Have I got the wrong wiper arm?

[badger914]

Hi, I recently bought a 914, and I've noticed that one of my wiper arms has an angle on it, and one is straight.

The straight one, goes slightly off the windscreen, so I'm guessing I've got the wrong arm or the blade is too long.

[Canarydelia]

Just checked mine. Like yours, my left arm is slightly bent, the right arm straight although a bit shorter than yours, so I guess your assumption that it is simply too long maybe correct.

I notice you are in Solihull. Are you planning to go to the Classic Car Show at the NEC this weekend? there are going to be a few 914 owners there (myself included) on Saturday with plans for a possible curry afterwards in Birmingham. If you fancy meeting up PM me. I'm quite local too, living in Harborne, and I think LMR on this forum also lives in Solihull - we are all relatively new 914 owners.

[badger914]

Thanks, I'll try a smaller blade. Mines not on the road yet, though my Nova came through today. Don't think I am going to the classic motor show. There's another owner about 2 miles from me, Michael Hafen.

[LMR]

Chaps

Is the West Midlands the new epicentre of 914 ownership? Yep, another one is Solihull

[Darren C]

Hi, it's not a matter of a smaller wiper. I had the same issue with my car.
Modern wiper blades are more chunky and less flexible than ones from the 1970's when windscreens were mostly curved. Today most screens are flat and blade manufacturers don't need to make blades that bend any longer.

You can either buy some new old stock 1970's blades (and fit new rubber inserts) or Bend carefully your modern blade so that it fits the curve of the screen better. Smaller blades will look odd and give you a smaller clear view from their wipe.

[LMR]

Having looked at the diagram in the Haynes manual, it would suggest the gap between the wiper arms in parked position is too big.

[badger914]

I've measured the blades, and they are 14 inches, I've noticed Pelican parts list them as 13 inches.


LMR, I see what you mean in the Haynes manual, I'll probably rotate the wiper 1 spline anti clockwise to see if that puts them in the right position

[Canarydelia]

Or you could get a bigger windscreen