Anyone running wipers bigger than 16" oem?

[gmbellew]

I run 17s on my 1990 burb. I feel it is a good compromise between a little bigger wipe without stressing the motor too bad. 18s could clear the moulding. buy any bigger would not. I do not wipe any real snow accumulation or break frozen wipers free with the 17s.

 

[Camar068]

I actually went down to a 15" on the drivers side as the wiper would "slop" past the windshield and get hung on the sun visor. Really sucks having to roll the window down on the interstate to push the blade off it. One of those oh 5h|t moments.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Any of you 18'ers driving in winter? I'm not sure if my wiper motor is getting weak or if slush/snow is just barely enough for a properly running motor with 16" blades. So I'm wondering if 18" blades will be too much with that in mind.

Also, anyone swapped in any arms that have a tilt feature? So the blades can be tilted off of the windshield to prevent them freezing in place.
E: D'oh, I just watched some "how to replace wiper blades" videos on youtube from 94+ trucks. They have that feature, so I'm gonna assume those replacement Dorman 42580 have that as well. Going to order a set of those, thanks for the tip @SirRobyn0 !

I daily mine, with 18". I will say that on a dry windshield like if I let them run to long it will really drag on the motor and slow it down, but I'm also running a really good 18" beam blade so that might make a difference. I'll tell you I did the full upgrade, when to the J-hook arms used on the last years of the square body and switched from regular blades to beam blades and it's like a total night and day difference. While I don't live where it is particularly cold and snowy I do the pass in the truck on occasion and drive though snow, ice and slush, I've never had a problem with the wipers doing their job. If your motor is getting weak, replace it. As far as I can tell A/c Delco has stopped making them or at least as of a year or so ago they weren't available. So I've put a few of the WIA brand motors from Autozone in customer rigs and they have been great. They are new and look like dead ringers for the A/C delco units, more importantly they work properly.

 

[SirRobyn0]

I actually went down to a 15" on the drivers side as the wiper would "slop" past the windshield and get hung on the sun visor. Really sucks having to roll the window down on the interstate to push the blade off it. One of those oh 5h|t moments.

I'm sure you probably know that's happening because there is to much slop in the wiper linkage.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I actually went down to a 15" on the drivers side as the wiper would "slop" past the windshield and get hung on the sun visor. Really sucks having to roll the window down on the interstate to push the blade off it. One of those oh 5h|t moments.

camar, does it park properly? I took the arm off mine because it kept eating the cowl which i saw the splines looked a little yikes so I got a late 80s wiper arm see the silver, its where the arm was, and it just went below the windshield when at park. well, close to park. it doesnt have working park which i actually LIKE. It means I can prop them to the up, and then leave them there no matter what the truuck is doing. When its bad outside and I want to clear the windshield in morning on a cold day, I leave them there because the accuumlation isnt so bad below them at the base and then its all melted for me to scoop with the brass ice scrapper if cold or just push off and then I can clear the melting mess with a push here and there, then snap the blades to clear crud, then go in and wipe down then up , etc.

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I'm sure you probably know that's happening because there is to much slop in the wiper linkage.

that sounds right. i bet my issue below is related to that maybe?
could be installed poorly, never discount someones ability to mess up a simple task



but my wipers will also just totally quit with no reason not even related to vibrations, they just work for 5 minutes, quit, join the party, might work for 10 minutes straight. Might be 5 seconds. MIght not even turn on. Might have one speed.

