Despite having new blades (well 2k old) when its raining fairly heavy and need mt wipers on full it starts getting very squeeky as if the window is dry, if I turn down the wipers the noise stops but I can't see out.
What is causing this?
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I think you need to find a happy medium between dry and the ability to see. Don't forget that water lubricates rubber.
Edited by Old Navy on 06/11/2009 at 15:17
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Thats the problem there isn't one :( It seems I have all the electric windows, mirrors, wonderful and instantly quick rear screen heater but I have three wiper speeds circa 1982 Ford Escort Popular 1100 :(.
Maybe there is some control I don't know about? Push back for rear wash/wiper, push forward for front wash, up once 1st wiper speed, up twice second speed, up three times for 3rd speed :(. I could do with a 2.5x speed :(.
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I could do with a 2.5x speed :(.
Easy, Rattle. Buy a car with infinitely variable wipers. :-)
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I suppose in theory I could fit a pot between the wiper stalk and the motors but DIY electrics are the easiest way to cause a fire.
I suppose I just have to put up with the squeeks.
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What is causing this?
Having your radio turned down too low.
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You are a Northern lad Rattle - isn't it can't see 'owt? Seriously, is the screen really really clean?
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Proper clean of the glass and apply Rainex.
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Proper clean of the glass and apply Rainex.
Clean the glass yes - Rainex NO NEVER...........
( Author Ducks below parapet)
Edited by pmh3 on 06/11/2009 at 15:49
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I was expecting a 'don't use it' response.
I've used it for 20 years and very rarely need wipers on continuously. Brilliant stuff when applied properly and used with new wipers.
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Try a couple of drips of washing up liquid in your washers it helps lubricate the wiper blades and clean the screen. And to those who are about to say Rattles car will instantly dissolve into rust due to the salt content of WUL I say, "rubbish", been doing it for years without a problem.
Edited by Old Navy on 06/11/2009 at 15:37
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What is causing this?
Don't know, but I've got the same problem on the Focus. We've been saying we've got to change the wipers every time it rains since we bought it over 2 years ago.
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Another thought and then I will shut up, check that the rubber part of the blade flips to a trailing position for each wipe, if the rubber has become hardened and is pushed across the screen it can be noisy.
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Rainex!
Never, ever, ever again, unless I buy some sort of jet boat or Cesnar.
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NEVER use rainex on your screen.
Change the wiper blade ASSEMBLIES complete, with one you buy at the main agent. And clean the screen - thouroughly.
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I have heard of Rainex and I think I know what it's supposed to do but I've never tried it and wasn't in any rush to do so. However, it seems to split opinion here anyway.
For those of us in blissful ignorance what are its pros and cons ?
Rattle, clean your blades carefully each time you wash your car and put some screenwash in your bottle all year round. Scoosh it whenever you start your wipers and then every few minutes when they are in use. It lubricates them.
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I need to get the wipers off anyway to replace my pollen filter which is now 8 years old. So I will clean the windscreen then and also try and lubricate the blades. I use screen wash all year round anyway. I live in an area with lots of trees, my car is always parked under a tree so screen wash is vital.
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Agree with AE. Once the wiper set up is out of true very difficult to correct and you really need to replace the whole wiper assembly. Main cause of problems with wipers are automatic car washes. Once you take your car through one of these wipers are never the same again.
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Its supposed to make water bead and run off in windflow
In my experience it lasts about 5 days becuase it was never meant to stand up to friction of wipers. It leaves behind a screen that end up streaky, produces light flares at night. and its a nightmare to get it off properly.
Its akin to throwing a litre of engine oil over your screen.
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"I need to get the wipers off anyway"
In which case, take off the clip thing and fit wiper to it "the other way round". I find that if not used for a while they rest at a certain angle then don't flip properly (especially in summer when the sun's been on them).
Hope you understand what I mean - not sure I do. Also try swapping (if both are same size ) the passenger and driver's sides.
Or (practical suggestion here!!) go to France, pop into Auchan and buy a pair of their "budget" blades for 1 euro each - as far as I can see, they are identical to Valeos at goodness knows what cost here.
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I reckon it lasts 5 minutes and takes about 5 days continuous work to get it off.
You end up with a screen that 'mists' makes night driving in light rain dangerous.
Best thing, if you have equal length blades, is to replace drivers side every year and move the 12 month old blade to the passenger side.
Edited by pmh3 on 06/11/2009 at 17:48
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Vinegar and newspaper on the screen and blades to get rid of all the gunge.
Check that the blade is sitting on the screen at 90 degrees just as thy rubber touches the glass. If not you can twist the arm slightly to achieve the correct angle.
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Try cleaning the glass with a little caustic soda and warm water on an old cloth. Wear gloves and don't let it run off the glass at all, and wipe with wet cloths to rinse it before using the hose. Also play in the wiper mechanism can allow it to judder. play in the joins of a metal wiper blade can allow smaller judders or squeaks.
With respect to Rainex etc....
