How to remove and replace car windshield wiper blades

An increase in the number of systems that help improve road safety is a trend that has been going on for decades. However, forward visibility for the driver has been and remains a top priority for trouble-free driving. Therefore, wipers can safely be called one of the pioneers in the field of automotive safety. But, surprisingly, there are no revolutionary inventions for cleaning the windshield, and are not expected. And existing windshield wipers have the weakest link - rubber blades, which can be considered consumables - they wear out so often. So every self-respecting driver should be able to replace them himself.

Functions and types of car wipers

Dirt and moisture are the main enemy of windshields. Surely, few would be surprised if a year or two later it was suddenly discovered that the glass of Elon Musk’s car launched into space was covered with a thick layer of dust. On earth, this would only require driving a few kilometers along a dirt road on a hot summer day. And when it’s raining, you can continue driving only at the maximum frequency of the wipers, that is, with several strokes per second.

The principle of operation of any windshield wiper is the same - the drive mechanism with a certain discrete speed rotates one or two wipers to a specific angle, which are pressed against the glass by a rubber brush, ensuring its cleaning. To wipe off dust or dissolve ice, the glass is forced to be wetted with a special liquid.

Structurally, windshield wipers are divided into two prevailing categories: framed and frameless.

Frame wipers

Their distinctive feature is the presence of a metal frame to which rubber brushes are attached. But since the windshield is quite convex, when the wipers move, it is almost impossible to ensure their movement only vertically - at the initial and final stages of movement of the brush holder

There is always a noticeable radial component. And in order to ensure reliable clamping to the glass surface, the frame is equipped with a system of rocker arms that can bend slightly at the points where the hinges are attached. This ensures good pressure on the brushes in all paths of movement of the wipers. But at the same time it increases their wear. Considering that domestic and Chinese manufacturers of these car accessories use single-layer rubber in combination with a thin metal frame, making their products as cheap as possible, there is no need to talk about the long service life of such products. And the likelihood of scratching the glass also increases significantly.

Windshield wipers in the higher price segment are made from quality materials. In particular, the brushes are made of wear-resistant multi-profile rubber, the frame is made of durable and thick metal, riveted joints are used instead of screws, and the hinges are made of plastic to reduce the wobble of the structure. Expensive wipers can be equipped with special spoilers that improve their aerodynamics.

Frame car windshield wipers

The winter version of frame windshield wipers is characterized by the presence of a body made of frost-resistant rubber, which protects the metal frame from moisture. This helps to increase the service life of the device.

As we have already noted, rubber brushes deteriorate most quickly; under the influence of friction, they quickly wear out, and, as a rule, unevenly, which leads to a significant deterioration in the quality of glass cleaning. But, if budget frame windshield wipers are used, the fastenings of their sections weaken over time, usually in the places where the hinges are attached, which leads to uneven pressing with the same unsatisfactory result.

Frameless wipers

These are more expensive devices, which, instead of sections and a rocker system, have a solid springy steel plate, which is complemented by a mechanism that ensures the brushes themselves are pressed, which allows them to fit more tightly to the glass. Such wipers also have improved aerodynamics, which has a positive effect on visibility, especially when operating at high frequency.

Since the manufacture of frameless wipers uses fairly high-quality varieties of frost-resistant rubber, which is also coated with coatings that improve the characteristics of the product, such windshield wipers do not need protection from freezing temperatures.

But for all-season use you have to pay for the high cost of such car accessories (compared to classic frame analogues). But the service life of the brushes increases to a year instead of 3-4 months for classic wipers.

To make it easier to diagnose the condition of the brushes, they are equipped with a wear indicator: changes in the color of the rubber will indicate its critical wear and the need for replacement.

Frameless wipers for cars

We also note that such products are less universal, so when purchasing frameless wipers, you must always check whether they are suitable for a specific car model (we have already said that the surface geometry can vary significantly; older cars have more or less flat glass, while modern ones have more or less flat glass). complexly curved).