Im almost wondering if its not a circuit board issue because the park doesnt work, and then the switch is not the thing that is inconsistent, because If I gently negotiate the wiper arm I most of the time can resume. almost wondering if its not a amp draw(CB is used, right?) and then also park or sensing inside the assembly. I also run my choke off the circuit with a fuse tap but I had this problem with the 2jet too (not electric choke like my 1406)

like whoever this ******* was Im glad they are dead:

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joking. Im sure that is a vacuum pulse system MAYBE. It probably or who knows has a manual passenger wipe with some crud driver or they are linked but its such a old design its just how that would look with time and..time.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I daily mine, with 18". I will say that on a dry windshield like if I let them run to long it will really drag on the motor and slow it down, but I'm also running a really good 18" beam blade so that might make a difference. I'll tell you I did the full upgrade, when to the J-hook arms used on the last years of the square body and switched from regular blades to beam blades and it's like a total night and day difference. While I don't live where it is particularly cold and snowy I do the pass in the truck on occasion and drive though snow, ice and slush, I've never had a problem with the wipers doing their job. If your motor is getting weak, replace it. As far as I can tell A/c Delco has stopped making them or at least as of a year or so ago they weren't available. So I've put a few of the WIA brand motors from Autozone in customer rigs and they have been great. They are new and look like dead ringers for the A/C delco units, more importantly they work properly.

the 88-91 had J Hooks?
REALLY?
Oldsmobile and buick took their time getting car lines to J hooks.. 2000 for olds mostly and 1992 for buick maybe it may have been like 95 or 97

My aurora and park avenue have special arms for the sweep of the windshield and the aurora has pin type and the park avenue has j hook but they are twisted from a spline that was ruined from a looose bolt on the holder.

ALso pro tip do NOT use medium locktite on the splines of the wipers. low strength if you have to*worn splines*

Also, a 92-96 f series (Like mine) apparently has the same enough windshield to use the arms on squares... if you cant find the wiper arm new for 88-91, if you are right about that, f series are made new by crap and good brands.. motorcraft too but the originals are kind of like a joke too so i wouldnt pay that premium for them.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I daily mine, with 18". I will say that on a dry windshield like if I let them run to long it will really drag on the motor and slow it down, but I'm also running a really good 18" beam blade so that might make a difference. I'll tell you I did the full upgrade, when to the J-hook arms used on the last years of the square body and switched from regular blades to beam blades and it's like a total night and day difference. While I don't live where it is particularly cold and snowy I do the pass in the truck on occasion and drive though snow, ice and slush, I've never had a problem with the wipers doing their job. If your motor is getting weak, replace it. As far as I can tell A/c Delco has stopped making them or at least as of a year or so ago they weren't available. So I've put a few of the WIA brand motors from Autozone in customer rigs and they have been great. They are new and look like dead ringers for the A/C delco units, more importantly they work properly.

by beam do you mean

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Beam would actually be OK for winter if you use your wipers to clear snow and ice, but thats hard on the design. newer cars also neeed that curvature sometimes for the windshield shape. BUT it all deends on the relative spring and power on the arm and the windshield, if it sets on the windshield with barely anything but gravity and the weight of the top of the arm if not connnected to the arm base, then you would be fine. otherwise the spring of the wiper is fighting the spring in the arm and the arm will win, but thats increased friction. increased friction can mean better wipe, no skips, but it also means its going to take more on the motor.. but a clean slick windshield vs a dirty and gummy one and clean blades will change thisdynamic the same amount. Infact, the beam is going to probably have a harder time on the swipe down, because air is fighting it if you are moving. frame has the openings, but openigns mean turbulance and this doesnt help with worn arm spring because it jumps and then misses stuff. not helpful. hybrid can often be a good balance, but there are wipers with different bodies that kinda slot in somewhere between frame and hybrid that would be fantastic for a smaller wiper, older vehicle. One that is aerodynamic but its cover also encourages moreeven pressure because it spans the length uninterupted.

Im talkign abotu the PIAA wipers i posted before.

 

[gmbellew]

the 88-91 had J Hooks?
REALLY?

88-91 squares have pin type. or at least mine does.

the 88 and up pickups may have switched to J hook, I am not sure. and
if they did, I am not sure if they would interchange with a square.

