Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Topic: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion (Read 1209 times) previous topic - next topic

Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

December 22, 2010, 06:35:00 am

Hi all
Has anyone been successful converting their windshield wipers from 2 speed to variable speed? I changed out my wipers/arms and found that even at the low speed I was transferring rubber from my wipers to the windshield. I would like to have better speed control for those times when the rain is light. Thanks

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #1 – December 22, 2010, 08:45:51 am

Bob,

Couple of questions:

1. Do you have a Smart Wheel?

2. Was this transfer of rubber a problem before you changed the arms?

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #2 – December 22, 2010, 07:12:12 pm

George,

1. Yes I have a smart wheel.
2. I did not experience any rubber transfer before I changed the arms/wipers, but the wiper I replaced was oversized and the spring
in the arms was quite weak. Under normal conditions the wipers do a much better job than what was there originally.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #3 – December 22, 2010, 09:18:55 pm

Quote from: flite2010 – December 22, 2010, 07:12:12 pm

George,

1. Yes I have a smart wheel.
2. I did not experience any rubber transfer before I changed the arms/wipers, but the wiper I replaced was oversized and the spring
in the arms was quite weak. Under normal conditions the wipers do a much better job than what was there originally.

Bob,

I am a few years short of being an "expert", but I think if you have a Smart Wheel you have intermittent wipers. Our coach is in Tennessee and we are in Illinois, so I can go look at the buttons on steering wheel. It took we quite a few tries to figure it out, but we have intermittent wipers.

As to the transfer of rubber. Perhaps you got a wiper made from a bad batch of rubber. I've been driving for 55 years and owned lots of vehicles and never had rubber transfer to glass. And when I use a squeegee I put a lot of pressure on the glass.

Perhaps someone else will chime in here.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #4 – December 23, 2010, 12:23:05 am

The only time I have ever transferred rubber to a windshield was when I used Rain-X (on a car, long ago). Big mistake, since the water never lubricates the wiper, and the rubber smears on the glass. Never have had that problem with the FT wipers, and they seem to keep in contact with the glass quite well.

Our smart wheel has both high and low speeds and intermittent mode, and I would assume they all do. I don't believe our wiper control (1999) has any way of changing the intermittent interval.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #5 – December 23, 2010, 05:44:53 am

Well if it was a snake, it would have bitten me!! Not sure how I missed that one, but I did. We've had the coach for just about 2 years and I'm still discovering new things. Thanks for your help. Bob

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #6 – December 23, 2010, 09:48:50 am

Dave,
Are you saying that you found that Rain-X lets all the rain run off the windshield? Does water lubricate the rubber, so using wipers without much water can be a problem? We have little experience with Rain-X and wondered what others have found. And is it worth the effort to put it on the windshield?

Thanks, Barry

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #7 – December 23, 2010, 10:09:13 am

Rain-Ex is a very good product from my experience; I've used it on our coach, car, airplane and motor-cycle windshields. Water truly does "sheet-off" and I've seen no down-side regards wiper-life. (Bugs come-off easier, too.)

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #8 – December 23, 2010, 12:30:08 pm

Bob. Cannot tell what your controls do. On both of my Foretravels with Smart Wheel, there is an adjustable intermittent wiper selection. It's mysterious. Start wiping with the "intermittent" button, after desired interval press the "intermittent" button again. The wipers will continue at this rate till stopped. The interval time is limited but I do not know what the maximum is. To reset the interval, press the "off" button and repeat the process. Turning wipers off, selecting slow or fast cancels this repeating interval.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #9 – December 23, 2010, 06:27:34 pm

Quote

Start wiping with the "intermittent" button, after desired interval press the "intermittent" button again. The wipers will continue at this rate till stopped. The interval time is limited but I do not know what the maximum is. To reset the interval, press the "off" button and repeat the process. Turning wipers off, selecting slo
w or fast cancels this repeating interval.

Wow Horace, where did you learn that trick? I thought the interval was fixed. Didn't know you could set it like that. Thanks for the tip

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #10 – December 23, 2010, 07:19:21 pm

I am with Mr Cupp, Have not seen any info on how to program the wipers but after much trial &error, I figured it out also. key is to turn off between attempts or it gets goofy.
As for Rain X, my experience is that it kills the rubber on the blade, does start to chatter if gets little dry plus will deposit rubber on the glass.
Must be the water in Va.
Merry Christmas one and all

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #11 – December 23, 2010, 10:09:19 pm

One more point about the wiper interval. After setting the delay interval (second push) the third push causes a wipe and turns off the wipers just as though you had hit the "off" button. However, if you hit the button one more time (if you are inside the 30 second interval maximum) you will set a new interval for the wipers and they will wipe at that interval until you set a new interval or turn them off.
Paul
36' 2000 U320

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #12 – December 24, 2010, 02:05:50 am

Quote

Chad and Judy Quoted: "Rain-Ex is a very good product from my experience; I've used it on our coach, car, airplane and motor-cycle windshields. Water truly does "sheet-off" and I've seen no down-side regards wiper-life. (Bugs come-off easier, too.)"

