Secret to wipers on a 36

41PICUP

41PICUP

Senior Member
Hay guys, whats the secret to keeping wipers from trying to go up and over the top while driving on the highway?
 
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It seems like any car with an overhead wiper has this problem. What i did on my '35 was to put a "stop arm" on the wiper shaft. This prevents the wiper from going beyond the stop. Now I can drive at 50 mph and have the wiper work properly.

Tom
 

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Wjat I do is remove the wiper arm and have it under the seat,I put it back if it looks like raining.
Lawrie
 
Terry-

It is something I made up. I don't think it took more than a few minutes to make. If I get a chance later today, I will take it off and put some detailed pictures on the 'Barn. Incidentally, it is adjustable for different arm lengths.

Tom
 
Lawrie said:
Wjat I do is remove the wiper arm and have it under the seat,I put it back if it looks like raining.
Lawrie
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LOL Lawrie, that's what I had to do coming across the US last June. I lost two complete arms with blades on my '35 sedan. One somewhere in Utah I believe, and another in Nevada on US 50. The second one was a loaner from a fellow tour member :o. Now, I was traveling a little faster than these wiper systems were designed for by Henry :D. I bought a couple spares at Louis Cote's Garage in Fallon, Nevada and my friends Old Bill and his brother Charlie, from Northern CA, brought me another nice NOS set to Lake Tahoe. So, on the way back I only put the arm and blade on when it started raining, and of course I had to slow down some :).
 
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I use a suction cup or one of those sticky things that has a tab you pull on to release it. It ain't pretty but it works.
 
As promised more pictures of my blade "stop."

Tom
 

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Tom, Many thanks for that info...I've lost numerous arms and blades over the years, I like your solution.
 
Good idea that blade stop, wonder why the factory didn't do it? I was warned when I bought my pickup the owner said forget about the wiper 'cos as soon as you hit 60 it'll just fly off! :p
Just as well 'cos I'll be damned they are a bugger to get on!
 
Thanks Tom. Appreciate the info and pictures.

Jim
 

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I asked this question a few years back for my '35. Found similar experiences. I have since found my wipers back and store them on the shelf. I use rain-x instead. Works well.

Neal
 
Pics of both suction cup and stick on tab.

The suction cup has a metal hook, The stick on: I heated and bent the tab up to hit the arm.

Both are easily removed it your a points car.
 

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My thought is that in the origiginal "good old days" the cars where driven at slower speeds a majority of the time so I would imagine the problem was less - also the cars where newer and the shafts and vacuum systems may have been a tad tighter - that said ... I was driving my 39 Coupe some time ago at a steady 70 mph (have a Columbia) and the wiper blades literally blew right off the car and nicked the roof paint - from then on... I only put them on for shows!:D

Talkwrench said:
Good idea that bla
de stop, wonder why the factory didn't do it? I was warned when I bought my pickup the owner said forget about the wiper 'cos as soon as you hit 60 it'll just fly off! :p
Just as well 'cos I'll be damned they are a bugger to get on!
Click to expand...
 
I can't recall having had much trouble with the wipers on my '36 coupe.. My car has the dual wiper option that operates via a "slave shaft" from the left wiper to the dummy right wiper.. I believe that Drake sells a repop of this system..
Since my engine has a lot of modifications and suffers from a little camitise, the wipers can be a little erratic, especially on acceleration..
I've driven my car over 94k in some very bad weather, snow blizzards and driving rain, always got "the mail through"...
 
And I thought I was the only one with the problem on my 36 Fordoor. 55mph and the left wiper goes right up on the roof!!
 
I wonder? Do the cars that have wiper problems have the speed regulator built into the wiper motor? Mine does..
It's been many years since I've had a stock '36 wiper motor apart, however, I seem to recall that there is a very positive stop built into the motor assembly..
 
blucar said:
I wonder? Do the cars that have wiper problems have the speed regulator built into the wiper motor? Mine does..
It's been many years since I've had a stock '36 wiper motor apart, however, I seem to recall that there is a very positive stop built into the motor assembly..
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The original wiper motor in my '35 standard Fordor has the speed adjustment feature that does work, but there may be something wrong with the built in stop. At speeds up to 55 mph, the wiper blade goes up above the windshield frame and hangs up there between the body and WS frame. At speeds over 55 it blows up over the top and sometimes completely off the pivot shaft, especially if there is some head wind. The spring on the arm seems to be too weak to begin with because when using the wipers I notice the blade fluttering on and off the window surface even at the slower speeds.
Before I venture out on another long trip/tour, I will make sure the motor is in top notch condition, use a stronger spring on the arm, and have some type of stop in place to prevent the arm from going beyond the WS frame and over the top.
 
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