 

[SirRobyn0]

by beam do you mean

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Beam would actually be OK for winter if you use your wipers to clear snow and ice, but thats hard on the design. newer cars also neeed that curvature sometimes for the windshield shape. BUT it all deends on the relative spring and power on the arm and the windshield, if it sets on the windshield with barely anything but gravity and the weight of the top of the arm if not connnected to the arm base, then you would be fine. otherwise the spring of the wiper is fighting the spring in the arm and the arm will win, but thats increased friction. increased friction can mean better wipe, no skips, but it also means its going to take more on the motor.. but a clean slick windshield vs a dirty and gummy one and clean blades will change thisdynamic the same amount. Infact, the beam is going to probably have a harder time on the swipe down, because air is fighting it if you are moving. frame has the openings, but openigns mean turbulance and this doesnt help with worn arm spring because it jumps and then misses stuff. not helpful. hybrid can often be a good balance, but there are wipers with different bodies that kinda slot in somewhere between frame and hybrid that would be fantastic for a smaller wiper, older vehicle. One that is aerodynamic but its cover also encourages moreeven pressure because it spans the length uninterupted.

Im talkign abotu the PIAA wipers i posted before.

Yes, I'm talking about the top picture, and the curvature of the blade has nothing to do with the curvature of the windshield or lack there of. What it has to do with is eliminating the springs on traditional wipers that lead to uneven pressure of the blade on the windshield.

Do they cause more drag? Maybe I went from 16" to 18" when I switched to beam blades, so I can't really say if it's the blade switch or the increased size, but yes if I leave them on to long it does seem like they drag a little harder than the previous standard blades.

I'm not saying that there isn't a good hybrid wiper blade out there but my experience with them so far has not been good. So much so that we won't put them on customer cars at the shop. The reasons are as follows. Hybrid blades still have the same hinge points as traditional blades so they are prone to the same issues, with snow, slush and even water getting in there and freezing. They are suppose to have better pressure points, but they do not seem to last any longer, where as beam blades, seem for most of us anyway to last about twice as long as conventional blades. And the last one, a lot of conventional blades still use metal for the hinges and springs, but hybrids are plastic, so if they catch on something, like ice on the windshield they will come apart.

My vote is still for the beam blade. The only thing I don't like is I like the look of the traditional blades on an older rig, but living in the PNW function of a wiper blade far out weighs looks. Plus in the winter there is literally nothing to freeze on them that would affect function other than the edge it's self.

I would encourage anyone even thinking of trying beam blades, that hasn't to give them a shot. Provided that your wiper arms and motor are in good shape you won't regret it.

88-91 squares have pin type. or at least mine does.

the 88 and up pickups may have switched to J hook, I am not sure. and
if they did, I am not sure if they would interchange with a square.

Honestly I'd have to check my notes. It maybe that they are off the next generation of pickup and fit the square, if someone wants me to look for the part # I used I can do that. But they are the same length and curvature just have a J hook instead of a pin. Plus 40 year old wiper arms the springs are not going to be the best, so new arms are all around great.

 

[AuroraGirl]

they cause the spring to act harder on the blade, those suckers have a lot of resistance to laying flat to contour to curves and break up ice if they are winter designed

The hybrid I have is a conventional frame under with a refilllable blade, that isnt what I was referring to tho. ITs the aero of the blade. If you have too much spring pressure down and its a tall wiper compared to the old frame ones, its gonna resist the way back and then it will push up prob ok, but it will not like washer rinses. the aero part was to get the air from pushing against it/down it as bad. In my car, its to keep the air pushing it on and not OFF from going under

 

[AuroraGirl]

Yes, I'm talking about the top picture, and the curvature of the blade has nothing to do with the curvature of the windshield or lack there of. What it has to do with is eliminating the springs on traditional wipers that lead to uneven pressure of the blade on the windshield.

Do they cause more drag? Maybe I went from 16" to 18" when I switched to beam blades, so I can't really say if it's the blade switch or the increased size, but yes if I leave them on to long it does seem like they drag a little harder than the previous standard blades.

