What are the best wipers to go for these days?
Discussion
I've just fitted a set of these Aero blades. I replaced the blades for standard frame mounted blades in March for my MOT but they were streaking badly within a couple of months. These Aero blades don't contact the far passenger side bottom but other than that they've been great
Aero blades
Aero blades
bobfather said:
I've just fitted a set of these Aero blades. I replaced the blades for standard frame mounted blades in March for my MOT but they were streaking badly within a couple of months. These Aero blades don't contact the far passenger side bottom but other than that they've been great
Aero blades
This ^ they dont look good either, but they do clear the screen better than traditional styled blades Aero blades
I got some 'Wipex' blades with the integral jet washers a couple of years ago - they work well and makes it much tidier without a bit of pipe waving around trying to spray the screen.
However they don't seem to be available anymore but there must be something similar out there?
However they don't seem to be available anymore but there must be something similar out there?
Edited by latham91 on Thursday 28th September 12:29
Classic Chim said:
A bit extreme but I've found a new windscreen has solved this one.
It's gone from very bad vision in rain to pretty good, I don't even consider it anymore so it must be working well. Standard blades nothing special.
A much cheaper option is a regular clean with Rain-XIt's gone from very bad vision in rain to pretty good, I don't even consider it anymore so it must be working well. Standard blades nothing special.
I used to use the stuff when I got my first car, and then rediscovered how invaluable it is only recently with my TVR.
ukkid35 said:
A much cheaper option is a regular clean with Rain-X
I used to use the stuff when I got my first car, and then rediscovered how invaluable it is only recently with my TVR.
Yeah, my mate uses it and it's brilliant stuff,, on his electric Smart. Says he never needs to actually use the wipers I used to use the stuff when I got my first car, and then rediscovered how invaluable it is only recently with my TVR.
My problem was simply loads of tiny pits and dinks in the screen so wipers wash over and leave water in those dinks so just scraping it about rather than my blades being US
New blades help for a short while then back to square one. A trick I was taught many years ago was to get a very sharpe Stanley blade and scrap the edge of your rubbers, it works for a short time.
Short of a new screen which I surprisingly recommend ( considering the cost) Rain X is a good idea.
ukkid35 said:
A much cheaper option is a regular clean with Rain-X
I used to use the stuff when I got my first car, and then rediscovered how invaluable it is only recently with my TVR.
I run a full Leven wiper arm, blades and washer set.... followed by careful initial cleaning of a new screen and the correct application of Rain-X. I've refreshed the grease in the motor's gear box, flipped the wheel boxes to get a new set of teeth, lubed the spiral rack & cable, and recently replaced the BMC Mini park switch and it's associated wiring/plug connector as TVR in their infinite wisdom designed a nice pond for it all to live in I used to use the stuff when I got my first car, and then rediscovered how invaluable it is only recently with my TVR.
The above mods, servicing and rigorous maintenance schedule have given my Chimaera wipers that are about as good as they'll ever get, and while they currently work acceptably on a wet screen if I accidentally flick them on when the screen is dry they simply refuse to move, creating an imminent terminal burn out situation just waiting to happen. The system TVR chose is from the dark ages, the Lucas spiral rack and wheel boxes arrangement belongs in the the 1950's when it was designed, even fitted to cars back then that were lucky to break 70 mph down a hill with the wind behind them it was often woefully inadequate.
Ok so TVR used a bigger higher amp motor than you got on a Morris Minor or Triumph Herald but I'm afraid to say that's right where the improvements started and abruptly ended, everything else is straight off a 35 horsepower BMC or Standard Motor Company pedal car, it's a system that has absolutely no place on a car that in most cases can easily break 150mph.
Well serviced, lubed up, and in perfect fettle with a Leven wiper set and Rain-X on a new screen makes the things acceptable at best, and that's being charitable, but we all need to accept if any element in a long chain of components that make up this highly inadequate design are even slightly worn or seized and you're asking for serious trouble.
Other than that Chim, Griff and Cerbera wipers are fine
Big fan of rain x and the wiper blades they sell in Costco. Apart from some intermittent issues caused by the connector that helps with the parking, the wipers are fine and I have driven the car in a lot of bad rain on long road trips.
