Need info about wiper arm delete

[JPD]

Hi, I recently joined this forum and read the list of 65+ efficiency Mods. I've started by removing all the excess weight inc spare wheel and carrying a can of tire weld. I purchased a set of LRR tires and I've ordered a Scan Gauge e as my Chevy Aveo has nothing.
I'm now looking at wiper arm deletion and had some questions for those who have done it. I've already started by unclipping the wiper blades and noticed a fractional MPG improvement only during highway driving, there's definitely something in this. I have observed that only the driver-side wiper arm is essential for driver visibility and I could unbolt the other one and use Rain X as mentioned in the master Mod list.
For those who have done this, does it damage the wiper mechanism having less weight? or speed it up? When you unbolted the arm, how did you cover the threaded hole to stop corrosion? Did you keep the arm and a spanner in the car just in case?
Cheers

[stimpsonjcat]

I'd put the bolt back in the hole with maybe some plastic washers to take up the space and then keep the wiper and an adjustable in the vehicle.

But I haven't considered this mod yet.

[tru]

Im looking to do the same on my vehicle this week, most likely just remove and grease the leftover metal parts. it will resist corrosion for a while until i decide how to cover it aesthetically.

[NeilBlanchard]

I think the gains of deleting wiper arms is minimal, at best. The wipers typically sit in a high pressure pocket of air, and there is almost no air flow around the wipers on most cars.

[Sven7]

I've seen VW guys take the entire motor and everything out, and plug the hole with a little rubber plug. It would be more advantageous of you to do belly pans, wheel covers and rear wheel skirts if you haven't already.

[Frank Lee]

I think you are seeing a placebo effect.

I've taken mine off, though, for other reasons. I got tired of replacing wiper blades that have never or rarely been used so now I keep the arms and all in the cabin because on my cars they can be R&R'd with no tools. I haven't done a thing to the shafts. If by chance I do hit rain I only put the driver's side on, or I'll put them both on if the passenger wants it. If anything the delete reduces load on the mechanism but it doesn't noticeably speed up.

P.S. I used to replace them to prevent the famous arcing gouge in the glass from bad blades. It's the UV that kills them. I don't remember them going bad so fast and so often back in the old days.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Sven7

I've seen VW guys take the entire motor and everything out, and plug the hole with a little rubber plug. It would be more advantageous of you to do belly pans, wheel covers and rear wheel skirts if you haven't already.

Lots of good advice in these posts. I'll add my agreement and my own experience. I removed both of mine, left the motors in place, left the bolt in place, kept one wiper inside the car for surprise rain events, applied RainX, and don't worry about it. The difference will not be detectable by itself. It is partly from the tiny weight reduction and partly from air flow (I can hear some of you howling). My program has been to find a thusand small--even micro--changes for weight and aero and efficiency and pile them up. That's how I get to 61mpg in my 90 day average while maintaining 90-100% of the posted speed limits. But Sven7 is absolutely right... you will get better results from other mods... make sure you do those too. Cheers.