I'm not saying that there isn't a good hybrid wiper blade out there but my experience with them so far has not been good. So much so that we won't put them on customer cars at the shop. The reasons are as follows. Hybrid blades still have the same hinge points as traditional blades so they are prone to the same issues, with snow, slush and even water getting in there and freezing. They are suppose to have better pressure points, but they do not seem to last any longer, where as beam blades, seem for most of us anyway to last about twice as long as conventional blades. And the last one, a lot of conventional blades still use metal for the hinges and springs, but hybrids are plastic, so if they catch on something, like ice on the windshield they will come apart.

My vote is still for the beam blade. The only thing I don't like is I like the look of the traditional blades on an older rig, but living in the PNW function of a wiper blade far out weighs looks. Plus in the winter there is literally nothing to freeze on them that would affect function other than the edge it's self.

I would encourage anyone even thinking of trying beam blades, that hasn't to give them a shot. Provided that your wiper arms and motor are in good shape you won't regret it.



Honestly I'd have to check my notes. It maybe that they are off the next generation of pickup and fit the square, if someone wants me to look for the part # I used I can do that. But they are the same length and curvature just have a J hook instead of a pin. Plus 40 year old wiper arms the springs are not going to be the best, so new arms are all around great.

wiper arm being not bent is helpful to beams. if they have non agggressive curvbe beams, then by all means. I had took this to understand the

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But it would seem this is also branded as a beam
so
Terminology mix up lol

 

[AuroraGirl]

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These fuckers from PIAA specifically for winter busting with your wipers. they would not sit flat on my f150 at 16 inches(i didnt buy it for it, but it was used)

 

[82sbshortbed]

Nothing works right in a Ford

 

[SirRobyn0]

wiper arm being not bent is helpful to beams. if they have non agggressive curvbe beams, then by all means. I had took this to understand the

Arms not being bent is helpful for all kinds of blades. If you ever have a blade new blade that is squeaking in one direction only, and you change it, by either flipping it over, swapping side to side or buying another new one and it does the same thing bent arm is likely. Also sloppy hardware allowing the blade to lay down to much during the sweep will cause it, and of course old dried out rubber.

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These fuckers from PIAA specifically for winter busting with your wipers. they would not sit flat on my f150 at 16 inches(i didnt buy it for it, but it was used)

I have to admit I've never used PIAA blades, and we sell bosch clear advantage at the shop for beam blades. I don't think the clear advantage is available retail, but other Bosch beam blades are. Anyhow I have never run into a blade that could over come the force of the spring on the wiper arm. I'd think it's very likely your springs in the arms are worn out.

Nothing works right in a Ford

Agreed.

 

[AuroraGirl]

robyni idont use rubber blades, I only use silicone. except the cheap pair i threw on my aurora when I took mine with me to new car.
the issue I say is specificallyto older vheicles. because The windshield wasnt a curvy, long, and didnt lay so swept back. The arms werent made to push down over the strength of the wipers springs, then also hold it, while with enough pressure for a 2 inch more on both blades, then with a design that likely would have trouble on the swing back or moving a lot of water/snow than a small sprinkle etc.

Its definitely made worse by those things You mentioned. My arms are new on my truck but cheap dorman quality

The ones on f150 are old original.

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im not about to say that these arms would be junk

F4TZ17526A​

but im about to say that my original are eh... but i dont know who touched them. they were both off at some point, and they were bent. very clearly. I dont know why. Both twist and pull off
The new ones are a supersceded design over the one on my truck despite the year being ... before.. someone may have pulled the arms at a yard, that makes sense.

Anyway. new ones are likely OK or decent . And they fit a square. J hook built in. And the windshield is similar to placement
I can side by side a photo of the arm next to an OE it would take 5 min, but you would have it sitting closer to windshield than ford, so it would be pressure city i think. Adjustment could be made, and it also moves th blade away at bit more but then it was at rest lower than square, so you would be able to fit more blade? not sure

afterall ford sells this

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