windscreen wiper FUBAR. anybody experienced this?

[JamesH]

when i got my '7 (1980 TR7 dhc) it had languished in a garage for a long time--seldom driven. i am on a mission to change that. the first time i used the wipers was probably the first time they had been used in years. about the second or third day i used them, they quit working...they spontaneously stopped at the park position and have been "dead" ever since. hopefully over this weekend i will pull the battery for better access and see if i can clean the connections. the interesting thing is that when i had her on the interstate tuesday, the wipers creeped about a third of the way up the windscreen--i assumed it was from airflow up the screen, but last night i went out to test a theory about the ignition switch (that post is further down....) and when i fired her up, the wipers slowly climbed a third of the way up the screen with the car standing still and the wiper switch off. this must mean something...anybody have a guess? (i have searched the archive here...nothing like this apparent.)

(everybody know what FUBAR means? anybody need explanation?)

[supercass]

Sometime they can strip the cogs on the nyon cog within the motor casing. I believe this is actually meant to happen in the event of the wipers jamming as otherwise even with the engine off the motor will be continuously trying to attain a park position and is at risk of overheating. The nylon wheel was thus treated as something approaching a service item and was available separately at a reasonable (ish) price. For some years I have not seen it listed in the UK and the only option seems to be a new motor at about ten times the price! However I have seen them listed now and then in the U.S.
Regards, supercass

[John_C]

I wouldn't be surprised if it's as simple as the fuse having just blown.

When they haven't been used regularly the wipers do struggle until they've been run enough across a nicely wet screen to blow out the cobwebs. I've had mine totally f'd up beyond all recognition at times but it's never been anything serious. Worst thing that happened was whilst driving through snow a wheel box seized on the driver's side which stopped the wipers stone dead and blew the fuse. I got around that by taking off the driver's side wiper arm and moving the start position of the passenger side to be up in the middle of the screen so it swept over the driver's side just enough for me to see. Had to change the fuse as well of course but I always carry spares for that eventuality. We then completed the next 500 miles with a mono wiper.

[andyf]

Could be hardened grease. Mine struggled when it was off the road for a few years and it did just as you are describing. A clean out and fresh grease might help.

[Hasbeen]

Try a good clean & grease as Andy says. That was all mine, on a couple of 7s required. Oh & new blades about every year these days.

Hasbeen

[FI Spyder]

When I got my car back home I started to tear it apart to get it ready for it's 90 point safety check to register it in this country. I disassembled the wiper system to clean and regrease the 26 year old grease. While the grease wasn't that bad I used a clear synthetic grease I had and after assembling and some parking switch adjustment issues I never had an issue with it. It always worked, always parked. Re wiper blades get a good quality brand name set (as you should with any rubber part, not the cheap ones they try to market) when available. The ones I have on there are going on to 9 years but it may be time to change them this year.

[john 215]

Hi,

Will they move if ' helped ' ?

And don't forget if you get new blades they were different length from new, see so many where that is no longer the case.

Cheers John

[JamesH]

interesting question John215. i pulled the wiper unit out this afternoon--took an act of congress to get it out: a lot of differing-metal-corrosion in the nut that holds the spindles above the scuttle--anyway, the gear looked ok and the grease in the box was still of an appropriate texture (i bet it has been rebuilt before). i "exercised" the electric connection to the harness. upon putting everything back together, it still didn't work. i thought about it and gently pulled on both wipers and with gentle pressure got them to move until they were running normal-ish. obviously, i don't know if they will run when next i try them, nor do i know what the deal was. anybody have a thought?

(FYI, i am in the State, if you didn't know, and Moss US carries Triumph parts here...i got a beautiful set of new wiper blades....but, yes, they are the same length.)

[JamesH]

ok. i got curious. i stand corrected. i owe Moss and apology. the blades i have are different. one is 17 and one is 18. where does the longer one go? driver's side? (i assume that the "wipe pattern" is reversed on the other side of the pond but DS is DS.)

[john 215]

Hi,

Driver side for the longer blade, so the wrong side of the car for those who insist on sitting that side compared to us here in the old country !

Yeah those 8 sided nuts, who the hell thought of that one eh , that hold the boxes in place can be a little tight ! Whilst apart did you grease the wiper rack that drives the boxes ? Whilst apart, check how free the boxes move seen then seize up too. Still worth cleaning all the connections with contact spray and the earth, if you are not getting a good voltage supply that motor will always be weak.

Cheers John