Wiper Problem 96 U270

Topic: Wiper Problem 96 U270 (Read 1534 times) previous topic - next topic

Wiper Problem 96 U270

May 31, 2016, 06:42:06 pm

Last week the passenger side wiper stopped working and flopped over to the right with the bottom of the blade resting on the mirror arm. The drivers side kept going, so it wasn't a big problem. Later I found that the wiper moved easily so I thought something came loose under the dash. After removing the vinyl pad so I could see the mechanism, I found that nothing was wrong there. Found that the splines on the wiper arm sheared off, so I need a new wiper arm. The double flat pivot shaft as it is called will also need to be replaced. Someone in the past replaced the original nut with one that had different threads, so the threads are gone. In addition the shaft is twisted, but not in the direction that over tightning would cause. Twisted enough that I can not get the splined drive cone off. I read Amos.Harrison (Brett's) post about his similar problem from 6 years ago. Yahoo Message Number: 43993 . The drivers side pivot shaft threads are rusty and shaft a bit twisted too, but I could remove the cone. Anyone had to do work on the wiper mechanism? It's buried under a 3/4" thick piece of plywood that does have a few holes so you can get to a few things. I'm not sure if that plywood can or should be removed as it is fastened to the front cap, although it has broken loose on the right side. I'm wondering if the cap went on with the wiper mechanism already bolted on. Took a few pictures by sticking a small camera through the holes in the plywood. Appears that removing the plywood is the only way to easily get to the bolts and everything. The motor and the pivot shafts are attached to a long piece of metal channel and according to Brett the pivot shafts are fastened with philips head screws that face the cap. I think I will replace both sides since it appears to be a lot of work to just replace one side.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #1 – May 31, 2016, 06:55:58 pm

Don't think about removing the plywood panel, but you can certainly cut more holes if you need better access.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #2 – May 31, 2016, 09:36:48 pm

I believe the plywood panel is supposed to be cemented to the front cap to add support to the split windshield. At FOT in 2009 they used a special adhesive and a bunch of clamps to get the alignment correct. The split windshield glass was removed for 24 hours to allow the adhesive to dry.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #3 – June 01, 2016, 10:27:52 am

Quote from: amos.harrison – May 31, 2016, 06:55:58 pm

Don't think about removing the plywood panel, but you can certainly cut more holes if you need better access.

Brett, It appears that the mechanism is held to the front cap with 4 bolts, 2 at each wiper pivot; and the pivot shafts fastened to the metal channel with 2 screws from the front side. Do you remember if that is true? I haven't been able to see if the motor area is also fastened somewhere. I didn't think of making more holes, but that seems to be a solution.

Wondering if I have another problem with the plywood breaking loose from the cap. I had the windshields replaced at Foretravel a couple of years ago. At the time I complained that the right side windshield looked like it didn't fit properly. It bulges out all across the top and bottom. Foretravel said that the bulge was no problem, but it wasn't too long before I got a full length vertical crack in the curved part from a rock chip. The crack started about 2 days after the chip, before I could get it repaired. I'm just living with the crack. Pushing the cap back to the plywood and cementing would just make the bulge even worse. The left side is flat at the top and bottom and no cracks.

Quote from: Bob Thomas – May 31, 2016, 09:36:48 pm

I believe the plywood panel is supposed to be cemented to the front cap to add support to the split windshield. At FOT in 2009 they used a special adhesive and a bunch of clamps to get the alignment correct. The split windshield glass was removed for 24 hours to allow the adhesive to dry.

