wiper blade "ritual"

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Use the wiper washers until empty with the old wipers on.

Put Bosch Icon or Valeo Ultimate (silicon) blades on.

Fill windshield washer reservoir with de-icer.

Forget about both for like 3 or 4 years.

Repeat.
 
Originally Posted By: DemoFly
Use the wiper washers until empty with the old wipers on.

Put Bosch Icon or Valeo Ultimate (silicon) blades on.

Fill windshield washer reservoir with de-icer.

Forget about both for like 3 or 4 years.

Repeat.
3 or 4 years? Oh you're in Washington. Here in the heat wipers can start streaking in 6 months. Even my car is garaged day and night and wipers don't last a year.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: dparm
You shouldn't be using things like Aquapel or RainX on anything that has a wiper. The rubber needs to wipe against clean glass.


I certainly agree with this. I've found that any waxes or coatings applied to glass only work to contaminate the rubber blade. The best performance for me has been a fastidious cleansing of the windshield...and certainly more often than new blade time. My rubber inserts last years.

I do clay the glass from time to time. I use only a fresh clay bar and lubricate with water, not spray wax.


I've found that using the cleaner sprays (Stoner, Rain X) which supposedly contain some sort of coating/treatment in them does NOT cause the chattering/streaking/etc. which the direct/full strength (Rain X, Aquapel, etc.) always seem to cause, at least not for me.
wink.gif
 
Here's my ritual.

- Go to Walmart to buy blades.
- Linger in oil section first to look at oil sales.
- Go to toy section to look at Hotwheels future collectibles.
- Go to wiper blade section and get Michelins.
- Get RainX windshield washing fluids if out.
- Buy milk and OJs.
- Check out.
- Install blades in parking lot.
- Go home.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
You shouldn't be using things like Aquapel or RainX on anything that has a wiper. The rubber needs to wipe against clean glass.


I've used Rain-Ex for 20 years and it works GREAT.
The windshield wipers cleanly remove water at slow speeds and the rubber is not compromised in any way. My blades last years.
 
Originally Posted By: chrisri
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
1. Crack open a cold one.
2. break the new wiper blade out of the case.
3. Drink the cold one.
4. light up a cigarette
5. crack open a cold one.[size:8pt][/size]
6. walk around, wave at the neighbors.
7. answer the telephone.
7.5. drink the cold one.
8. go inside, forget about the wiper blade.
9. the next morning, stumble outside and light up a cigarette.
10. cursing as you go along, install the new wiper blade in a hurry and drive to work extra fast so as not to be late.


LOL,i'm the same.
Beer and cigarette are must when ever i do something on car.


Cheers and many beers my comrade!
cheers3.gif
 
I cut a set of blocks to hold the wipers off the windows when in the park position. The wipers don't take a set, or stick to the windshield and work just fine when used. My blades last for years.
YMMV

Smoky
 
My problem is I've always just bought the blade inserts and put them in the old blade-arms (cheap guy). Now all I can find is the whole blade and wiper for $15++, and nobody seems to carry just the rubber inserts.
 
I noticed the same thing about the inserts. I remember that Consumer Reports' assessment, in the 90's, was that most blade frames did wear out and that it was better to replace the whole thing. I disagree. The best wipe I got in 23 years on my Accord was by using the OEM blade frames (I even repainted them at one point) with inserts. I buy mine from online OEM parts sites or Amazon. PIAA offers a decent insert. My favorites were the "Super Graphite" variety, but I think now all you can get is "Super Silicone." They are made in Japan.

And, you're not being cheap. Good inserts cost more than most mass market blades.
 
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: chrisri
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
1. Crack open a cold one.
2. break the new wiper blade out of the case.
3. Drink the cold one.
4. light up a cigarette
5. crack open a cold one.[size:8pt][/size]
6. walk around, wave at the neighbors.
7. answer the telephone.
7.5. drink the cold one.
8. go inside, forget about the wiper blade.
9. the next morning, stumble outside and light up a cigarette.
10. cursing as you go along, install the new wiper blade in a hurry and drive to work extra fast so as not to be late.


LOL,i'm the same.
Beer and cigarette are must when ever i do something on car.


Cheers and many beers my comrade!
cheers3.gif



Cheers mate, same to you!
cheers3.gif
 
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I noticed the same thing about the inserts. I remember that Consumer Reports' assessment, in the 90's, was that most blade frames did wear out and that it was better to replace the whole thing. I disagree. The best wipe I got in 23 years on my Accord was by using the OEM blade frames (I even repainted them at one point) with inserts. I buy mine from online OEM parts sites or Amazon. PIAA offers a decent insert. My favorites were the "Super Graphite" variety, but I think now all you can get is "Super Silicone." They are made in Japan.

