- City
- SoCal
- State
- CA
This was originally posted in this thread but probably better to have it's own thread people can add in their own comments and it won't get buried among a ton of non related posts.
A short backstory that led to this repair. Long trip, weeks of rain, stuck windshield wipers =
. Now you're all caught up
If you've used the Jeep CJ windshield wipers, you'll eventually have the problem where the wipers will get stuck. Usually just a quick flip on the wiper will free it up and they'll work again. It'll start happening occasionally, then more often, and eventually it will happen on every stroke and make the wipers useless. If you watch the base of the wipers while they're running and you see the frame flexing, you'll going to have this same problem.
The issue with CJ wipers is the WS frame is too thin, allowing the windshield pivot post to flex and move, which will allow the linkage to rotate too far. Although there are stops that are supposed to prevent this from happening, they still allow the arm to over rotate and get stuck.
Pivot linkage in standard location
Pivot linkage bound up
When this happens the windshield pivot arm and lateral linkage are nearly in line horizontally, and instead of the linkage applying a rotational force on the pivot it locks up, but the force from the motor is still trying to pull it back into position. Instead of moving the wipers, all of the force from the motors is going into bending the metal on the frame. This leads to the sheet metal around the pivot points flexing then eventually permanently bending. Any additional loads on the wipers from friction, bugs, wind, snow, etc. just make the problem worse. I tried multiple methods to prevent this, from putting a zip tie on the stop to limit rotation, and adding a spring to force the lever arm back down into position. They work temporarily, but don't solve the underlying problem.
You can see in the picture below the flexing caused the paint to chip away from the frame, and there is a faint ring around the hole where the metal has deformed. In this picture I had already straightened it out with a hammer and dolly, but when it happens it will be very obvious that the windshield pivot is out of alignment. In extreme cases the wiper will lift off the glass during part of the sweep because the axis of the pivot is no longer perpendicular to the windshield. You can only straighten it out so many times before the metal fatigues and starts to crack.
While on the road I added a large washer on the outside as a temporary fix. I had to file a notch in it to clear the rib on the windshield pivot. This worked well enough to get me back home.
Some people have fixed the problem by using similar washers glued on the inside of the frame. And others recommended YJ linkages and pivots, which I think is similar in that it uses a larger diameter base to spread the load. However, I don't know if that would be a permanent fix because even with the washer the frame still flexes, it just minimized the flexing and moves the flexing to the flat area around the boss.
My fix was to add a stiff brace tying the two windshield pivots together so they can't move relative to each other. It's a piece of strut cut down with two washers welded to each end. The washers are necessary in order to elevate the area under the pivots so it can sit inside the recess where the pivots are mounted.
Assembled unit.
Installed in the windshield frame. With the brace the pivots are held much more rigidly in position and all of the load from the wipers are carried by the brace, not the windshield frame.
Final result is the wipers are rock solid with absolutely no flexing even when the wipers are running on high speed.
A short backstory that led to this repair. Long trip, weeks of rain, stuck windshield wipers =
. Now you're all caught upIf you've used the Jeep CJ windshield wipers, you'll eventually have the problem where the wipers will get stuck. Usually just a quick flip on the wiper will free it up and they'll work again. It'll start happening occasionally, then more often, and eventually it will happen on every stroke and make the wipers useless. If you watch the base of the wipers while they're running and you see the frame flexing, you'll going to have this same problem.
The issue with CJ wipers is the WS frame is too thin, allowing the windshield pivot post to flex and move, which will allow the linkage to rotate too far. Although there are stops that are supposed to prevent this from happening, they still allow the arm to over rotate and get stuck.
Pivot linkage in standard location
Pivot linkage bound up
When this happens the windshield pivot arm and lateral linkage are nearly in line horizontally, and instead of the linkage applying a rotational force on the pivot it locks up, but the force from the motor is still trying to pull it back into position. Instead of moving the wipers, all of the force from the motors is going into bending the metal on the frame. This leads to the sheet metal around the pivot points flexing then eventually permanently bending. Any additional loads on the wipers from friction, bugs, wind, snow, etc. just make the problem worse. I tried multiple methods to prevent this, from putting a zip tie on the stop to limit rotation, and adding a spring to force the lever arm back down into position. They work temporarily, but don't solve the underlying problem.
You can see in the picture below the flexing caused the paint to chip away from the frame, and there is a faint ring around the hole where the metal has deformed. In this picture I had already straightened it out with a hammer and dolly, but when it happens it will be very obvious that the windshield pivot is out of alignment. In extreme cases the wiper will lift off the glass during part of the sweep because the axis of the pivot is no longer perpendicular to the windshield. You can only straighten it out so many times before the metal fatigues and starts to crack.
While on the road I added a large washer on the outside as a temporary fix. I had to file a notch in it to clear the rib on the windshield pivot. This worked well enough to get me back home.
Some people have fixed the problem by using similar washers glued on the inside of the frame. And others recommended YJ linkages and pivots, which I think is similar in that it uses a larger diameter base to spread the load. However, I don't know if that would be a permanent fix because even with the washer the frame still flexes, it just minimized the flexing and moves the flexing to the flat area around the boss.
My fix was to add a stiff brace tying the two windshield pivots together so they can't move relative to each other. It's a piece of strut cut down with two washers welded to each end. The washers are necessary in order to elevate the area under the pivots so it can sit inside the recess where the pivots are mounted.
Assembled unit.
Installed in the windshield frame. With the brace the pivots are held much more rigidly in position and all of the load from the wipers are carried by the brace, not the windshield frame.
Final result is the wipers are rock solid with absolutely no flexing even when the wipers are running on high speed.
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