When and how often should you change your windshield wipers?

It is difficult to answer unequivocally when it is necessary to change windshield wipers. Brushes are a consumable material that ensures the correct operation of the vehicle and has a limited resource, like transmission and engine oils or filters. Some sources advise changing wipers twice a year, others - once every 2 years. However, most car owners prefer to change windshield wipers only when their work is noticeably unproductive.

We can say for sure that it is necessary to install new windshield wipers if there are problems such as:

When it rains, the efficiency of the wipers is minimal, and the water is not actually drained away.
The quality of glass cleaning has decreased. Stains appear on the surface.
When moving on the glass, creaking or other extraneous sounds appear.
The rubber element hardened and cracks appeared on it. This indicates its wear and tear.

Signs of wear on wiper blades

Yet most windshield wipers are equipped with ordinary rubber blades, without wear indicators. Inexperienced drivers do not always know the dangers of driving with windshield wipers whose rubber is severely and unevenly worn. The result can be disastrous - if the brushes are so exposed that metal sticks out in some places, this will inevitably lead to deep scratches on the glass and a significant deterioration in visibility. And this is already fraught with an increase in the likelihood of emergency situations.

How often do you have to change wiper blades? Oddly enough, this largely depends on what region of the country you live in.

At high latitudes, humidity is high most of the year, which means more frequent use of windshield wipers and, accordingly, accelerated tire wear. In addition, in such conditions, moisture and light make a significant contribution to the destruction of the blades, so in the northern part of Russia the frequency of replacing windshield wipers is at least once a year.

On the contrary, in the south the humidity is much lower, especially in the summer, but due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation, rubber also suffers, cracking and deteriorating. So here, too, the lifespan of the brushes is short - a year and a half.

If you believe statistical data based on studies conducted in different countries, the average service life of a pair of brushes is 12-15 months, which is in good agreement with domestic practice.

But to understand that your wipers are reaching the end of their useful life, you need to know the symptoms that indicate problems with your windshield wipers.

Let's list them:

after turning on the wipers, uncleaned or wet stripes remain in the same places, which can expand over time. This may be the result of dried pieces of dirt stuck to the edge of the brush, which can be solved quite simply by cleaning the edge of the rubber band. If this does not help, it means that the brush is completely worn out in some places and must be replaced immediately;
The wipers move jerkily, while they cling to the glass, vibrating strongly and creating a characteristic rather loud-sounding squeak. The problem may be dirty brushes that need to be washed, or a jammed frame that does not rotate at the right angle - then you need to put it in place. If the problem persists, you can try washing the glass itself or even lightly polishing it. When this doesn’t help, all that remains is to change the included wipers;
When the wipers operate, large wet or dirty areas remain on the window that are not captured by the wipers. This is a consequence of the deformation of the elastic bands, which is manifested by their bending in certain places. As a rule, replacing the blades completely solves the problem, otherwise you will have to replace the entire windshield wipers;
Deformation of the rubber band holder can lead to the same consequences. In this case, the surface of the wipers will not adhere tightly to the glass, which will be manifested by the appearance of untouched areas. It can be treated by replacing the brushes or the entire mechanism.

As you have already noticed, many wiper malfunctions require replacement of either the blades or the entire wiper. The fact is that rubber brushes are usually subject to wear. The pressure blade and lever rarely fail, mainly as a result of mechanical influences, so first you should try to replace only the brushes, and only if the result is unsatisfactory, replace the entire set.

Brushes, by the way, can have different sizes, so it is highly advisable to remove the old ones and measure their length before going to the store - on some car models, even the left and right rubber bands may have different lengths. This fact must be taken into account.

Why do brushes fail?

The brushes wear out due to their tight fit to the rotor. These parts are deliberately made from soft materials that conduct current. This is done in order not to damage the anchor elements. After all, replacing brushes is much easier and cheaper than replacing an anchor. Only a master can repair it.

Carbon brushes are mainly installed in the washing machine. There is a simple explanation for this: the parts are cheaper than other types, but they are reliable and cannot damage the rotor axis.

