Wipers and T1Rs!

[CaptiV8ed]

Had the Chim out in the wet today and was alarmed at how easily the fronts locked up. They're Proxes T1Rs and have probably only done about 300 miles from new. Should they be scrubbed in by now or are they pants in the wet full stop?

The other question is regarding the wipers. Mine are absolutely arse! Before I rush out and buy new blades, do they ever work well or am I expecting too much!????

[tvrbob]

The T1-R issue isn't so much about scrubbing them in. The slip agent needs to evaporate. Info I got from Toyo warned against driving hard to scrub them in (more rears than fronts, but the principle should still apply). If you heat them this way you can drive the agent further in rather than out. The only way to get them oil free is to put them in a warm room. I was advised by Toyo to buy the tyres early, take them out of the wrappings and put them in a warm room for a month before fitting. Sounds extreme but I can assure you it works. My Toyo's are always good to go pretty much straight away. At 300 gentle cold miles, I'd say they are still greasy. There's little chance of you being able to do anything during winter.

Sorry I realise this doesn't actually help your situation

Edited by tvrbob on Sunday 11th February 00:00

[CaptiV8ed]

That's great Bob, TVM. That explanation certainly makes sense. My car rarely sees rain, but yesterday it just had to be. I was just taken aback at how easily they locked up and aquaplaned. My everyday 406 with standard issue middle range tyres would have coped no problem. Roll on summer!

[djd]

Nick, with regard to wipers arse about sums them up. Leven do an wiper upgrade for about £50, I haven't done this myself yet but everyone on here who has says they are a huge improvement.

[ubernoober]

tvrbob said:

The only way to get them oil free is to put them in a warm room. I was advised by Toyo to buy the tyres early, take them out of the wrappings and put them in a warm room for a month before fitting.

heading to get some T1-R rear tyres myself, local tyre garage has them 'on the shelf, ready to go' - although not a warm room environment, would some of the agent at least have evaporated?

[tvrbob]

ubernoober said:

heading to get some T1-R rear tyres myself, local tyre garage has them 'on the shelf, ready to go' - although not a warm room environment, would some of the agent at least have evaporated?

If they've been sitting there unwrapped for a few weeks they should be better than tyres straight out of the wrappings. That said it really isn't a good time of year to be doing this. New tyres are always a little greasy when new and TVR's on winter roads need all the grip they can get.

[Al 450]

If it helps I bought some new Bosch wiper blades from Halfrauds a while ago and they are now slightly less arse than they were.

[CaptiV8ed]

How much less arse?

When the wiper sweeps the screen, does it actaully remove any of the water? Mine just leaves great swathes of smeared water - a nightmare when peoples' headlights are shining right at you!

[notax]

I use T1-Rs all round - excellent tyre but almost too much grip at the back end!

I also have the Leven wiper upgrade - which works and looks far better. £50 well spent. You could also try Rain X which means you barely need wipers at all...

[davidlscott]

notax said:

I also have the Leven wiper upgrade - which works and looks far better. £50 well spent. You could also try Rain X which means you barely need wipers at all...

Hear Hear!! Rain X is amazing as the water just flows off the screen.

[tvr keith]

Leven kit is the answer, mine were awful before.
Didn't buy new arms as mine were OK, just the blades which comes with a different spray jet system. replace blades, connect up the new washer tubes (supplied) to the pipe on the perforated panel and away you go.
Washers now clear the screen and the wipers work as well as the Bosch ones on the 406.
Cost about £30 - £35 and worth every penny

[burriana]

davidlscott said:

notax said:

I also have the Leven wiper upgrade - which works and looks far better. £50 well spent. You could also try Rain X which means you barely need wipers at all...

Hear Hear!! Rain X is amazing as the water just flows off the screen.

Bit of a bugger if you get caught in the rain without the roof on though. Forget keeping moving as not to get wet by the falling rain, it'll get you straight over the top of the windscreen with Rainex

My standard wipers seem to be fine, but can you ever get around the drivers blade sitting off the screen where it curves round at the side?

[Al 450]

Wipers are much less arse, they don't smear at all now and clear the screen fairly well. Still slow and prone to getting stuck on a semi dry screen though.

Controversial I know but I actually find Rain X pretty rubbish. It just seems to disperse every raindrop into thousands of tiny droplets that are harder to see through...

[jwt63]

djd said:

Nick, with regard to wipers arse about sums them up. Leven do an wiper upgrade for about £50, I haven't done this myself yet but everyone on here who has says they are a huge improvement.

Had a set of these. 1) the arms were second hand and had been resprayed badly! 2) Blades have the washer unit now glued on so unless you just change rubber blade you have to buy Leven's Blades. Have Mazda Blades at present seem to be doing OK thrick is to have a good quality screenwash.

[davidlscott]

burriana said:

davidlscott said:

notax said:

I also have the Leven wiper upgrade - which works and looks far better. £50 well spent. You could also try Rain X which means you barely need wipers at all...

Hear Hear!! Rain X is amazing as the water just flows off the screen.

Bit of a bugger if you get caught in the rain without the roof on though. Forget keeping moving as not to get wet by the falling rain, it'll get you straight over the top of the windscreen with Rainex

My standard wipers seem to be fine, but can you ever get around the drivers blade sitting off the screen where it curves round at the side?

I got soaked on the M25 going to LT but only with the rain hurtling off the screen.

[ubernoober]

Al 450 said:

Controversial I know but I actually find Rain X pretty rubbish. It just seems to disperse every raindrop into thousands of tiny droplets that are harder to see through...

I have the same opinion - I have tried RainX but it always seems as though you're looking through a net curtain! I prefer a good quality screenwash - only ever use a product called Decosol Excel (www.decosol.co.uk) - doesn't leave any smears at all.