Thanks Bob for the info about the cement.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #4 – June 02, 2016, 07:27:04 am

Jerry, I'm sorry. I don't remember my work from 6 years ago. I do remember needing to use stubby wrenches and screwdrivers to do the work. I called James T for details before starting the work.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #5 – June 02, 2016, 07:42:40 am

About two years ago I had the wiper assembly come loose from the wiper motor shaft. I had to cut out (and then replace) a portion of the plywood dash in order to gain access. I also noticed that the fiberglass structure was no longer properly glued to the plywood dash. I used Loctite Go2 glue to re-glue the fiberglass and plywood joint and it seems to be working well.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #6 – June 02, 2016, 08:29:06 am

This adhesive also works well for these types of repairs:
3M Structural Adhesive

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #7 – June 02, 2016, 06:29:57 pm

I spent a little more time on this problem today. Found out it is possible to remove the board with all the electrical stuff with out removing the wire, except for a big cable on a relay. Looks like there are just 6 bolts holding every thing in place, 2 above the motor and 2 at each pivot. Will have to remove some of the 12 HVAC ducts. At least 1 duct needs replacing as it was torn.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #8 – June 03, 2016, 08:46:51 am

Does the vinyl dash cover fasten on with screws or what?

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #9 – June 03, 2016, 08:56:44 am

Quote from: lgshoup – June 03, 2016, 08:46:51 am

Does the vinyl dash cover fasten on with screws or what?

On my coach it is fastened with velcro. I have to remove the instrument hood and the trim at the corners of the windshield and then I can just pull it up. I installed a 120 vac outlet in the middle of the cover where the square hole is, so I have to take that loose. Leave the hinges on the hood.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #10 – June 06, 2016, 12:05:51 pm

I have removed the wiper assembly from the coach, so that I can replace the defective parts. The key to doing this was finding out that the circuit breaker board could be unfastened and moved out of the way. I don't remember reading about anyone doing that, but it also allows access to the heater hose and AC refrigerant lines and a lot of dirt and trimmings not cleaned up during manufacture. It is fastened to angle at the top and bottom with 3 screws, should be 4 IMO. I did have to remove some of the HVAC ducts and the plastic discharge vents that were fastened under the plywood board. They were stapled to the plywood, so I will have to fasten them back with screws or small bolts. I just slipped a pry bar between the wood and plastic from above and gently worked them loose. The assembly is fastened to the coach at 3 places; at each pivot shaft with 2 bolts and at the motor with 3 screws to the plywood. I also had to pop the drive links off the pivot crank and unbolt the motor bracket from the cross bar in order to get the crossbar out. I then put it back together for the picture. There are plywood spacers at the pivot shafts that were not aligned very well on my coach. Two pieces of plywood stapled together at each pivot with caulking to the cap and the crossbar. One piece stayed on the cap and one piece stayed on the bar. I removed the pieces on the bar to get to the 2 screws that fasten the pivot shaft to the bar.

I now have to buy at least one 28" wet pantograph wiper arm. FT parts for an arm is $157, wiperparts.com $92 and partdeal.com $52, but at partdeal it is a Wexco aftermarket product, not a DYNA arm. I also need 2 pivot shaft assemblies and maybe 2 dry pantograph adapters, the only way to get a new rubber gasket that is under the adapter. This the black cover at the pivot on the outside of the coach. The pivot shaft assembly may be Wexco regardless of who I order from as FT and all the others are about the same price. Trying to decide who to buy from.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #11 – June 06, 2016, 03:26:38 pm

Interesting to see what's in there.

I bought new dyna arms for cosmetic reasons and found all my plastic caps on the arms were gone.

I need the bases themselves as mine are ugly but work fine.

I think I got my dyna's from bus parts but the receipt is in the coach.

If you/I find new bases can they be installed externally if mine work ok?

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #12 – June 06, 2016, 03:44:48 pm

Quote from: Caflashbob – June 06, 2016, 03:26:38 pm

Interesting to see what's in there.
If you/I find new bases can they be installed externally if mine work ok?