If I have to use the second speed, I slow down anyway. I missed a ferry once because of doing this and came close another time but in heavy rain, the car is not at its best in my opinion.
If I have to use the second speed, I slow down anyway. I missed a ferry once because of doing this and came close another time but in heavy rain, the car is not at its best in my opinion.
Never had an issue with the TVR system well not after I rebuilt the motor shortly after buying 
how well they work at high speed is immaterial IMO you shouldn't drive fast in the rain no matter what thats a mistake often made by the masses when they think their DSC and ABS kitted cars will tolerate their ignorance .... just slow down its raining
how well they work at high speed is immaterial IMO you shouldn't drive fast in the rain no matter what thats a mistake often made by the masses when they think their DSC and ABS kitted cars will tolerate their ignorance .... just slow down its raining Mine packed up in the rain where the design means the electrics are also swimming. Lots of nice acrid smoke in the car park at Calke Abbey which alarmed several people including me.
Took the motor off, cleaned it all out, lubricated the bearings, copious amounts of WD40 and reassembled using silicon sealant on the end cap. That was 2 years ago and last week drove from St Andrews to Skye in proper Scottish rain all the way. No problems at all. Even works on a dry windscreen in position 1 and 2 (but not recommended).
Took the motor off, cleaned it all out, lubricated the bearings, copious amounts of WD40 and reassembled using silicon sealant on the end cap. That was 2 years ago and last week drove from St Andrews to Skye in proper Scottish rain all the way. No problems at all. Even works on a dry windscreen in position 1 and 2 (but not recommended).
737 FLF said:
The set they list for the tuscan are very similar to the ones i bought, they seem to have more of a curve to hug the screen better.Sorry guys, compared with a modern car with similar performance the Chimaera wipers are rubbish, actually compared with a Nissan Micra from the same period Chims and Griffs were being built they are shockingly poor.
No one here is suggesting we should drive at 150mph in the rain, but when you design things like brakes, headlights, tyres and wipers they really should be suitable for the type of vehicle they're fitted to and the conditions it must operate in.
Honestly if people think their Chimaera wipers are good they're living in cloud cuckoo land, even TVR binned the 1950's Lucas spiral cable design and went with a proper rose jointed rod system from the Tuscan on, and thank God they did
No one here is suggesting we should drive at 150mph in the rain, but when you design things like brakes, headlights, tyres and wipers they really should be suitable for the type of vehicle they're fitted to and the conditions it must operate in.
Honestly if people think their Chimaera wipers are good they're living in cloud cuckoo land, even TVR binned the 1950's Lucas spiral cable design and went with a proper rose jointed rod system from the Tuscan on, and thank God they did
ChimpOnGas said:
Sorry guys, compared with a modern car with similar performance the Chimaera wipers are rubbish, actually compared with a Nissan Micra from the same period Chims and Griffs were being built they are shockingly poor.
No one here is suggesting we should drive at 150mph in the rain, but when you design things like brakes, headlights, tyres and wipers they really should be suitable for the type of vehicle they're fitted to and the conditions it must operate in.
Honestly if people think their Chimaera wipers are good they're living in cloud cuckoo land, even TVR binned the 1950's Lucas spiral cable design and went with a proper rose jointed rod system from the Tuscan on, and thank God they did
Not great I'll grant you but they work and you can see No one here is suggesting we should drive at 150mph in the rain, but when you design things like brakes, headlights, tyres and wipers they really should be suitable for the type of vehicle they're fitted to and the conditions it must operate in.
Honestly if people think their Chimaera wipers are good they're living in cloud cuckoo land, even TVR binned the 1950's Lucas spiral cable design and went with a proper rose jointed rod system from the Tuscan on, and thank God they did
maybe crude spiral wired design but they was good enough for the traditional steel bodied FX4 taxi till 97 just saying Thanks for the replies all! I do drive mine often in all weathers so something that works well would be better.. I do use rainx but I don't clean it very often and it lives outside so something with good washer jets and wipers would be good..! The motor has always been a bit crap, I think rather than trying to polish the turd of a mechanism I might look at putting a more modern setup on it but for now just some better wipers would help. I'll have a look at just getting some replacements then
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