I've used it for at least 5 years on the coach's windows and feel it works well. The only thing I have found is that the more you wash your windows to remove bugs (with a squeegee), the faster it's protection disappears. However, it's still worth the effort to put it on. Even in heavy rainstorms, with a good coat of Rain-X, you rarely have to run the wipers, the water runs off so quickly.

I've never had rubber from the wipers stick on the windshield.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #13 – December 24, 2010, 04:15:33 pm

Quote from: Barry & Cindy – December 23, 2010, 09:48:50 am

Dave,
Are you saying that you found that Rain-X lets all the rain run off the windshield? Does water lubricate the rubber, so using wipers without much water can be a problem? We have little experience with Rain-X and wondered what others have found. And is it worth the effort to put it on the windshield?

Thanks, Barry

That's been my experience, admittedly 10+ years ago, and on another vehicle (German, but with American wipers). The rain did bead up and blow off the windshield, but when wipers were required, they left rubber on the windshield after a while. Must have been the MA water... Perhaps the formulation of Rain-X has changed over the years?

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #14 – December 25, 2010, 11:20:14 am

Bob, check with Vehicle Improvement Products, if you have the sm 203 controller you cannot change the speed , if you have the sm 206 you can add a 200 ohm rheostat to change the speed, this info is on the trouble shooting page for the BK steering wheel.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #15 – December 25, 2010, 11:44:14 am

Quote from: Don Hay – December 24, 2010, 02:05:50 am

I've used it for at least 5 years on the coach's windows and feel it works well. The only thing I have found is that the more you wash your windows to remove bugs (with a squeegee), the faster it's protection disappears. However, it's still worth the effort to put it on. Even in heavy rainstorms, with a good coat of Rain-X, you rarely have to run the wipers, the water runs off so quickly.

I've never had rubber from the wipers stick on the windshield.

Same experience here. I use it on all my vehicles. It also seems to allow ice buildup to be more easily removed. One issue with it is that if you run the w/s wipers to wipe the the early morning dew and the windshield is cold (not freezing) and sunlight directly on the windshield the product seems to bead moisture into very small beads and it is difficult to see, almost as if the windshield is fogged over. Once the windshield is warmed a bit then it is OK.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #16 – December 25, 2010, 12:14:40 pm

Quote from: Don Hay – December 24, 2010, 02:05:50 am

Quote
Chad and Judy Quoted: "Rain-Ex is a very good product from my experience; I've used it on our coach, car, airplane and motor-cycle windshields. Water truly does "sheet-off" and I've seen no down-side regards wiper-life. (Bugs come-off easier, too.)"

I've used it for at least 5 years on the coach's windows and feel it works well. The only thing I have found is that the more you wash your windows to remove bugs (with a squeegee), the faster it's protection disappears. However, it's still worth the effort to put it on. Even in heavy rainstorms, with a good coat of Rain-X, you rarely have to run the wipers, the water runs off so quickly.

I've never had rubber from the wipers stick on the windshield.

I've used RainX for at least 25 years. Never any kind of a problem. IMHO if wiper blades are leaving rubber on the glass, then the wiper blades are defective.

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #17 – December 25, 2010, 12:26:56 pm

George;
I would think if the blades left the window glass it would be the arms that were bad.
I also am a believer in RainX. I use it on bathroom mirrors, and counter top also.
Have even used it on the inside of windshield, car and motorhome.
bill

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #18 – December 25, 2010, 02:02:39 pm

Bill,
Using the Rain X on the inside of the windshield, does this eliminate the condensation issue during the cold outside and warm inside time when mine will get covered with condensation. for me, my best result is to run the air conditioner on high with some warm air (No defroster as that turns off the air conditioner).
Hoping you have good luck during that condition.
I am at least hoping that is how I read it.
Many thanks

Re: Windshield Wiper Speed Conversion

Reply #19 – December 25, 2010, 04:18:22 pm

Dave:
Only lessen it a but it does not collect, run down and makes a mess. But I am not constantly wiping it. I would guess that using the fans also would be a large improvment.
I was speaking mostly of my cars without direct fans.

Merry Christmas, how's the weather in VA today? Cold( low 40's ) and damp here in north Texas.

bill

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