windshield wiper problem

[alanmende]

again. During restoration, I had to rewire the windshield wiper motor on our 1954 Commander Starliner hardtop. I now find that if I turn the wipers on, instead of them sweeping upward across the windshield, they sweep downward across the cowl. Not a good thing for the paint job!I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[Studeman]

What you have (probably) done is install the wiper arms when the motor was NOT in the PARK position. It is very common for the park-switch to stop working. IN that case, the motor stops wherever you shut the switch off. I suspect your motor had stopped at the TOP of it's stroke... so, when you installed the arms and turned it on... the only place it could go is DOWN across your cowl.

To repair:
1) REMOVE the wiper arms completely
2) Turn on the wiper motor and watch the action of the pivots
3) Stop the motor so that the pivots would be in the at-rest position. Either by using the switch (get a helper), or disconnecting/connecting the battery as you watch the pivots.
4) reinstall the wiper arms
5) test

Ray



Specializing in Studebaker Restoration

[alanmende]

Hi Ray,
No, I installed the wiper arms after they parked. When viewing the driver's side wiper shaft from the front, turning the wiper switch to on results in the shaft pivoting counterclockwise. Is there any other reason for the shafts to turn the wrong way at start-up other than the motor turning in the wrong direction?

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[Studeman]

quote:Originally posted by alanmende

Hi Ray,
No, I installed the wiper arms after they parked. When viewing the driver's side wiper shaft from the front, turning the wiper switch to on results in the shaft pivoting counterclockwise. Is there any other reason for the shafts to turn the wrong way at start-up other than the motor turning in the wrong direction?

??? Is this car still 6V???

This should NOT be a wiring problem. Your motor should not be able to run "backwards".

You could have the wiper stands (pivots) on upside-down. The arms connected to the pivots should point towards the dash... not the firewall.

OR, the center link might be 180 degrees off. Remove the center nut, turn the round assembly 180... and try that.

Ray


Specializing in Studebaker Restoration

[alanmende]

Yeah, Ray, the car is still 6 volts. The pivots aren't upside down because they're keyed to slots in the holes on the cowl. Now, I could have the center link 180 degrees off. I'll try that.

Thanks.

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[Studeman]

quote:Originally posted by alanmende

The pivots aren't upside down because they're keyed to slots in the holes on the cowl.

The stands are keyed, but you can install the short arms (that attach to the post and then to the long arms) facing towards the cowl. They will scrape, but you can put them on backwards.




Specializing in Studebaker Restoration

[alanmende]

Thanks for the diagram, Ray. I will check the wiper mechanism tonight.

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

[N8N]

I think you can put the center link on 180 out, I'm willing to bet that's the problem

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
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