Wipe my...

[Rafe Hollister]

My 56 PowerHawk needs wiper blades. I'm having trouble finding 12" wipers that will fit on 'bayonet' wiper arms.
So two questions:
1)Where do we get wiper blades?
2)Can newer style wiper arms be installed that will take modern blades?

I have one good wiper blade, but the only time I drove in the rain, it didn't make more than 20% contact with the windshield (at the top). Seems like the spring is to weak to pull it in full contact.

Thanks,
Rafe Hollister

[RadioRoy]

Buy new blades.

Disassemble them and slide the new rubber into the old stainless steel runner that held the old rubber. The cross section of the rubber stayed pretty much the same over the years.

If you buy a 24" or longer blade, you will only need one of them.

You can open up the arm and install new spring, or cut a loop or two off the old spring.

[Commander Eddie]

I get 12" Classic wiper blades all the time from O'Reilly's Auto Parts. They fit right on my wiper arms on both my '55 President and '61 Champ truck.

[studegary]

The blades are in SI's catalog. It sounds like you need arms, also in SIs catalog, or at least a set of helper springs for them (very effective, based on experience). New blades will not put them in better contact with your windshield.

[Dean McHenry]

I will second what Radio Roy said. I have done the exact thing for years,
Last time I used a $$ set of silicone blades. fit and worked great these will last a long time .
Just take your time... the old trico's are made and begging to be refilled with just the rubber part.. DMc

[Flashback]

Part no 33-122 at O'Reilly's . $9.99 each. Fit my 53

[bensherb]

Buy new blades.

Disassemble them and slide the new rubber into the old stainless steel runner that held the old rubber. The cross section of the rubber stayed pretty much the same over the years.

If you buy a 24" or longer blade, you will only need one of them.

You can open up the arm and install new spring, or cut a loop or two off the old spring.

Yep, this is what I've done for all my old cars for decades! Try to find 10" blades for a '54 Chevy or a '63 VW or Model A without cashing in a T bill sometime. I even did this on my wifes 2014 prius rear wiper. For it you have to buy the entire arm/wiper assembly and only from Toyota...$.

As for silicone blades; I bought three pair of "sili-blade" brand ones from JC Whitney back in November of 2000. My '99 Honda still has them as does my 2001 Tundra and they're still working fine. The third was my moms '99 Honda which still had them when we sold it in 2013. I've tried to find them since for other cars, but best I can guess their product was so good they went out of business because nobody needed to buy blades again.

[Corbinstein0]

does anybody even make the replacement refills anymore?
I have to buy a new blade every year for my brand x's and haven't even replaced the ones in my 2R5, just removed the arms and don't drive in the rain.

[52-fan]

The last blades I bought came from O'Reilly. Previously, I bought blades a bit long and cut them down to fit like some have said. Both methods work without having to pay for specialty items.
I am glad they don't cost what wipers for our 2014 van cost. Talk about sticker shock.

[Rafe Hollister]

So I did a thorough exam of my wipers. The left wiper arm is 10" long, the right arm is 11.5" long (see attached picture to see how I measured them). Both wiper blades are 15" long (I thought they were 12"). So what is right and what is wrong?
Also, I pulled one arm off. The spring is behind a riveted piece, I could probably drill it out and mess with the spring, but maybe time to go all new?
'56 PowerHawk.
Thanks,
Rafe

[Son O Lark]

So I did a thorough exam of my wipers. The left wiper arm is 10" long, the right arm is 11.5" long (see attached picture to see how I measured them). Both wiper blades are 15" long (I thought they were 12"). So what is right and what is wrong?
Also, I pulled one arm off. The spring is behind a riveted piece, I could probably drill it out and mess with the spring, but maybe time to go all new?
'56 PowerHawk.
Thanks,
Rafe

Rafe,(I love the name by the way, loved your singing) if your arm is like mine, only one end is riveted and the other end can be bent open with pliers. Then you can get to the spring and it's little hook.

[Felix]

I don't know if this has been discussed before but over the years I have run into the same problem so I bought some ANCO 47-91 adapters. Don't buy them if they are pricey. These were about $0.90 each so don't pay $11 each on ebay. Now I can buy wiper 12" blades that don't have to fit such a small bayonet mount on my 59. They come in boxes of 50 but I was only able to get 9 at the time. As they are small and just the right size to fly away during assembly that I got spares. For the blades I purchased some of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/30289728893...wAAOxyTjNSntQC

It all went together well and the blades take new inserts, not like the original Trico that had to have the blade replaced as the insert was fixed. The new blades don't look as delicate as the Trico but are nicer, in my opinion, than the Anco stainless steel classic blades.

How do they perform? No idea. I have not driven it in the rain and I don't know if that will happen soon. I haven't washed the car in years so when water does hit the screen I'll let everyone here know.

[Bellingham Studenut]

I have a few dozen of the classic blades (only $6 if anyone needs some), but not sure if shipping would make cost same as local purchase with tax. They are closest look to originals.