Dumb C1 wiper arm mount question

[Rob Edwards]

Feel free to laugh- I figured out how to REMOVE the wiper arms from the '62 without scratching anything, but I'm stuck on getting them back on! As shown below, there's a little spring loaded tab that must be retracted to get the arm over the post of the wiper transmission. I've tried several approaches to get the arm back on, including trying to pull back on the spring with dental floss (keeps breaking). The angle of the head of the wiper arm deosn't help any. Any tricks? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[Dennis C.]

My Method...

Let's see if I can write this so it makes sense. Have your wiper motor in the park position. Line up the arm and blade asy so the wiper blade is about 1/2" below the windshield glass. Firmly grasp the arm blade asy - position it and then push the spring tab firmly against the stalk. That is what is going to retract the tab. Then, pushing on the tab and pushing down, attempt to swivel the knurled end of the arm so it is in straight allignment with the stalk. You must do that to convince the "teeth" to engage. If you get it to start, and I hope you do, only install it far enough to check alignment indexing on both wipers - in other words, don't push the arms on far enough for the tabs to lock in place. Reposition, if needed, then carefully tap them into place, still keeping pressure that causes the stalk and arm to be in a straight alignment.
What you are doing is trying to overcome the spring loaded tension that naturally causes a misalignment of the 2 parts being joined while pushing on the lock tab to get things started. Once you get the knack of this (by my explanation, or someone else) I believe you'll find it easier to put them back on than to take them off. To check alignment, I suggest you spray some Windex on the windshield and actually run and park the wipers. Good Luck, DC

[David E.]

Re: My Method...

You had me on the first sentence. :o)

[John H.]

Re: My Method...

It's a WHOLE lot easier if you spend five bucks for the wiper arm removal/installation tool at your FLAPS (Lisle, K-D, and others all make the same tool). Put a piece of tape on it so you don't scratch the hub portion of the arm, and you can remove/install them literally in seconds, with no paint damage. You don't need to do anything with the little tab in the hub.

[Dennis C.]

John, I've got one of those babies...

...didn't come with instructions. Might be the greatest tool in the world, but I've no idea how to use it. Matter of fact, I don't know if it is designed to take an arm off or put it on or both. Tried to figure it out on 2 or 3 occasions, but to no avail. Dummy in Lyle...

[John H.]

Re: John, I've got one of those babies...

Dennis -

Here's a photo of how to use the tool - hook the little lip under the bottom of the hub, grab the tool and arm as shown, and just squeeze them together; that overcomes the spring pressure, moves the hub up to normal parallel position with the arm, and you don't have to fight the spring any more. Duck soup

[Dennis C.]

Thanks John, Wish "They" Had...

...included your instruction with the tool. Can hardly wait to try it out now that I might have a clue how to use it. Appreciate your help on this board. DC

[Patrick H.]

Re: Thanks John, Wish "They" Had...

Thanks for asking, Dennis.

I can just picture in my head John walking over to the 67 and taking the pictures for us to use on his post.

Thanks to both of you.

Patrick

[Jack H.]

Add-on

When you use John's method (correct!), gently rock the hub/arm and tool side to side against the drive hub as you also lift & pull. This will help break existing oxidation that's grown between the hub's splines and the die-cast end of the wiper arm over the years... Sometimes, just attaching the tool and pulling straight up/off won't 'get it'...

Also, when I do this, I use a 2-handed removal for safety's sake. One hand holds the attached tool and the arm to do the rocking and lifting. The thumb and forefinger of the second hand holds the catch tang of the tool flush to the wiper arm's drive hub, so it can't 'pop' loose from the rocking action of the removal...