Windshield Wipers Run Only at Low Speed

[Herb43]

I Have a 2007 Damon Tuscany.

I've had problem with wiper travel.

I can only run the wipers at low speed; otherwise they run off the side of the windshield. Anyone had the same problem, and if so, please help.

Thanks.

Herb

[dickandlois]

Hi Herb, Welcome to FMCA.

From your information, I would look at all the interconnecting links and the bell crank assemblies for any play in any of the connections. The bell crank assemblies are what the wiper blade arms attach to.

Sounds like an over travel issue and it shows up at the higher speeds.

Rich.

[lylefikse]

We also have a 2007 Damon Tuscany. Try not to travel in rain, however when we have our wipers have worked fine.

[wolfe10]

Yes, assuming one wiper of offset to one side, should be an easy loosen the splined connection and realign.

On some, if the wiper is cocked/angled the smaller arm can be loosened and "aligned"-- basically pivoting the wiper around the attachment point.

[turtlemechanic]

The passenger wiper blade was over riding the windsheild and molding, that will kill a blade, so it was time to adjust them

notice the two nuts on wiper base/
small one on the "follower arm" holds the adjustment for blade angle in place

The big nut on the wiper arm holds the arm on, while locating it on splines

take nuts off and put an alignment mark for the splines

remove pcs, clean lightly lube

my splines are somewhat booger'd so I will look into another arm in the future

I moved the arm 2 splines and it moved it about 3 inches

when parked it's near middle of glass out of the way

now if you notice her blade is straight up and down or perpendicular to the windsheil, the "follower" works like a suspension part and you can adjust the angle(camber) of the blade thru the travel

My blade was at an angle and wouldn't wipe good

see these?

if you loosen these and change the "length" of the "follower" it changes the angle of your blade

as it was all the way in or the "shortest"

extreme other way all the way out

pulled back in a ways

so new blades and they are adjusted...Remember this one thing

Make sure to have water availible to spray on windshield...a slick wet glass lets the blades move faster and furthe with no drag.....drive on

[turtlemechanic]

I hope that helps to see normal adjustments

[wolfe10]

EXCELLENT, Doug. Thanks.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, you just posted a novel.

[dickandlois]

Doug, Brett mentioned well done and I also say well done and grate pictures.

Doug, I see you mentioned to clean and lightly lube the pivot points under one of your pictures, but writing that point into the text portion.

Lube the pivot point on the follower arm while its off the post and this is a point where a drop a good lubricant can keep things working. The same goes for the pivot point for the spline drive.

Note, To readers of this post that not all wiper arms have a follower arms, but most do have the spline set up. Although some have a spring that locks the arms onto the drive spline instead of a nut that holds then in place.

Also notice that a slight change in the location of the splines make a big difference in the location on the wipers.

Again !! Thanks Doug for you post. Well done !!!!

Rich.

[jc21014]

Very informative and helpful post. Thank you.

[wildebill308]

Great post.

Bill

[desertdeals69]

Yes, great post

[lylefikse]

Herb, I posted earlier that our 2007 Tuscany wipers worked fine and they did. Now after a windshield replacement we have the same problem you had. They work at slow driving speeds on slow, however it we are at highway speeds the drivers side runs off the windshield even with the wipers on the slow setting. I have tried to adjust to line up when they are off. Now realize they don't work well when needed. The Tuscany has a one piece windshield and don't adjust like the earlier post. How did you solve the problem?

[huffypuff]

On mine the wiper arms coming through the fiberglass allowed to much flex and allow wiper to run off on driver side and get stuck. The fix was to add large fender washer on both side of the threaded shaft on both side inside and out (4 washers) and tighten the nut down. You can spray paint them to match the body. I figured this out after a burnt wiper motor from it getting stuck.

[lylefikse]

So far mine has not become stuck. It does go only part way off the drivers side. I think I'll try to back it off a few splines and see if that makes a difference first. Need to get a small gear puller first.

[dickandlois]

There is a tool just for removing the wiper arms from the shaft that works very well. It come in real handy removing the arms held on with a spring clip.

The one I have is made by KD Tools, think # 2039. Just looked it up and that is it.

Rich.

[huffypuff]

I use a battery post type terminal puller. Works great.

[dickandlois]

Huffypuff, They might work on some of the systems to remove the wiper arms, but not all the arms are held in place with a nut and washer. Some of the arms are held on by a spring clip on the bottom side that locks them on and there is no stud protruding through the base of the arm.

Rich.

[turtlemechanic]

Don't forget to keep windshield wet when adjusting the travel,

Also, if blade pivot area is worn out( or wallered out where the pivot pin goes through the wiper blade) the blade can flip over onto it's side (this can scratch your windshield)

A wet windshield can show this easier also.

Rain-ex makes life a lot easier especially in light rain.

[lylefikse]

Mine has the nut that holds it on. I'll look for a post puller. I think moving a few splines over may solve problem. Right now at rest, the drivers side is about 3 inches above the passenger side. It works fine on slow speed with water. (Tried it in the rain while parked today) Not so hot when traveling down the road at highway speeds. I'll keep you posted after I find the right tool to get it off. Traveling now and don't have the right tool along. Thought I had almost my whole tool box. Never the right tool when you need it.

[casuall454]

I love pictures, well done !!

[lylefikse]

Well I got them adjusted. It was one spline off and they didn't work right.

After adjusting, we drove in rain and wind today and the wipers worked well. Seems like there should be a little more room for error but not on the drivers side.

It has to be perfect or it will miss the windshield on the bottom or go off the side.

[lylefikse]

I got it changed. The drivers side needs to be perfect. One spline off and it goes off the bottom or the top. Drove in rain and high wind yesterday and it worked fine.

[turtlemechanic]

Good to hear it's fixed.

[georgeal]

I too have a 2007 Tuscany which I bought a year ago. It looked like there was a new windshield installed. First time I ran into rain it scratched the drivers side of windshield at the curve. I haven't been able to find out the problem, but I put on a 2" shorter wiper blade on the drivers side and adjusted the spline 1 slot , it now sits lower than the passenger side, but this has helped I still cannot drive faster than 55 mph or run the wiper on a faster speed or it goes around the curved part of windshield.

I have seen 1 other 2007 Tuscany with the same scratches in a dealers lot. I'm thinking this is only a 2007 problem has anybody solved the problem yet?

[akadeadeye]

I had a similar problem. The male splines on both wipers were stripped. After replacements they are working great.

Don