The only thing that can be done externally is replace the blade, arm, drive cone, washer nozzle, and washer tubing. My plastic covers at the ends are still in one piece, but the arms have faded from black to grey. Ordered from partsdeal, on backorder, maybe in 2 weeks, but I'm not going anywhere this month. Hope the stuff fits and outlasts me.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #13 – June 06, 2016, 04:01:24 pm

Quote from: Jerry Whiteaker – June 06, 2016, 03:44:48 pm

The only thing that can be done externally is replace the blade, arm, drive cone, washer nozzle, and washer tubing. My plastic covers at the ends are still in one piece, but the arms have faded from black to grey. Ordered from partsdeal, on backorder, maybe in 2 weeks, but I'm not going anywhere this month. Hope the stuff fits and outlasts me.

So if I take off the bolts that seem to hold on the black base everything falls apart?

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #14 – June 07, 2016, 11:08:26 am

Quote from: Caflashbob – June 06, 2016, 04:01:24 pm

So if I take off the bolts that seem to hold on the black base everything falls apart?

If your coach is like mine and I suspect it is, the black base is called a dry pantograph wiper arm adapter. Dry meaning it does not have the nozzle for the washer tube. The pantograph arm is wet as it does have the washer parts. Maybe this PDF will help. http://www.partdeal.com/downloads/dl/file/id/2416/product/50226/wexco_heavy_duty_catalog_2015.pdf Turning the bolts with a wrench will not do anything but break the seal on the caulking as there are lock nuts on the inside and they will just rotate as you turn the bolt. Even after removing the bolts, nothing will fall apart as it is heavily caulked on the inside and around the pivot shafts.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #15 – June 07, 2016, 09:27:59 pm

I hope you took pics as you went. Indexing everything correctly when re-assembling can be a bear. Ask me how I know.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #16 – June 08, 2016, 09:54:04 am

From my post 4 mts ago: They had the arms in stock and we received them in 3 days.

Just replaced both wiper arms this week. The right arm was showing signs of wear at the shaft to the tapered knurl. Both male & female knurls were worn.

Found them at National Bus Sales & LSG. INC. P.O. Box 6549, Marietta, Ga, 30065-0549
Buy Bus Parts Online from National Bus Parts | School Bus Parts, Trolley Bus... 800-282-7981
Part # 200483N @ $47.25 each. (best price that we found). UPS to our PO box in Marathon, Fl in 3 days.

Much better window wetting system then the original. Just a note, they know Buses, not RVs., so don't ask them if the arms will work on a Foretravel. The arms are much beefier then the org.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #17 – June 08, 2016, 11:43:38 am

Quote from: Dick & Sue – June 08, 2016, 09:54:04 am

From my post 4 mts ago: They had the arms in stock and we received them in 3 days.

Just replaced both wiper arms this week. The right arm was showing signs of wear at the shaft to the tapered knurl. Both male & female knurls were worn.

Found them at National Bus Sales & LSG. INC. P.O. Box 6549, Marietta, Ga, 30065-0549
Buy Bus Parts Online from National Bus Parts | School Bus Parts, Trolley Bus... 800-282-7981
Part # 200483N @ $47.25 each. (best price that we found). UPS to our PO box in Marathon, Fl in 3 days.

Does any one have the part nrmbers for the bases?

Much better window wetting system then the original. Just a note, they know Buses, not RVs., so don't ask them if the arms will work on a Foretravel. The arms are much beefier then the org.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #18 – June 08, 2016, 02:06:05 pm

Quote from: amos.harrison – June 07, 2016, 09:27:59 pm

I hope you took pics as you went. Indexing everything correctly when re-assembling can be a bear. Ask me how I know.

Before I took any of the HVAC ducts off, I used black or silver marker pens to put a number on the ducts and where they were attached. Also the same number at the plywood defroster vents. Hope that works for putting it back together. I can't imagine how you were able to change out parts under the dash.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #19 – July 30, 2016, 06:27:07 pm

