Wipers don't settle nice on 74 Charger

[Loa]

Hello,

The first time I tried the wipers on this car, the linkage between the motor and the wipers themselves pulled itself apart. I've reattached it together and the wipers work fine.

On the other hand, when they stop they don't go back all the way down and remain in this position (see pic). Did I mess anything up in the installation?

Thanks

Loa

[John_Kunkel]

There is a park switch inside the wiper motor that keeps power on the motor after the wiper switch is shut off, the park switch shuts off the motor when the wipers are in the park position....the switch is adjustable. Also, one wire on the motor supplies the park power, if it is fused the fuse might be blown.

[Nacho-RT74]

2 or 3 speeds?

Two speeds got a parking cam between crank and main link arm what needs mantenience or sometimes replacing ( hard to find )... will find a thread I wrotte about that some years ago.

3 speeds got the parking system built into motor.

[Loa]

Hmmm, I got the 2 speed. I was looking forward to messing with the adjustment, but it looks like I'll be messing with the cam. I've seen that part when I put it back together. I'll try another angle.

Thanks for the tip, I'll look at it tomorrow morning.

[Nacho-RT74]

I documented this deal very good but can't find the thread

[Nacho-RT74]

Found it

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,15057.0.html

[Nacho-RT74]

Here way more info if you care

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,34649.0.html

[VegasCharger]

I'll add my  

I've had this problem before and it was a combo of what Nacho described above and hood clearance. Especially if you have the OEM trim on the rear edge of the hood.

Typically if a Charger was in a rust belt area eventually the area where the bolts that attach the hood to the hood hings would rot out causing the hood to move out of it's original positioning due to the opening and closing of the hood. This would cause it to sag making the distance between the hood and cowl narrower thus less clearance for the wiper arms to conceal correctly.

I once put on a pair of aftermarket wiper blades that were thicker than the originals and they did not clear the distance between the hood and cowl. So back to the ratty OEM ones I had. This was on my daily driver back when I lived in Ohio where we were dependent on having working windshield wipers.

If it comes to you needing to repair/replace your linkage/cam I have a nice set-up from a 73 B Body (see pics).

Good luck.  

[Nacho-RT74]

on Loa's case it seems that's not the problem really because wipers doen't get even close to the hood. They are in fact parking WAY FARTHER than the lower point fo the full trace when working what should be the parking location when the cam is not working properlly.

check the parking cam and make the sistem work and turn them off without the wiper arms to be sure the cam gets its location before reinstall the arms over the lower molding

[Loa]

Well, I tried rotating the cam, but I don't think it changed much, and in any case, I don't think half an inch will make a big difference.

I checked on your other threads and every part of the linkage is there and correctly installed.

The travel on the windshield seems OK in the sense that it covers all of it: it doesn't go too far either up or down.

When I stop the wipers while they're in mid-stroke, they pause for a moment, then seem to reverse, go back down and then come back up a few inches. Seems to me like it's the motor that's doing something it shouldn't.

Is there an adjustment on it? I can't see to find it if it does.

Thanks for the help!

[Nacho-RT74]

the motor seems to be making it on the correct way

the description points me out to a baddly parking cam system... incorrectly assemblied OR worn spring washer ( making the main arm link out of its place ) or some broken section of the cam

no adjustment required anywhere

and yes... this system can become on a headache, even worst now without replacements available

Bradnosparts had these long time ago, dunno if still but the price was unreasoneable back in the days when this part was still available at Mopar part dealers, I can't imagine now what I think is not anymore

[Nacho-RT74]

WOAH!!! LAUGH AT IT!

http://www.bradsnosmopar.com/nosmop70wwip.html

[Loa]

HA! Laugh... or cry.

But I have all these parts, nothing broken and there isn't a hundred ways it can be assembled (and work).

I took a short video to let you see them "in action".

https://youtu.be/wr-HKrii-pM

They don't seem to go down very far during normal operation. Maybe that's why they don't park well? Does yours go lower when running?

Thanks

[Nacho-RT74]

I changed to 3 speeds long time ago, but when I had my 2 speeds assembly did work nice ( after many times reassemblying them untill made it! LOL, hence the thread about ). Both on mine went lower BUT seems to be just about reindexing the arms in to the pivots, more the passenger side than the driver side where which seems to be allmost about right.

The passenger wiper should barelly enter into the wiped driver side. You can set it making the top passenger side wiper just touching the curve drawn by the driver wiper. Make it with glass wet.

And defintelly the parking cam assembly is not working.

[Loa]

I've been playing with it and I've seen that parking "phase" in action when I push the blades down. At some point it seems to kick in and brings them down. If I start the wipers after that, I see that the blades don't go as high for 1 or 2 cycles before the assembly turns. When that happens, they go all the way to the driver side of the windshield, but don't park well.

I don't understand what drives that parking mechanism.

[Nacho-RT74]

The reverse direction when motor is turned off is what makes the cam to enter in action.

And don't worry, my process was a tryal and error untill made it. And still can't get completelly the system, specifically the spring function

[Loa]

Is the spring there supposed to freely rotate all the way around? I don't see how the reverse motion could activate the cam.

[Nacho-RT74]

Just edited my post... preciselly that's what I don't get, but it worked just installing  like my last draw on the thread

[Nacho-RT74]

Btw, the parking system works in reverse allomg with the traction of the wipers over the glass! Not just due the reverse rotation!

[Nacho-RT74]

Thinking out loud, maybe the spring makes to keep the offset between the inner and the outer piece and working like a shock absorver?

[Loa]

Hmm, interesting about the friction. Maybe the grease between the two round plastic parts need to be changed? Maybe it's too thick? Too much friction?

I'll give this a try tomorrow morning.

[Nacho-RT74]

Yes, that can be a problem! I think I ended removing the grease I put on the cam asembly but I can't recall at this moment

[Loa]

LUBE!!!

That did the trick. I cleaned the nearly black plastic parts and gummed up spring washers and back plate. I don't have the protective boot, so it had gotten very dirty. It took me about 30 minutes to clean everything up. I then added a very fine coat of grease over everything.

I had to open up the spring slightly using a vice and a pair of pliers, as it was way too tight. I had trouble pulling it out and couldn't put it back in afterwards. I placed it in the correct position in the cam assembly and put everything back together.

Now it's working great. I can see the cam doing it's magic. The first time the wipers come up, they don't go all the way to the edge of the windshield. But after one pass, the cam turns and they go all the way. Then when they reverse to stop, the opposite action happens and it parks nicely against the stainless plate at the bottom of the windshield.

Thanks for the help!

[Nacho-RT74]

Yes, makes the full trace after the first pass.

Great you made it!