Windshield Wiper Arm Replacement

A car's windshield is your main navigation portal while driving and the windshield wiper mechanism is designed to make sure that your visibility is maintained through any kind of weather. When this mechanism fails, driving can be really difficult and dangerous. In this article, I talk about how to replace windshield wiper arms, which is the only way out in case you find them to be damaged beyond repair.

The importance of having fully functional windshield wipers can only be realized when its pouring like hell and the mechanism fails due to broken or bent wiper arms. However, if you get the wiper arm replaced soon, you can save yourself from potential problems of driving with low visibility.

Working Mechanism

Knowing how windshield wipers work can be helpful while repairing them. So let me just briefly explain the working mechanism of windshield wipers. The working mechanism is quite ingeniously designed and is based on the use of gears and a motor. The periodic oscillation of the wiper blades is made possible by the torque provided by the motor which is fed through a gear mechanism. The windshield arm and blades are designed in such a way that they can scrub off the maximum amount of windshield expanse and guaranteeing sustained visibility to the driver in any conditions.

The reason for windshield wiper arm damage can be any kind of obstruction that inhibits its movement. Most of times, the culprit behind wiper arm failure is deposition of excess snow or ice in winter. The distortion and bending caused in wiper arm renders the whole mechanism nonoperational. The only way out is swift replacement of the arms. The windshield arm replacement procedure is quite straightforward and easy enough for anybody to pull it off. Let us see how to go about it in the rest of the article.

Replacement Procedure

Here, I provide generic instructions for the replacement of windshield wipers. The details may vary a bit but mostly be the same for any car model.

Tools Needed
The tools that you need to fix this car problem are the least that are required for any car job. All you need is a screwdriver and a set of sockets of appropriate sizes.

Buying a Wiper Arm Replacement
You will have to buy an appropriate replacement for your car windshield that matches the dimensions of the old one. The styles for windshield wipers may change with different models. Make sure that you get the right sized one for your car. When you are replacing, it is a good practice to replace both arms in case your car has a pair.

How to Remove the Arms?
Now that you are equipped with tools and the replacement wiper arm, you may begin by removing the old arm first. Make sure that the windshield wiper arm control switch in on 'off ' position. Look for a cover at the bottom of the wiper arms which houses the attachment bolt for each wiper. Remove this cover to expose the underlying bolt. Using the appropriate size socket, remove the bolt and place it somewhere carefully. After the bolt is removed, the wiper arm will come off, with some effort.

How to Replace Them?
Next part is replacing the wiper arm with the new one. You must place the new wiper arm in exactly the same position as the old one and fix the bolt back again using the socket. Fix the wiper arm properly, with the right orientation. Repeat this procedure for the other arm. Test the working of both arms.

With that, your replacement job is done. Compared to bigger car repair jobs like windshield replacement and repair, just replacing wiper arms is considerably simpler. A timely replacement will ensure that you are guaranteed sustained visibility while driving in rain or an impending snowstorm.