The shelf life of these parts depends on how often the machine is operated, whether the drum is overloaded, whether the device is operated correctly, and whether its assembly is of high quality. Despite the high wear rate, parts wear out and break during use of the machine extremely rarely.

Replacing rubber bands on car windshield wiper blades

The problem with poor performance of the windshield wiper only at first glance does not seem very serious. Imagine the situation: you are driving on a highway at a speed exceeding 100 km/h, and suddenly it starts to rain. You immediately turn on the wipers, but they don't clear the glass completely. How big is the risk that you will become disorientated and drive into oncoming traffic or end up in a ditch? Not zero at all, especially if it is dark. And there is no need to talk about the consequences.

So you need to solve the problem as it arises. But the fact is that finding high-quality rubber brushes on the market is not so easy. And even if you prefer to buy branded products, this does not guarantee that you will not purchase a fake. In addition, the cost of rubber bands from well-known manufacturers may be higher than the price of an average quality set.

As for the replacement itself, in the case of frame wipers, problems usually do not arise due to the simplicity of their design, but with frameless wipers the situation is different - here you will have to put in a lot of effort.

Final point

The content of the publication is purely informational and does not pretend to be professional advice. It is recommended that you seek advice from certified technicians or mechanics if specific questions are raised related to the update topic discussed here.

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Replacing frame car wiper blades

The procedure for replacing frameless wipers is simple and almost the same for all cars equipped with this type of windshield wipers.

Let's describe its algorithm:

Before changing the wipers on your car, you should visually determine the degree of wear of the brushes. If cracks are visible on them, if their surface is deformed in some places or along its entire length, it is impossible to do without replacing them. Although you probably noticed that not everything is in order with the rubber bands while the wipers are working;
the next step is to remove the old rubber blades. To do this, move the lower lever away from the glass one by one. It swivels on a hinge, but it is spring-loaded, and if you are not too careful, it can return to its original position, hitting the glass with great force. The risk of damage in this case is quite high. The frame holding the rubber band is also movable relative to the lever; it must be disconnected by pressing the latch and carefully pulling out the holder along with the brush. There are designs of wipers in which the brush holder is attached to the lever using a hook;
remove the elastic bands from the frame and measure their length - it may differ for the right and left brushes. At the auto store you should purchase products that correspond in length to the values you measured;
To avoid accidentally damaging the glass with the lower arm during work, be sure to place a soft cloth on it before removing the windshield wiper blade;
insert a new brush, a characteristic click will indicate that we did everything correctly;
We perform a similar operation for the second windshield wiper. Be sure to make sure that if the lengths of the brushes are different, you have not mixed anything up.

Which brushes to choose for your car, what to look for when choosing brushes for a car

When choosing brushes for your car, you need to consider the following factors:

Design of wipers (frame, frameless, hybrid).
Type of fastening: the type of fastening of new brushes should be identical to the type of fastening of old ones.
Length: New brushes should be the same length as your existing ones. In addition, the length of the brushes must correspond to the length recommended by the manufacturer.

However, sometimes you can install wipers on your car that are slightly longer than the manufacturer recommends.

Pay attention to the gap that exists between the brushes when they are at rest, as well as the area being cleaned by the brushes. If the gap is large enough and the cleaning area does not reach the edges of the front glass, you can try on a slightly longer brush

But remember that the blades should not touch each other during operation - this will lead to unnecessary wear on the windshield wiper trapezoid, as well as the mechanism as a whole.

Replacing frameless wiper blades

If to replace classic frame windshield wipers you can do without any tools at all, then with frameless products the situation is somewhat different. Although such a wiper also consists of three elements (lever, pressure plate and rubber band), its structure is much more complex. But this does not mean that to replace frame wipers you need to go to a service station - with due diligence, installation and dismantling work can be done yourself, which will allow you to save a significant amount of money.