After almost 2 months waiting for the parts, everything is back in place and working again. I don't know how many parts PartDeal.com actually stocks. About every week or so, I would get an email that the parts were on back order. I called them and the story was that the manufacturer had a problem with a machine used to make the pivot posts. I think they were being honest about the problem and as I didn't have any plans to use the coach, I did not cancel the order. I was wondering if I would actually get the parts I needed as I was not sure of the part numbers anyway. There is a slight difference in the old and new pivot posts, but the working dimensions are very close. The wiper arm itself is actually better than the old one. The wexco pivot posts were in bags that said assembled in the USA. The Dyna wiper arm may be made in Brazil. I know someone will want the part numbers; 300657WE pivot 2.6888" 16mm ball for the pivot post, 2 @ $25.68 ea; 200483N 28"P/W Arm for the wiper arm, 1 @ $52.33 and 200241 for the black dry adapter plate, 2 @ $10.39. $134.74 for everything. Debating whether to buy another arm for cosmetic reasons. The pivot posts and adapter plates came with all the washers, nuts, and parts needed.

So glad to find out that I could unfasten the CB panel and swing it out of the way, so as to be able to remove and replace the parts. The first step would be to pop off the buttons on the trim strips at the corners of the windshield and remove the strips. Remove the dash hood by removing the screws at the bottom of the hinge. Same for the lift up lid in the middle. Pull up the padded dash that is held with velcro. Be careful as it is two boards butted together and fastened at the middle with staples. Some of the HVAC ducts will have to be removed. Kill all power to the coach and disconnect the neg cables on the batteries. Unfasten the CB panel and swing out of the way. The bracket for the wiper motor is fastened to the underside of the 3/4" plywood board with 3 screws and to the pivot post cross piece with 2 bolts. Disconnect the electrical wiring and remove it. The plastic parts for the windshield defrost are stapled to the underside of the plywood board. I pried them off with a thin pry bar and fastened them back with screws from the topside. I caulked the edges with silicone to stop air leaks. I had to remove the ducts on the dash air case for more room in removing the pivot post cross bar. FT did a rather sloppy job in placement of the plywood spacers on the crossbar. They were 2 pieces of plywood stapled together and caulked on both sides; they came apart in the removal process. A piece at each end stayed on the bar and the other piece stayed stuck to the front cap. I scraped the spacers off the front cap and the bar and made 2 new spacers from 3/4" plywood planed down to 5/8" thickness. After I replaced the pivot posts, I fastened the spacer to the bar with a screw. The crossbar is bent a little about 4" from each end so that it matches the curve of the cap. The front cap has a stiffener glassed in where the pivot posts are attached. If the spacers are the correct thickness the big nut on the pivot shaft will be level with the end of the threaded housing when tight. I only put a small amount of caulk on the pivot posts and bolt holes. Because of the curve of the cap, the new pivot posts fastened to the crossbar, did not want to go through the holes. I could get one through, but not the other. Found the solution was to put a nut on one side, pull back on the middle of the bar and push on the end to get the other side through. Once in place the fit is okay. The rubber gasket under the adapter would probably stop any water, but I did caulk a little around the shaft housings. I bought 4 new 1/4" SS bolts and lock nuts at Lowe's to replace the old bolts. The front cap has that crumbly foam with the lead layer for insulation. I added some canned foam to fill a hole where all the lines to the dash air come through the floor and places where there was no insulation.

The drive for the wiper motor is a crank that goes around in a circle. There is a metal bar between this crank and and the arm on each pivot post. Two bars of different lengths as the wiper motor is not mounted in the middle. The bars have rubber sockets on the ends and they just pop on or off with a pry bar. As the crank goes around motion is transferred to the wiper arms to move them back and forth. The arm on the right side pivot post has to be down, and the arm for the left side has to be up for the wipers to work properly. Don't ask how I know this, but no damage happened when the left wiper crossed over the center of the windshield, but it did stall the motor, before I could turn it off. Getting the wipers lined up to park correctly took several attempts. The splines on the cones do not seem to match the splines on the arm, but it works okay.

Re: Wiper Problem 96 U270

Reply #20 – July 30, 2016, 07:07:01 pm

I was thinking about changing my external bases just for beauty as I have new arms.

What would it take to change the external bases and bolts only?

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