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Car Forum / Porsche / Porsche Cars / February 2008

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911 windshield wipers?

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Gary Fritz - 16 Feb 2008 18:42 GMT
My wife has an '84 911.  The driver's-side wiper has always been a disaster
-- it's bowed in the middle so there's a swath about 4" wide (naturally
directly in the line of sight) that the wiper completely misses.  It's
horrific trying to drive in snow in this thing.

She says changing out the wiper does no good, because within a week the new
one is bowed too.  The wiper rest position is to the left, and it hangs off
the curved part of the windshield on the left side.  Sitting against that
curved windshield quickly bows any wiper you put on it.

I can't believe this is the way it's "supposed" to work, or Porsche would
have been sued a hundred times over by people who couldn't see and crashed.  
There MUST be some way to make this thing work right.  Any suggestions??

Thanks!
Gary
Piernicola Comuniello - 17 Feb 2008 16:01 GMT

> There MUST be some way to make this thing work right.  Any suggestions??

Use wiper with spoilers which should help to be pressed against the
windshield by the force of wind when driving at normal speed?
Gary Fritz - 18 Feb 2008 15:48 GMT
> Use wiper with spoilers which should help to be pressed against the
> windshield by the force of wind when driving at normal speed?

Can't hurt, though it won't help much for in-town (low-speed) driving.  
I'll see if I can find something like that.

Any other suggestions?  Didn't Porsche have something to address this, or
did they just let all their owners drive blind in rain & snow!?

Gary
The Dead Senator - 20 Feb 2008 08:09 GMT
> My wife has an '84 911.  The driver's-side wiper has always been a disaster
> -- it's bowed in the middle so there's a swath about 4" wide (naturally
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> have been sued a hundred times over by people who couldn't see and crashed.  
> There MUST be some way to make this thing work right.  Any suggestions??

I have forgotten the structure of the older wiper assembly's, so I am
shooting from the hip here.

When the car is at rest, pull the wipers up off of the glass, to reduce
the effects of the problem.  You might already be doing this.  Or put
two wooden dowels (or flat chunks of wood) under each end to reverse the
flex while parked.

Can you possibly bend the wiper arm slightly to take the pressure off of
the middle portion of the wiper at rest?  Or buy another arm to (maybe
heat it) bend it.

What type of blade are you buying?  Is there another brand that has a
stiffer blade support to prevent the bow from occurring?

Can you reinforce the blade itself?  Possibly a pain, but might be worth
trying.

I remember a hack to change the wipers over to a right-rested position,
rather than left.  It requires some effort with changing around the
motor, but this may be another (pain in the a$$) option.

Keep us posted.

DS
95 993 Coupe
Gary Fritz - 21 Feb 2008 18:08 GMT
> When the car is at rest, pull the wipers up off of the glass, to
> reduce the effects of the problem.  You might already be doing this.
> Or put two wooden dowels (or flat chunks of wood) under each end to
> reverse the flex while parked.

Well, that would undoubtedly help, but the hassle factor makes it
unlikely to be implemented.

> Can you possibly bend the wiper arm slightly to take the pressure off
> of the middle portion of the wiper at rest?  

You could, but if you reduce the pressure on the arm at rest, you also
reduce the pressure in use -- which means it isn't going to press the
wiper against the glass very well.  Not good.

> What type of blade are you buying?  Is there another brand that has a
> stiffer blade support to prevent the bow from occurring?
> Can you reinforce the blade itself?  Possibly a pain, but might be
> worth trying.

Don't know on those.

> I remember a hack to change the wipers over to a right-rested
> position, rather than left.  It requires some effort with changing
> around the motor, but this may be another (pain in the a$$) option.

Hm, I don't see how that would work.  Either you leave the wiper pivot
points where they are, meaning the blades are in the middle of the
windshield all the time, or you move the wiper pivot points to a
different spot.  That would require body work and other na$$ties.

Creative ideas, but I don't think they will work for her...

Thanks,
Gary
The Dead Senator - 22 Feb 2008 14:41 GMT
>> When the car is at rest, pull the wipers up off of the glass, to
>> reduce the effects of the problem.  You might already be doing this.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> reduce the pressure in use -- which means it isn't going to press the
> wiper against the glass very well.  Not good.

I didn't mean to imply reducing overall pressure, but rather altering
the angle of the pressure to better suit the rested position.

>> What type of blade are you buying?  Is there another brand that has a
>> stiffer blade support to prevent the bow from occurring?
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Creative ideas, but I don't think they will work for her...

Hey, I am just here to run my crazy brain and just maybe something will
help.  I don't ever remember having this problem with my 79, so
LowLife's question about windscreen replacement seems appropriate.

I am quite sure you misunderstood my suggestion about the wiper arm
reversal, so here is an article about it:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_wiper_reversal_files/911_wiper_reve
rsal.htm


A three beer rating.  Doesn't seem so bad.

DS
95 993 Coupe
Gary Fritz - 22 Feb 2008 21:00 GMT
"Low Life #3" <holden_mcthynge@hotmail.com> wrote:
> have you ever had the wind screen replaced?  are you the original
> owner? reason I'm asking is it sounds like what I experienced after
> the wind screen (wind shield) was replaced on our Jeep Cherokee.  They
> had to remove the wiper arm and when they replaced it they did a poor
> job and it would crash into the cowling.  

Not original owner (only about 7 yrs), not sure about replacement.  But I
don't think we're seeing the problem you have.  The wipers seem to go where
they should, but in the park position the left wiper hangs off the left
curved part of the windshield.

> I am quite sure you misunderstood my suggestion about the wiper arm
> reversal, so here is an article about it:

Hm, you are right, I did.  That does look promising.  I didn't realize they
would reverse so nicely.  I think I'll look into that.  Thanks!

Gary
Low Life #3 - 22 Feb 2008 12:12 GMT
: My wife has an '84 911.  The driver's-side wiper has always been a disaster
: -- it's bowed in the middle so there's a swath about 4" wide (naturally
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
: have been sued a hundred times over by people who couldn't see and crashed.
: There MUST be some way to make this thing work right.  Any suggestions??

have you ever had the wind screen replaced?  are you the original owner?
reason I'm asking is it sounds like what I experienced after the wind screen
(wind shield) was replaced on our Jeep Cherokee.  They had to remove the
wiper arm and when they replaced it they did a poor job and it would crash
into the cowling.  Took a bit of fiddling but I got it right eventually.
 
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