It is best to carry out the replacement in an equipped garage. The only tools you need are a few screwdrivers and a container of water to wash the wiper parts. It is clear that at sub-zero temperatures such repairs should be carried out in a heated room.

Before replacing the rubber band on frameless wipers, you need to wash the windshield and thoroughly clean the wiper mounts, on which a lot of dirt can accumulate. For this, warm water is useful, preferably with the addition of any detergent. Even liquid soap will do. Sometimes it is not possible to clean the wiper mounts in this way; in this case, you can try using cans filled with compressed air (they are used for blowing out laptops and desktop PCs).

Now you can begin dismantling the worn brushes. This is done in the following order:

unscrew the pins that secure the windshield wiper body to the car;
carefully, with little effort, remove the wiper housing;
remove the rubber plugs protecting the bolts;
we unscrew them, showing maximum caution - the bolts on one side hold the wipers, and on the other, the drive motors. Any careless movement may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperable;
When unscrewing the bolts, do not forget about the sealing washers - they are easy to lose, and without them it will not be possible to ensure the required tightness of the connection;
installing new wipers. If you want to install heated products, the task becomes somewhat more complicated. You will additionally need to provide power to the heating system, that is, conduct electrical wiring into the engine compartment, but in such a way as to prevent them from coming into contact with other components of the car;
If you managed to run the wiring into the engine compartment, the wires should be attached to the contacts of the heated glass system. Usually the connection point is protected by a special rubber cap, which needs to be moved, and after connecting with a wire, put in place;
put a new rubber band on the base of the wiper;
the base, in turn, is placed on a tetrahedral pin;
install the sealing washer and carefully screw in the fastening bolt;
We perform a similar operation in the same order with another wiper.

It remains to check whether we did everything correctly, for which we simply turn on the wipers.

Many drivers do not even realize that the described algorithm is not always applicable. If the problem lies only in worn brushes, it is not at all necessary to change the entire brush. On frameless wipers, it is quite possible to change only the rubber strip, which will allow you to save a little. This is done like this:

remove the fixing cap using a screwdriver;
pull the rubber band towards you - it should come off easily;
install a pre-purchased new rubber band of the same size;
We install the clamp-plug in the wrong place.

That is, the rubber band of frameless wipers is a consumable that can be changed an unlimited number of times.

If you tried to dismantle the old brushes, but nothing worked, it is better to leave this idea, since you can simply break the mechanism, which will cost you a tidy sum. In this case, it is better to ask a professional to do this work. Of course, under your supervision and having gained the necessary experience, you will be able to perform this procedure yourself in the future.

Troubleshooting Methods

If the wipers start to stop in the middle of the car's windshield, you must perform the following steps:

check whether the wipers are installed correctly on the drive splines and the condition of the trapezoid

Particular attention must be paid to the drive crank. If assembly errors are detected, they must be eliminated; carefully inspect the drive splines

They can chip, break or wear out, causing the splines to slip and the wipers not returning to their original position. Sometimes the wiper lever may jump out of its place.

The defect is eliminated by replacing worn parts.

Advice! If the wipers begin to stop in the middle of the glass while driving, and there is no service station nearby, then the defect can be eliminated if you have a drill and drill bits in the trunk. By drilling several holes, you can temporarily secure the windshield wiper arm using available materials. To reduce friction, the areas of modification must be thickly lubricated with some kind of lubricant.

The next operation is to check the integrity of the electrical wiring. To do this, you need to check the voltage at the drive connector without turning off the ignition. The voltage should be 12 V. If there is no voltage at the connector contacts, it is necessary to check the integrity of the electrical wiring and the serviceability of the relay sequentially, starting with the fuse in the mounting block. Detected faults must be corrected.

In addition, taking this opportunity, it is recommended to clean and bend the contacts of the windshield wiper drive mounting connectors. Sometimes this also eliminates the defect.

