Help! Wipers went bang
- Thread starter Alan Surrey
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RodTungsten
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- 590
We have a strange effect with our (working) wipers 2003 4200 Spyder. Continuous wiping is fine but sometimes turning off produces a judder before rest. This effect can be reproduced when the wiper stalk is pressed transiently - blades wipe then Judder to rest. If I hold the stalk until the wipers are nearly at rest then wiping is fine. I guess that there is some sort of parking commutator that stays live to the motor until park but that this is contacting badly. Ideas?
Missing a hammer
Eb
RodTungsten
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It’s a nut-f**ker.
MarkMas
Chief pedant
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It's a Crescent R2 Ratcheting Universal "Rench".
Here is an incredibly negative review of it:
But I find it very handy. Unfortunately the ratchet direction lever has fallen off, so I have to adjust the pin with a set of pliers.
MarkMas
Chief pedant
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True, but it does work without harm (so far) if you fit the wrench to the nut carefully.
CatmanV2
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Tracks in the motor mechanism are wearing out. This used to be a big issue when the cars were more common place. Only sure fix is replacement.
I *think* have a mechanism in the garage that came from my Classico (and is faulty) you are welcome to if you wish
C
MarkMas
Chief pedant
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OK, so looks like a ball joint has failed. More disassembly now, to see if it can easily be fixed, or whether I need to get @Alan Surrey to fabricate a perfect clip for me, or if I need to just order a new (or used) mechanism. New it seems to be one part for the motor and mechanicals, but on ebay people are selling just the mechanical bits (in Germany).
Apparently the windscreen wiper motor is an 'external vehicle device'.
www.eurospares.co.uk
Part 68468100 replacing part 67869400
Apparently the windscreen wiper motor is an 'external vehicle device'.
Eurospares Login | New & Used Genuine Parts
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www.eurospares.co.uk
Part 68468100 replacing part 67869400
MarkMas
Chief pedant
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Well, I popped the ball joint back together and the motor and mechanism all worked fine. But when I attached the wipers it popped out again.
What we seem to have is a crappy 5p plastic sleeve that is supposed to keep the ball joints in place. This is the upper one, which is still doing its job.
And this is the lower one, which has failed.
And here is that fine bit of engineering close up, showing the back part has completely torn apart.
So I suppose now I need a complete £350 windscreen wiper assembly because a £90,000 car was built to last 5 years.
What we seem to have is a crappy 5p plastic sleeve that is supposed to keep the ball joints in place. This is the upper one, which is still doing its job.
And this is the lower one, which has failed.
And here is that fine bit of engineering close up, showing the back part has completely torn apart.
So I suppose now I need a complete £350 windscreen wiper assembly because a £90,000 car was built to last 5 years.
MarkMas
Chief pedant
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- 9,058
I tried to bodge the plastic sleeve with duck tape and also swapped the arm over so the dodgy end was facing down, but no good.
I am also chatting with the wiper linkage clips people, who say that their Madaza MX5 Mk2 fix might work.
www.askthemechanic.co.uk
www.askthemechanic.co.uk
But I think I am done with fiddling with this. Now shopping for a replacement part, I guess.
I am also chatting with the wiper linkage clips people, who say that their Madaza MX5 Mk2 fix might work.
Ask The Mechanic- Windscreen Wiper Motor Linkage Repair Kits
If your wiper linkage keeps popping off we have the solution
www.askthemechanic.co.uk
Ask The Mechanic - MX5 MK2 Wiper Repair Channel
www.askthemechanic.co.uk
But I think I am done with fiddling with this. Now shopping for a replacement part, I guess.
Alan Surrey
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Mark. Sorry you have this. You have had quite enough woe lately.
However I think you have the wiper issue nearly fixed so take heart !
As I recall, the tough bit was getting the thing dismantled and you've done that.
I've quickly looked through your posts and from what I've noticed, it looks very much like you need the same Halfords clip that I used (Though you will probably have to file it to fit properly. Depending on the clearances between the moving ball joint and the things it moves past you might get away with little or no filing.)
You report that the mechanism worked ok when you popped it back together but that when loaded up with the wipers themselves it popped out again. The Halfords clip is designed to hold the two parts of the ball joint together, preventing them from popping out under load. Works fine on mine which had exactly the same popping out scenario, though possibly for a different ball joint. There are plenty of ball joints in the mechanism aren't there?
So I think you are nearly there. Carry on !
It's my guess that these ball joints are used in the wiper mechanisms of very many makes and models of car. The problem we face is caused by our particularly long wiper blades and the correspondingly large load they impose on the ball joint.
By the way, I threw away the rubbery black plastic sleeve - didn't even try with gaffer tape.
Also, my wipers worked fine in the recent downpour. No reason to think yours will be any different to mine with the same Halfords clip in place, saving you £350 for the new/used part.
However I think you have the wiper issue nearly fixed so take heart !
As I recall, the tough bit was getting the thing dismantled and you've done that.
I've quickly looked through your posts and from what I've noticed, it looks very much like you need the same Halfords clip that I used (Though you will probably have to file it to fit properly. Depending on the clearances between the moving ball joint and the things it moves past you might get away with little or no filing.)
You report that the mechanism worked ok when you popped it back together but that when loaded up with the wipers themselves it popped out again. The Halfords clip is designed to hold the two parts of the ball joint together, preventing them from popping out under load. Works fine on mine which had exactly the same popping out scenario, though possibly for a different ball joint. There are plenty of ball joints in the mechanism aren't there?
So I think you are nearly there. Carry on !
It's my guess that these ball joints are used in the wiper mechanisms of very many makes and models of car. The problem we face is caused by our particularly long wiper blades and the correspondingly large load they impose on the ball joint.
By the way, I threw away the rubbery black plastic sleeve - didn't even try with gaffer tape.
Also, my wipers worked fine in the recent downpour. No reason to think yours will be any different to mine with the same Halfords clip in place, saving you £350 for the new/used part.
MarkMas
Chief pedant
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- 9,058
Thanks Alan. TBH, I think I am done with being a car mechanic! I'm going to source the new part and just fit it (or, more likely, get someone competent to fit it).
BTW, I think my favourite part of the process is that there is a little sleeve under the third wiper motor bolt (not actually visible in these pictures). And next to it there is a hole in the plastic casing that is exactly the correct size for the sleeve to fall into. Grrrr.
Gazcw
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Metal cable tie might give it extra support