| Not only do the wiper blades provide
a means of clearing rain and water from the windscreen they also
provide a clear field of vision for the driver. If the blades
are torn or damaged they should be replaced.
Replacing wiper blades
Inspecting wiper blade condition
If your wiper blades have tears or cuts on them then you should
replace them. If there are no immediate signs of damage but the
blades are not wiping the glass effectively then you may be able
to try and restore them.
Restoring wiper blades
You may be able to improve the operation of your wiper blades
using the following technique. This will only work if your
blades are in fairly good condition and free of tears and
splits.
Pour some vinegar onto a cloth and wipe it up and down the
entire length of the wiper rubber. Leave for a few mins then
wipe of using clean fresh water. This will soften the wiper
rubber up and may improve their performance. If this fails then
you will need to replace your wiper blades to improve
performance.
Choosing wiper blades
You need to choose wiper blades that are of the correct size for
the make and model of vehicle you own. There are many different
sizes of wiper blade. Fitting the wrong size may result in poor
wiper operation or damage to the rubber seal around the
windscreen if the blades are to long.
Consult your vehicle owners handbook for the correct size of
blade for your vehicle. You could simple fit the same size of
replacement blades as those you will be removing, if you are
certain the blades on the vehicle are of the correct size.
You may also want to consider fitting a wiper blade with a
spoiler fitted. This type of blade is designed to operate more
effectively when driving at speed, for example when driving on
the motorway. They use the wind generated to hold the
blade firmly against the windscreen glass. These blades are
generally a little bit more expensive but if you do a lot of
motorway driving it may be worth spending little more.
Fitting wiper blades
Be very careful when you have removed the wiper
blade from the wiper arm. If the wiper arm swings back against
the windscreen it may crack the glass.
1) Raise the wiper arm away from the windscreen. rotate the
wiper blade until it is horizontal. You should now be able to
pull the wiper blade holder down towards the windscreen. There
may be a release that you need to push in, located on the
plastic retainer clip.
2) Remove the plastic retainer clip from the wiper arm. This
should slide out easily now that the wiper blade and blade
holder have been removed. Pay attention to the direction it was
facing.
3) Fit the new plastic fitting clip to the wiper arm Make
sure it is fitted facing the same direction as the old one you
just removed.
4) Fit the new wiper blade and wiper blade holder to the
wiper arm assembly. The wiper blade should click into place once
it has been fitted correctly.
Fitting wiper blades is a fairly simple process. You should
read and understand any instructions that came with your new
blades before you proceed. In general terms your cars wiper arms
will have a rounded section at the end where the wiper blade
assemble will be attached. There will be a plastic section that
secures onto the wiper blade. This section is then clipped over
the end of the wiper arm and will "click" into place.
Usually a wiper blade will only fit in one position. be sure you
are holding the blade the correct way before trying to force the
blade into place. You should not need to use any excessive
force. If the wiper blade will not fit then you may be doing
something wrong.
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