Also, the windshield wipers may not return to their original position due to a defect in the electric motor itself or its switch. In this case, it is necessary to replace the faulty electric motor. The car enthusiast may encounter other, more complex faults that lead to the wipers stopping either in the middle of the windshield or in any other position. In this case, it would be better to contact specialists who will quickly detect and fix the problem.

Interesting! Some car enthusiasts have noticed that in the winter, wipers stopped in the middle of the windshield are exposed to hot air. Thus, the elastic elements of the windshield wipers, hardened in severe frost, thaw simultaneously with the icy glass during the process of warming up the car's power unit after a long stay, which helps to increase the service life. Therefore, an original solution appeared: when parking a car in severe frost, force the wipers to stop in the middle of the windshield glass

To do this, you just need to break the windshield wiper drive chain and install an additional switch on the car's dashboard

Therefore, an original solution emerged: when parking a car in severe frost, force the blades to stop in the middle of the windshield. To do this, you just need to break the windshield wiper drive chain and install an additional switch on the car's dashboard.

Having parked the car, for example, at night, the wipers in the middle of the windshield are stopped using a switch. In the morning, after warming it up, using the same switch, the windshield wipers are returned to the transport (initial) state.

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Recommendations for extending the service life of wipers

The windshield in modern cars is made in such a way as to minimize its aerodynamic resistance. Ideally, it should be horizontal to the ground, but in this case the driver will not be able to see the road in front of him. So the angle of inclination of the glass is still far from zero. This means that it will take on the flow of oncoming air, which only at first glance seems transparent. The dust and other solid particles present in it are the main enemy of windshield wiper blades. It is they who, when the rubber bands come into contact with the glass, act on the brushes, leading to their wear. It is impossible to completely eradicate this factor, but extending the service life of wipers is a completely feasible task.

Here are a few easy-to-follow recommendations that can significantly increase the interval between replacement of wiper blades:

cleanliness is the key to health. This common phrase also applies to the windshield, and we have already explained why. If you see that after a long trip it is covered with a thick layer of dust, do not rush to turn on the wipers. It is better to clean the glass manually, using a bucket with a rag or watering it with a hose. Remember that the main task of wipers is to ensure good visibility in bad weather. In dry weather, you should turn on the wipers only as a last resort, and only simultaneously with the water supply. Otherwise, you will not only catastrophically reduce the service life of the rubber bands, but you risk damaging the engine, because it will be much more difficult for it to turn the wipers when dry. In any case, carefully monitor the fluid level in the glass washer reservoir, and if it is less than half full, be sure to top it up to the upper mark. Remember that you cannot fill with ordinary water in winter - it will freeze and damage the mechanisms and parts of the windshield washer.
Do not allow the wipers to turn on if there is ice on the glass - this can quickly damage the rubber blades. In winter, freezing temperatures make them hard and brittle, and exposure to snow and ice will cause the rubber lip to wear out prematurely. So if you see frost on the glass in the morning, don’t rush to get behind the wheel. Thoroughly clean the surface of the windshield with a special scraper or brush. Remember that it is enough to turn on the windshield wiper once if there is ice, frost or dry snow on the window so that defects form on the rubber band, making it impossible to completely clean the glass;
The wipers themselves also need periodic cleaning. Working hard during bad weather, they diligently remove all dirt from the surface of the windshield. Some of them flow down along with the water, but some accumulate on the elastic bands, worsening their elasticity. As a result, the fit of the wipers will be incomplete, and gaps will appear that impair visibility during rain. Dirty brushes increase the coefficient of friction, which again affects faster wear of the rubber edge. They need to be cleaned at least once a month, and twice as often in the autumn-spring period, characterized by an abundance of dirt. Cleaning can be done with paper towels or a rag soaked in water, but it is advisable to supplement the visual assessment of the quality of wiping with a manual one by running your fingertips along the blade of the rubber band - it should be perfectly even and smooth.

By following these recommendations, you can double the service life of your wipers, up to 20-24 months. True, this indicator is greatly influenced by the climatic conditions characteristic of a given area, but in any case, if you carefully care for the brushes and glass, the result will surprise you.