*New Michelin Stealth Wiper Blades

[kach22i]

Thank you for the base sheet comparison Tyler, it is a useful starting point for further comparison.

Automobile 2 - Odds and Ends pictures by kach22i - Photobucket


I do think that the two on the ends would create less of a disturbance in the high pressure zone found at the base of a windshield.

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/gt-1...ed-gtv-66.html

[SwamiSalami]

I'm glad we're discussing these darn things, keep it goin'...

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by dieselbeetle

I've heard of people using this...i'm going to look into this.

IMHO Save your money on rain-x unless its on a discount offer or something...

[zedhead]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

IMHO Save your money on rain-x unless its on a discount offer or something...

Indeed. After all, it'll only be of use for saving fuel if you take the wipers off entirely...
Personally, I think that wipers have a very different effect on drag depending on the vehicle in question - if the wipers have a 'garage' when not in us (ie tuck down behind the bonnet) they'll have next to no effect on wind resistance, if they're hanging out in the breeze on the windscreen... then surely they will have a significant effect and the Bosch type will surely be of benefit?
And I've just seen a pair on eYab that're no more expensive than a pair of 'standard' type.

[NeilBlanchard]

Taking the arms and blades off will likely have next to zero reduction in drag.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

IMHO Save your money on rain-x unless its on a discount offer or something...

I use RainX and have one wiper on, tucked down lower than stock, out of the wind. I have been procrastinating disconnecting the other wiper motor. But the benefits (though very tiny) are three fold: (1) I have observed differences in droplet patterns on my windshield with/without the wipers so I think it does something but I don't make pretense to it being a much of a something; (2) RainX allows me to use the one blade less than I would and still be safe, which saves battery power for my alternator cut-off, deep-cycle, plug-in setup; and (3) disconnecting the unused motor will likely save a little more power. If the motor turns out to be a little weighty and easier to remove/replace than to simply cut power to, then I will maybe remove the un-needed motor altogether.

All that said, I redesigned my airdam and reinstalled it yesterday. Now it does not scrape and I expect real freeway gains from that, unlike the near-fantasy gains my wiper delete provides.

[jtbo]

Bosch model looks familiar, I have that, also I have AC Delco blade of similar style, it has smaller center piece so that it should be even better.

Thing is, I can hear wiper blade making noise, I put cardboard cowl and noise did stop, but between traditional blade and streamlined blade I have not found difference in consumption, also I think that there is no measurable difference with wiper cowl either, just sound missing, it is so small piece and also at rest it is pointing more or less along airflow as I have only one wiper arm mounted at center and it is pointing from center to side.

With cardboard cowl, there was no change in mileage that I could of notice.

These kind of blades however seem to be wiping screen better, pressure is perhaps more even, also ice is not effecting them so much as snow is not building up on these, so it has been worthwhile investment, just not in terms of aero.

AC delco one did go bad rather quickly, I don't think that it lasted even a month, but with good cleaning got it to work week at a time, Bosch has been bit better on that aspect. Both experiences are from winter use as summer time wipers are not used that much, not so much chance of driving at rain and no constant salt water spray from vehicles coming from opposite direction.

I would say that go for Bosch blade if your blades need replacing, but don't except it to save money, it does cost awful a lot at least in here, it was something bit over 40 euros while AC Delco was around 20 euros, conventional ones can be lot cheaper, but from my experience last less than what Bosch blade has lasted.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

I use RainX and have one wiper on, tucked down lower than stock, out of the wind. I have been procrastinating disconnecting the other wiper motor.

There is only one motor.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

There is only one motor.

Well that'll settle that, then, won't it?!

[Frank Lee]

That is how they stay so well synchronized!

If you're sure you'll never reconnect the passenger side wiper, you MAYBE could unhook the linkage for a fractional watt savings in power drawn from the motor (depends on how it's configured). But the lion's share of the load is already gone with the removal of the arm and blade.