What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

[Patrick H.]

We had the wiper motor restored on the 1963 that's here, and it's all hooked up correctly, including the arm to the linkage.

We attached the wiper arms, and the driver's side has at least 50% more travel than it should when it is running. I had a friend come over who has done a few midyears, and he couldn't find anything wrong with the installation or setup.

We have it parked correctly, but it will rotate outward waaaaay beyond the stainless once you start the system. The passenger side rotates the correct amount. Both of the arms at the pivot appear to have the correct D and E markings on them.

In the video, I'm holding the arm away from the windshield so it doesn't scrape on the stainless. The motor is moving it, not me.

Any ideas?

[Bill M.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Pat the video wont come up

[Harry S.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oNTwjOftow&t=6s

[Stephen L.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Sounds like you have the long black arms inside the car installed wrong. The right side short arm on the wiper spindle should point down. The left side arm should point up.

To reduce slop in the action I would weld the short arms to the spindles (Factory "staked" them on and they wear over time).

I've enclosed a photo of the right/left side shafts etc.

[Patrick H.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

They're pointed just like your photo, which is what has us puzzled. We took the glove box out and also looked under the driver's dash to confirm.

[Joseph S.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Does the passenger side move correctly?

[Patrick H.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Yes, passenger side moves fine, which is what is surprising...or reassuring.

[Stephen L.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

What is the position of the arm attached to the motor when the wipers are at rest?
I'd remove the wiper blades and arms while trouble shooting. Just watch the arc of each spindle.
Place a mark on the end of the spindle for observation. Each spindle should only rotate about 90 +/-deg

You indicated the wiper motor was restored. Did you also remove the black transmission arms, possibly getting them mixed up during assy or is the motor arm reversed?

[Patrick H.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

What is the position of the arm attached to the motor when the wipers are at rest?
I'd remove the wiper blades and arms while trouble shooting. Just watch the arc of each spindle.
Place a mark on the end of the spindle for observation. Each spindle should only rotate about 90 +/-deg

We did that. What works well is a piece of tape wrapped around each spindle, and using a tail of tape as the "arm."
We even looked up the arc specs in the manual.
That left side is, as you can see, about 120 degrees instead of just under 90.

[Joseph S.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

I see a cluster removal coming in your future

[Mark F.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Patrick, puzzling, indeed !

In Stephen's photo of the left side, it looks like there's an embossed circle below where his transmission linkage rod is connected to the spindle actuating arm.

If that embossed circle was for a "knockout", perhaps as an "alternate" attachment point for the rod(?), if that is where your rod is attached (don't know why it would be, though) it would multiply the leverage more than using the attachment point shown in Stephen's.

So, is it possible your left side rod is attached too low on the spindle actuating arm causing greater leverage and consequent increased travel distance (rotation) ?

I can't wait to find out what you determine it is !

[Patrick H.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

I see a cluster removal coming in your future

Yes, but I'd like to know what I'm looking for should we remove the cluster. We hang upside down and watch it move now without too much issue.
If the parts seem to be the correct ones, what would cause the excessive swing? I could see it if the arm on the pivot were too long but so far it doesn't seem to be. Anyone know the length differences between the arm D and the arm E?

I was hoping that someone would have seen this before, or have an idea what wrong part was swapped in by a previous "restorer."

Further guesses welcome.

[Jim D.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Here's another pic. showing the arms connected with the wiper motor in the park position.
010.jpg

[Joseph S.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Both arms should bee the same length. Also, the pivot arms at each transmission should also be the same length. Perhaps someone modified that LH pivot arm.

[Mark F.]

Re: What is wrong with this 1963 wiper movement?

Both arms should bee the same length. Also, the pivot arms at each transmission should also be the same length. Perhaps someone modified that LH pivot arm.