Wiper Arm Issues..

[zaveo]

Ok so i've noticed something with my aveo, maybe yinz have too..Seems as though the design with the wiper arms is a poor one. By this, i mean in the way they attach the metal arm, to the plastic base which then bolts to the tapered shaft that drives it. Seems as though they leave VERY little clearance between the "through-pin" and the plastic. Allowing the pin and arm to eventually seize up and become stuck at certain points.. So..what im saying is, if you go out and lift your wiper arm up, does it spring back nicely?..or does it kinda stick there, mid-air, as mine does? lol...really jacks me off...cuz i gotta spot that it doesnt like to clean on my drivers side, and on my rear hatch window..

"Did you try replacing the blades, zaveo?" YES! lol...i went as far as buying those $20 rain-x things with the fancy curve in em n ****..my opinion...same as the 6 dollar cheap-O's. So, at some point this weekend, i feel ill be drilling the head off the through pin, pulling it out, and cleaning up/anti-seizing the pin and hole, then IF POSSIBLE, drilling and tapping it for a small retaining bolt.

Just curious, has anyone else encountered "sticky arms" with their wipers?

[petrified.rabbit]

usually it is the build up of flash rust on the two surfaces that slide past each other.

if you are already disassembling then, sand them down, put a few light coats of black on them and they will slide past each other more easily.

also if you have threads in the pivot, they might wear the joint worse. so keep that in mind, a shaft and cotter pin would work well, as would a c clip..

[zaveo]

understood on the threads wearing the hole, i was pertaining to threading the existing pin AFTER i drill the head off. as for putting a cotter pin or C/E clip on it, after removal of the head, this will be nearly impossible. lol as for the clearnce between the 2 moving halves, its got plenty. i'd say close to .005 or more on the sides. its just the pin is SO tight in the metal arm, and then seized up in the plastic base that the pin cannot rotate freely enough to put even pressure on the blade in certain spots of the bowed windows.

[petrified.rabbit]

not going to look, but is that base actually plastic? thought they were pot metal..

i meant replace the pin after the head was off, with a new pin, that would bee held in place with a cotter pin or c clip.

[zaveo]

ahhhh ok ok, got'cha! ok so heres the deal..i just did the rear hatch wiper. works like a charm now. lol You were correct when you stated about the pot metal, it IS pot metal with a plastic insert to "prevent" corrosion..although, plastic didnt do dick for it.. i simply drilled out the rivit, removed it AND the plastic liner, opened the hole in both the arm and the base, just big enough for a Long shouldered 1/4-20 bolt to go through them. i then anti-seized the crap outta everything and re-assembled. moves VERY freely now and works great. This weekend ill do my driverside front arm and see how it turns out as well. as i stated, i drilled both pieces out, not OVERSIZING them dramatically either, just enough to allow clearance and then anti-seized them. All should be well, but if perhaps it DOES freeze up, atleast next time i can very easily remove and clean as needed and re-apply some anti-seize! Woot. ill keep ya upto speed. maybe some pictures as well! haha

[zaveo]

also, as for threads in the holes, there are none, i used a bolt with a long enough shoulder that no threads are in contact with neither the base or arm, thus, preventing wear N tear due to the motion of the ocean..err...arm. lol

[ontarian_frog]

I just lube the arms once in a while and wiggle them until they spring back nicely. It's a pain in the rear, but cheaper than buying wiper arms every year.

[anjy834u]

lubricating arms on a regular basis should be more than enough on a regular basis.

[rundown87]

I've had this issue for a few months now, figured I had to buy new wiper arms. Haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm a pretty big n00b when it comes to car stuff, although I'd like to start modding up my Aveo a little.