard - is this normal i.e. because the screen is so steeply raked or is it 'cos the spring is tired?

Edited by simonwedge on Thursday 25th February 14:48

[JVaughan]

No idea what they are off .. Mines been doing that for the last 12 years ... RainX is your friend

[blaineuk]

simonwedge said:

Anyone know what car(s) the wiper arm/wiper blade are originally off? Mine doesn't press down onto the screen very hard - is this normal i.e. because the screen is so steeply raked or is it 'cos the spring is tired?

Edited by simonwedge on Thursday 25th February 14:48

which side do you want it for ?;)

[simonwedge]

blaineuk said:

simonwedge said:

Anyone know what car(s) the wiper arm/wiper blade are originally off? Mine doesn't press down onto the screen very hard - is this normal i.e. because the screen is so steeply raked or is it 'cos the spring is tired?

Edited by simonwedge on Thursday 25th February 14:48

which side do you want it for ?;)

It's hard to tell - it keeps moving while I'm trying to decide

[gsx600]

Seem to recall Transit or Fiesta ?

If that helps

[simonwedge]

gsx600 said:

Seem to recall Transit or Fiesta ?

If that helps

Cheers, will investigate and confirm.

[rev-erend]

There is a part number in the wedge pages .. might be a Lucas part no..

Under Maintenance, Parts listings.

http://www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk/

[rev-erend]

Found one ..

TVR CAR PARTS - search for Wedge/Tasmin .. Wiper Arm (£14)

http://www.tvrcarparts.com/pages/eventsdetail.asp?...

[simonwedge]

Rev-erend, thanks for your help. I've spoken to TVRcarparts, they had the arms made up that they've got in stock based on one that someone supplied to them. Unfortunately, it turns out that they only fit a small proportion of wedges. They are about 54cm long and mine is 48cm so clearly they are aren't the right ones for my car. They've offered to get another batch made up using mine as a template but I'm going to see how mine compares to other wedges before I put them to the trouble.

[SEvans]

simonwedge said:

Rev-erend, thanks for your help. I've spoken to TVRcarparts, they had the arms made up that they've got in stock based on one that someone supplied to them. Unfortunately, it turns out that they only fit a small proportion of wedges. They are about 54cm long and mine is 48cm so clearly they are aren't the right ones for my car. They've offered to get another batch made up using mine as a template but I'm going to see how mine compares to other wedges before I put them to the trouble.

I am surprised at this as the windscreens are all the same size. Maybe there were different arm/wiper blade combinations used???
It is one of those questions along with petrol sender units, ashtrays etc that I have never seen a definitive answer to, even after 20 years of Wedge ownership. Cheers Steve

[Wedg1e]

Mine's 48cm, slight crank near the end, with a 22" blade. The blade clears the A-pillar by about 10mm.
I suppose a longer arm would need a shorter blade (and clear the screen less), or else one with the pivot offset one way...

Like Steve, I've heard various proposals as to provenance; one being early Transit and another being the rear wiper from a Fiesta... not too unlikely as the TVR's bonnet latch is the tailgate latch from a Fiesta - in fact I'm sure the Wedge boot latch is too!

There's another option: it's from an LHD car.
Why? Because... most UK-market windscreen wipers park to the left, so that the rising sweep clears more glass towards the driver's windscreen edge. Given the crank of the Wedge arm, it's clearly meant to park to the right, which is fine on the TVR due to the wide sweep (ie the arm doesn't stop vertically mid-screen as it would if it were one of a pair).
The opposite parking action would be used on a LHD car... or a rear tailgate

[sprevett]

i replaced my wiper arm a few years ago with a Ford item that was recommended as a good replacement and it wasn't exactly the same length IIRC but is absolutely fine and works perfectly.

The Ford part number code is 6175585

[sprevett]

I think it's a Fiesta Mk3 rear wiper arm - perish the thought....

[simonwedge]

Found some wiper blades that fit perfectly: http://www.wiperblades.co.uk/trico-nf500-wiper-bla...

They're the modern flat blade type so they look better as well. I actually got mine from the local Car User shop.

[rev-erend]

My arm is 18 inches and blade is 20 inches on my SEAC.

[simonwedge]

rev-erend said:

My arm is 18 inches and blade is 20 inches on my SEAC.

Mmm, my arm is 19" but the blade is the same at 20" so propably worth a try as they're marketed as universal fit (for arms with 'u' shaped hook fitting).

[cantus]

sprevett said:

i replaced my wiper arm a few years ago with a Ford item that was recommended as a good replacement and it wasn't exactly the same length IIRC but is absolutely fine and works perfectly.

The Ford part number code is 6175585

That is exactly the right partnumber. I ordered one yesterday at the local Ford dealer and this part is the rear wiper from 88-95 Ford Fiesta.
The arm is 1 cm shorter than the original 420SEAC wiper arm. Fits perfect. The hole is tapered and has not a spline pattern in it.
Hope this helps. I am off now for a week to Schotland. Rain guaranteed.