Cons
Rainex does make the water bead up but it doesn't run off unless you are going along at 60mph+. When you come to the car after it has been stood in rain, all windows are covered in spherical droplets and when you get in the car you can't see anything. When you put the wipers on, the invisible film of water that is normally left behind by the wipers now beads up into a sort of mist or fog.
Pros
However, it is great on the insides of the windows as it seems to inhibit misting, make them easier to clean, need cleaning less often anyway, and I also use it on the house windows both sides for the same reasons.
Edited by Hamsafar on 06/11/2009 at 18:24
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Anybody know where I could get replacement arms from? My dealer wanted silly money for them.
I will try some of the above suggestions but as the arms are ten years old it may well be the problem.
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>>Anybody know where I could get replacement arms from?
Do you mean arms or blades?
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The blades are already new, so arms. I assume if these go wrong they will cause problems. Hopefully I won't need any of them as the above tips should work :).
Edited by Rattle on 06/11/2009 at 19:16
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Are they "el-cheapo" blades ? A better route might be to invest in some good quality blades, Bosch or the such like, might solve your problem without the expense of changing the arms. A good wash with proper glass stuff (Autoglym do one) or a "glass cutting" compound - may save a fortune in arms...
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I use a small amount of toothpaste on a wet screen to clean it as it is very slightly abrasive and removes anything that shouldn't be on the glass. It was a tip that was passed onto me about 30 years ago and has always worked for me !
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Blades or blade assemblies.
Wipers come in three parts.
The arm -
The blade assembly - thats the complex steel thing with pivots and little arms and the blade carrier, and the blade just a strip of rubber that slips in the blade assembly
Did you buy a blade assembly (complete with the blade) that just clips onto the end of the wiper blade arm, or just the blade itself?
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Once Rainex is applied you need to change how you use your wipers and give it time for the excess to wear.
When first applied, at speeds over about 40mph the rain simply runs straight off the screen - wipers are largely redundant. At lower speeds intermittent wipers, even in heavy rain, are more than adequate.
After a few days it settles down, leaving absolutely no streaks and works for about 6 months. It's been on my car about 4 months and it does a brilliant job - absolutely no streaking and the water just beads off.
Do a test area first - half of the passenger side will be large enough.
Edited by daveyjp on 06/11/2009 at 21:04
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they are perhaps squeecky clean. the arms have ahabbit of failing the mot on corsa b
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"they are perhaps squeecky clean. the arms have ahabbit of failing the mot on corsa b "
Sorry?
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you know when you really clean glass ,it squeeks
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Noisy wipers are caused, as correctly observed, by misaligned wiper blades. Rainex should only be used on side and rear glass surfaces, NOT on windscreens.
In fact you should never put anything on windscreens, inside or out, that leaves any form of coating on the surface. If the glass is clean, that is all that is required for maximum vision ("noisy wipers" aside) and it will also ensure that interior condensation is cleared in the shortest possible time.
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So how I do align them? I get the general idea from some of the comments above but I need more details. How do I check the blade is aligned with the arms?
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>>How do I check the blade is aligned with the arms?>>
Very difficult to do manually and get it spot on.
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Too late for editing routine:
The best glass cleaner I have ever used is AutoGlym Glass Cleaner (the pale green version), but this seems to have been discontinued. I curse the other half's equivalent admiration for the product because the two bottles that I had are now very definitely empty...:-(
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"Astonish" glass cleaner. Gets rid of grease. Never get wiper squeek.
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Any Astonish product is at, or very near, the top of its class.
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Noisy wipers are caused by wear, neglect, filth, lousy design, cheap components and ridiculously sensitive ears.
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Wow really must go to bed now but I think you have just thought of something that I haven't. It is probably common knowledge on here that
a) I am always mentioning 'noises' and 'rattles' from my various cars I have had since 2007.
b) I am an audiophile and obsesses over details until I get exactly the right sound from my system.
Now I wonder if my ears are just very sensitive to things? Mind you anybody can work out that squeeky wipers are annoying.
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An easy way to cure the problem of squeaky wipers or any other noises or rattles:
tinyurl.com/2d6f77
...:-)
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Are they genuine replacements? I bet they're not.
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Have you tried trading them in for a new pair rattle? I'm sure there's a deal to be found in the BR somewhere:)
Pat
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Get some old newspaper, screw it up into a ball and rub the dry screen as hard as you can until all of the silicon and unburnt diesel residue has been removed from the screen. Even though you may have meticulously cleaned the car etc, this still needs doing to get rid of the smears. I think you'll find this works well after 5 minutes of extreme elbow grease.
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Get some old newspaper screw it up into a ball and rub the dry screen as hard as you can until all of the silicon and unburnt diesel residue has..............
And then stand back and marvel at all those scratches you've put on your windscreen!!
Any hard rubbing with dry paper should be avoided but especially so unless you can be 100% sure that you are NOT going to pick up any hard debris skulking around the periphery of the glass as you do this unnecessary process. I might and onl, might, do this on a household piece of glass but NEVER on a windscreen (on any car I own, at least).
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