[dljpdx]

Now I've gone and done it...
Invested $40- in those 5-year-warrantly SilBlades from StateOfNine; went to install them tonight as it'll rain the next 4 days.
They come with 4 adaptors; I picked the one that best resembled the ones on my current Bosch wipers and went to installing the driver's side.
Pulling the blade into place on the arm - pulling away from the car and waiting for the "click" - the entire arm and shaft exited the car! I slid it back in, knowing pretty well that it wouldn't just go back into place and work fine. And of course it doesn't - it just sits there, and I can manually move it to any position I want. It's not seated.

So.... is there some trick to this? Will I be extremely lucky and just need to do something simple to get it back in and lined up and working? Or have I really done it now?

Oy...

Thanks.
-daniel

 

[PHAT_joe]

might not be that big a deal, just bring it over to a "qualified windshield wiper technician" at the local autoparts store - they usually know a thing or two about tricky wipers, and if you did break it, then your that much closer to buying a new wiper arm.

 

[Marcos]

If I understand this correctly, you pulled the whole wiper arm out of the car... if so, I'm afraid it may not be simple. The exploded view in the book shows the wiper arm and the shaft as discrete components, the shaft being part of a larger unit that includes the crossmember of the assembly.

In order to investigate whether you can fix this or not, you will have to remove the assembly and check the fitting on the crossmember where the arm pulled out of.

From the Bentley:

1 Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2 Lift the wiper arms off the glass. Pry up the retaining nut cover and remove the retaining nut. (This cover is at the base of the wiper arm, at the pivot point, and it's pressure fitted - MV)
3 Remove the rubber grommets covering the wiper shafts.
4 Remove the four bolts holding the wiper assembly in position. disconnect the wiring and remove the assembly from the car.

Installation is the reverse of removal. To make sure wiper motor is stopped in the park position, operate the motor through several cycles before reattaching the wiper arms.

Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

 

[dljpdx]

might not be that big a deal, just bring it over to a "qualified windshield wiper technician" at the local autoparts store - they usually know a thing or two about tricky wipers, and if you did break it, then your that much closer to buying a new wiper arm.

well, it's much more than the arm... the arm and the attached splined shaft came out. the shaft that you'd normally NOT take out - instead, one would remove the arm from the shaft by removing the nuts that keep it on, per the Bentley manual... The reply subsequent to yours - I think they've got an idea of what's happened here. Oh no!

 

[dljpdx]

If I understand this correctly, you pulled the whole wiper arm out of the car... if so, I'm afraid it may not be simple. The exploded view in the book shows the wiper arm and the shaft as discrete components, the shaft being part of a larger unit that includes the crossmember of the assembly.

In order to investigate whether you can fix this or not, you will have to remove the assembly and check the fitting on the crossmember where the arm pulled out of.
...snip...


Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

Marcos,

Yes - exactly - the arm, with the splined shaft still attached, came out... I did peruse my Bentley before my original posting and didn't see anything about how to fix it if you've gone and broken it like this... Only saw what you saw, but I guess I'll have to have a go at it and see what I can find. I stopped by my local SAAB guy, to peek under the hood of a C900 that had the engine out, just so I could get a better look at what I'd be dealing with. His opinion was the whole assembly should be replaced, as once they come out - - it can be fixed but it'll likely come off track in short order and need to be fixed again. Of course, his opinion = wanting me to have him fix it.

So we'll see - yes - I'll post results whenever it's resolved. Forecast calls for thunderstorms tomorrow, naturally! Better go ferret out the Rain-X...

It was my own dumb ham-handed mistake - I deserve the lumps!;oops:

Many thanks,
-daniel

 

[Marcos]

Daniel,

You're much to hard on yourself. I don't think I have undertaken a single significant job on my car that I haven't messed up to some degree, some of them significantly - you should hear about my ball joint replacement adventure. It's well worth the beer you'll have to buy me to hear it . On several ocassions I've bothered my friend to come and bail me out or help me. Once I had to pay over $1000 to a professional Saab mechanic to fix my mess.

That said :cheesy: , the bentley is pretty clear on the removal, and it doesn't seem like a complicated or long job. I would venture that once you have the assembly out and in your hand you can figure a way to re-attach the arm, even if it is temporary. I've messed splined joints like that, and my usual way to fix them when no other means are available is to drill and tap a hole in the end (a drill press helps, or a steady hand is needed - a lathe would be ideal!) and secure it with an appropriate bolt with a washer. It may even be easier than that.

You could also troll a boneyard and see if you can scavenge the assembly.

Good luck,


Marcos

 

[Lloyd]

I dont get what click you were waiting for... normaly you just flip them up

 

[dljpdx]

Thanks Marcos! Generally I think things through but for something as simple as wiper blade replacements - piece of cake - we've all done it dozens of times! Just got impatient and yanked when I should have said "hmm - maybe this isn't the right adaptor...". Especially considering this wasn't a significant undertaking - at least you have an excuse!

For giggles I took it to the dealer to see what their diagnosis was - just the wiper transmission, not the whole assembly. $470- installed. RIGHT.... I know I can get the part for $20 or $30 used online, then refer to my Bentley and EPC diagrams and figure it out some weekend afternoon.

Oy - a grand to fix something that you did? Yes, if I'm ever out your way I'll gladly plunk down for a few beers to hear that one!

Thanks for the kind words.

-daniel

Daniel,

You're much to hard on yourself. I don't think I have undertaken a single significant job on my car that I haven't messed up to some degree, some of them significantly - you should hear about my ball joint replacement adventure. It's well worth the beer you'll have to buy me to hear it . On several ocassions I've bothered my friend to come and bail me out or help me. Once I had to pay over $1000 to a professional Saab mechanic to fix my mess.

That said :cheesy: , the bentley is pretty clear on the removal, and it doesn't seem like a complicated or long job. I would venture that once you have the assembly out and in your hand you can figure a way to re-attach the arm, even if it is temporary. I've messed splined joints like that, and my usual way to fix them when no other means are available is to drill and tap a hole in the end (a drill press helps, or a steady hand is needed - a lathe would be ideal!) and secure it with an appropriate bolt with a washer. It may even be easier than that.

You could also troll a boneyard and see if you can scavenge the assembly.

Good luck,


Marcos

 

[dljpdx]

I dont get what click you were waiting for... normaly you just flip them up

Replacing the blades... Gotta align them and slide them on until they give a little "click." Apparently I had the wrong adaptor and - seeing it was soooo close to seating, gave a good yank to ensure that it would do so. And in the process....well...you've read the rest already.;oops: