Wiper Door Linkage Rebuild?

[Roger G.]

I am considering replacing the rivets/pivots on my wiper door linkage. It seems to be a bit stiff, could be some rust under the nylon bushings. The tensioner portion was seized, took quite a lot of work getting it free suggesting the other joints may be rusted to some degree.

Has anybody on this board done this operation? I hear it's tedious, wondering what pitfalls I should be aware of. I'm aware I'll need a tool to properly stake the rivets and to be cautious drilling the rivets near pot metal. Possible I'd be better off sending it out?

[Dan M.]

Re: Wiper Door Linkage Rebuild?

One pitfall is removing the bolts that thread into the wiper door itself and hold the linkage arms. Often they gall up and or seize. When i bought my car the door had several seized bolts in it that were cut off. It can get ugly quick in that location with those bolts.

[Roger G.]

Re: Wiper Door Linkage Rebuild?

One pitfall is removing the bolts that thread into the wiper door itself and hold the linkage arms. Often they gall up and or seize. When i bought my car the door had several seized bolts in it that were cut off. It can get ugly quick in that location with those bolts.

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the reply.

I managed to get all the bolts out of mine without a problem, about 20 years ago when I took this car apart to the bare frame. Maybe I got lucky? I was blissfully ignorant of many issues back then, not having internet access to the wealth of information available today.

Yes, that's a really awkward area to work in. While test fitting and trying to determine what's hanging up, I began to remove and install the unit with the door attached. Easier to deal with when it's off the car.

Pitfalls I was asking about are related to drilling the rivets which fasten the linkage pieces on the ends of the linkage. I suspect the joints are my source of binding, probably a bit of rust under the nylon bushings. I found a write up somewhere which said to be careful drilling the rivets around the pot metal. I want to preserve a crisp edge so the new rivet will seat properly. There was a statement about being careful not to stake the rivets too tight, else I'll end up with the same problem.

[Richard C.]

Re: Wiper Door Linkage Rebuild?

Roger, when going back together, i use castrol pyroplex red grease. call me at my shop if you need to talk. 615-255-3939 richard

[Roger G.]

Re: Wiper Door Linkage Rebuild?

Roger, when going back together, i use castrol pyroplex red grease. call me at my shop if you need to talk. 615-255-3939 richard

Thanks for the offer. I sprayed both ends with WD40, figured if I am thinking of drilling out rivets and replacing, no worry about the paint. The WD40 seems to have freed them up a bit. Only places I noted a slight bind are at the extreme travel limits. Could just be the geometry of the links?

I think the problem was partly lack of lube and partly low vacuum at the actuator. I found a headlamp vacuum relay leaking badly. Turns out ALL vacuum relays are leaking to some degree. When I plugged off the headlight relays the wiper door seemed to operate a bit better.

Still some aligning to do. I'm hoping to leave the door linkage as is...

[Grant W.]

Re: Wiper Door Linkage Rebuild?

Thanks for the offer. I sprayed both ends with WD40, figured if I am thinking of drilling out rivets and replacing, no worry about the paint. The WD40 seems to have freed them up a bit. Only places I noted a slight bind are at the extreme travel limits. Could just be the geometry of the links?

I think the problem was partly lack of lube and partly low vacuum at the actuator. I found a headlamp vacuum relay leaking badly. Turns out ALL vacuum relays are leaking to some degree. When I plugged off the headlight relays the wiper door seemed to operate a bit better.

Still some aligning to do. I'm hoping to leave the door linkage as is...

Roger
Free the joints using anything that will eat some of the rust, there is some chemicals that will do it.
Then lube it as much as you can.

Do not drill out the rivots. They don't make them anymore. It is a special rivet. I used one of those rivets to do a repair job but I still couldn't match they way it folds or peen in. I managed to peened it on but looks crappy compared to the way it folds in.

So take my advice and do not drill them out. Take your time in getting rid of the rust and lube it well.

Thanks, grant