Ideas for quick release windshield wiper arms?

[Frank Lee]

Didn't I suggest wingnuts years ago? They hafta be available in the right size.

And, I suspect you wouldn't be putting them on and off enough for worn out splines to occur.

Then you'd get WILD bennies from having the arms as well as the blades gone!!!

[evolutionmovement]

You'd probably wear out the wiper arms far sooner as they're softer metal. What about drilling out the pin that holds the bending mechanism to the arm mount and replacing that with a cotter pin?

[Shawn D.]

You could also do a single-wiper mod and position it vertically on the windshield, like a ricer!

Originally Posted by evolutionmovement

What about drilling out the pin that holds the bending mechanism to the arm mount and replacing that with a cotter pin?

What would you do about the spring that pulls the arm down, then? A cotter pin wouldn't be quick-release anyhow.

[cfg83]

evolutionmovement -

Originally Posted by evolutionmovement

You'd probably wear out the wiper arms far sooner as they're softer metal. What about drilling out the pin that holds the bending mechanism to the arm mount and replacing that with a cotter pin?

I remember speculating on this a few years ago and we talked about cotter pins. When I did research, it was hard to find one small enough to replace the pin without boring a bigger hole. This thread makes me also wonder if a cotter pin would be "tight" enough, if you know what I mean.

Assuming for the moment that it was small and strong enough, how about a pin that uses a snap ring (e ring) :

Selector Guide for Inch Rings


This would require special pliers, but that may be a good thing.

CarloSW2

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[cfg83]

Hello -

On the theme of a pin with a locking mechanism, how about a shaft collar? :

Manufacturer of Shaft Collars, Rigid Shaft Couplings and Keyless Locking Assemblies


If I were using the middle one in the above picture, I would drill a "starter hole" in the pin to make it more secure.

CarloSW2

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[evolutionmovement]

I've definitely never seen those collars small enough. Doesn't the spring just unclip? They almost definitely make cotter pins that fit (the straight kind, also called a split pin I think, that you bend the legs of, like on a hand grenade release). Try a marine place if you can't find them anywhere else as they're in common use. I imagine you'd only get a couple uses out of each one at most, though. A clevis pin is another idea, but that might be hard to find small enough. As for holding it in place, the important part is that they fit the diameter of the hole without being loose since the fit of the arm over the lower mount should hold it laterally. Any lateral play in the pin (like, if the distance between the clevis pin head and the clip locating hole are longer than the width of the wiper arm) wouldn't be important.

[cfg83]

evolutionmovement -

Mea Culpa, I was thinking of the Clevis Pin. I guess that doesn't make me a Pinhead, because Pinheads know their pins, .

At first I didn't like the idea of a cotter pin because I would want to replace the existing pin with a cylindrical surface. However, now I think that doesn't matter because you could just have the cotter pin pass *through* a cylindrical shaft that is the same diameter as the original pin. The cotter pin would be "X-use" disposable.

I just looked at my spring, and you can pull it off, but it's a really really strong spring. I wouldn't want to remove the spring. For the solution, I don't think you would have to. I also looked at my wife's Civic and I think it would require something different yet again.

You can get 3/32 interior diameter collars at hobby shops for RC planes and cars (too small). I have also seen small collars in the Lego section (wait, I mean "specialty connector nut and bolt thingys" section) of the hardware store.

MetroMPG -

Can you or another Metroid post a close-up of your wiper arm connection, especially the pin that would supposedly be replaced?

CarloSW2

[Frank Lee]

I like hairpin clips for various things.

[MetroMPG]

We've talked about this before?

Oh yeah - Quick release windshield wiper ideas? - GasSavers.org - Helping You Save at the Pump Whoops!

That was so long ago. Makes me sad, thinking of all the wild bennies I've missed out on.

CarloSW2 - I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[wagonman76]

[QUOTE=Frank Lee;97771]Didn't I suggest wingnuts years ago? They hafta be available in the right size.QUOTE]

It's probably just a common metric size. There are probably air cleaner covers that are held on by the same size wingnut. I think mine takes a M8x1.25. You could take the nut into a parts store and tell them you want the same thread except in a wingnut.

If you go with snap rings, keep a bunch in the car because they are finicky to deal with and have a tendency to get lost when removing or installing them.

I like the cotter pin idea. Keep the shaft long enough so the cotter pin cannot flop over the top of the shaft. That will help keep it tight and help keep it from coming out.