And, you're not being cheap. Good inserts cost more than most mass market blades.


Do they really wipe so much better to justify the price difference? I can buy a pair of Supertech wiper blades for less than 10 dollars for example.
 
ritual?

well...

1.buy a new pair
2.wait for a full moon
3.strip to only boxers
4.put this in high volume http://youtu.be/gqg3l3r_DRI
5.if wiper blades are change before the music ends then they are correctly installed. If not try again on the next full moon
6.if step #5 is done right them open the hood and grab a quart of mobil 1 and dance until the music ends

(extra charm points of you are wearing a coconut bra)
 
Originally Posted By: jimbeamalki
My problem is I've always just bought the blade inserts and put them in the old blade-arms (cheap guy). Now all I can find is the whole blade and wiper for $15++, and nobody seems to carry just the rubber inserts.


I know Advance still carries inserts, but they are sold in limited sizes. IIRC, there are three size ranges you can get, and they are "cut to fit" from there.

Inserts are also available from most OEMs, but even then, most people opt for complete blades, so that's mostly what we have. I do have some GM inserts in stock...all of them covered in dust.
 
Ritual? Hmmm.

Step 1: Notice wipers suck and are streaking.
Step 2: Clean them with rubbing alcohol until towel stops turning black.
Step 3: See how they do now. If fine, wait until Step 1 and repeat. If they still suck, proceed to Step 4.
Step 4: Buy cheapest option at Advance Auto with discount codes.


I've run fancy beam blades before...they did good on my old TBird. On the Subaru, they made no difference in performance or longevity. On the Olds...well, it isn't worth much more than a set of Bosch Icons until it is running again.
 
i see no difference when i rainX and when i dont other than i cant see a darn thing when i dont and wipers on full blast. with rainX i dont even have to have them on when at cruising speeds.

ritual:

finally decide to buy wipers
stand staring at wipers for 30 mins trying to remember what brand i bought last time and if they were the ones to get next time. of course cant remember so grab whatever flashy package catches my eye the most.
if raining then will stand in parking lot getting soaked putting on the new ones and seeing what i just bought isnt the same brand i swore i'd remember to buy but put them on anyways.
then either they work great and then become my have to buy this brand next time or they streak and get filed under remember to never buy this brand again which i will forget and check brand before buying next time and end up with same bad brand.

its a vicious circle.
 
My ritual:

1. Blades streak and chatter and squeak and annoy me severely.
2. Install expensive silicone blades and marvel at how well they work.
3. 2 weeks later get annoyed severely as new expensive blades streak and chatter and squeak.
4. Buy new arms and marvel at how well the wiper work now.
5. 1 week later get annoyed severely as new expensive blades and arms streak and chatter and squeak.
6. Clean windscreen with every product ever made for cleaning glass: Stoner's, Windex, Rain-X, white vinegar, Bob Ami, clay bar, 0000 steel wool and marvel at how well the wipers work now.
7. 3 days later get annoyed severely as new expensive blades and arms streak and chatter and squeak on the clean windscreen.
8. Buy cheap-o blades and marvel at how well they work.
9. See #7...argh.
10. Turn radio up as I'm out of ideas.

The really frustrating part is that my POS work van has AutoZone's bottom of the line wiper blades that are at least 3 years old and they work perfectly and silently. My Grand Marquis is dead quiet except for the [censored] wipers...
 
Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
My ritual:

1. Blades streak and chatter and squeak and annoy me severely.
2. Install expensive silicone blades and marvel at how well they work.
3. 2 weeks later get annoyed severely as new expensive blades streak and chatter and squeak.
4. Buy new arms and marvel at how well the wiper work now.
5. 1 week later get annoyed severely as new expensive blades and arms streak and chatter and squeak.
6. Clean windscreen with every product ever made for cleaning glass: Stoner's, Windex, Rain-X, white vinegar, Bob Ami, clay bar, 0000 steel wool and marvel at how well the wipers work now.
7. 3 days later get annoyed severely as new expensive blades and arms streak and chatter and squeak on the clean windscreen.
8. Buy cheap-o blades and marvel at how well they work.
9. See #7...argh.
10. Turn radio up as I'm out of ideas.

The really frustrating part is that my POS work van has AutoZone's bottom of the line wiper blades that are at least 3 years old and they work perfectly and silently. My Grand Marquis is dead quiet except for the [censored] wipers...
Wow, luckily here in Phoenix I don't have to use my wipers much. I haven't turned my wipers on since September.
 
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