21 replies to this topic

[JessH]

Hi,

 

I put posh new stainless steel wipers onto Gertie (1992 red Rover mini City), but they are truly awful performance wise. They look great in good weather, but are barely worth having in the rain. A mini restorer bent them slightly saying that would work, it helped a fraction, but not enough to pass an MOT or see where I'm going. Any ideas? The tatty black jobs work fine...

[MacGyver]

You probably have the nice but useless version...
Try these ones: http://www.minispare...|Back to search
Check the arms are the same too as you might have to change them at the same time...

Ps: have a look at 'I love Minispares!' tread in 'mini chat'

Edited by MacGyver, 06 June 2017 - 10:59 AM.

[ct1071]

Hi,

 

I put posh new stainless steel wipers onto Gertie (1992 red Rover mini City), but they are truly awful performance wise. They look great in good weather, but are barely worth having in the rain. A mini restorer bent them slightly saying that would work, it helped a fraction, but not enough to pass an MOT or see where I'm going. Any ideas? The tatty black jobs work fine...

I have the same issue - new wipers but bloody awful at doing anything.

[Monty400k]

My 80 mini is fitted with stainless wipers, which foul the bonnet when its opened, accidently knocked the wipers on with the bonnet open and it took the paint straight off, not amused!!

[JessH]

You probably have the nice but useless version...
Try these ones: http://www.minispare...|Back to search
Check the arms are the same too as you might have to change them at the same time...

Ps: have a look at 'I love Minispares!' tread in 'mini chat'

Just been to have a look, and mine are made by Tex, I don't know if cheap type or not, though they look good quality? I went to your link, and they mention my wiper motor and wheelboxes must also be in good condition, how would I know, and what is a wheel box? The current wipers do move enthusiastically, though without much pressure on screen. 

[Alice Dooper]

I have Tex one too and they're not great.

Refurbed the wiper mehanism wheel box's etc... and the wipers sweep well enough. The spring in the wiper arm is just too wimpy.

I put in decent wiper blades and put on a pod coating of screen sealant and it's acceptable now until I get permission to buy the heavy ones. (Spent too much money on shiny things at IMM, I like shiny things)

[Spider]

Tex stuff is just cheap stuff, not utter rubbish, but not too far from it.

 

Putting a bend in the arm can help increase the pressure on to the screen.

[minisilverbullet]

The new mini spares blades are great 

[MacGyver]

You probably have the nice but useless version...
Try these ones: http://www.minispare...|Back to search
Check the arms are the same too as you might have to change them at the same time...

Ps: have a look at 'I love Minispares!' tread in 'mini chat'

Just been to have a look, and mine are made by Tex, I don't know if cheap type or not, though they look good quality? I went to your link, and they mention my wiper motor and wheelboxes must also be in good condition, how would I know, and what is a wheel box? The current wipers do move enthusiastically, though without much pressure on screen. 

It's the part your Wipers attach to and swivels, it gets bunged up with crap and should be taken apart to help relieve strain on the wiper engine along with the cable, tube and of corse the engine mechanism. Then greased.
Every 10 years or so...
Not sure the boxes actually come apart but a good clean and grease should suffice.
This way all of the force of the engine will go to the blades and you can put more downforce to the arms by bending or putting a stronger spring on.

[Mini Manannán]

The new mini spares blades are great 

 

These ones MSB? https://www.minispar...|Back to search

[gazza82]

IIRC some wheel boxes are simply held together by two screws. Getting them out could be the fun ..

 

Once you have spraying some sort of solvent to get rid of the old grease (or most of it should work) and then spraying in some clean new white grease would be a good start. You'll also need to clean out all the tubes that the cable runs in.

[Alice Dooper]

IIRC some wheel boxes are simply held together by two screws. Getting them out could be the fun ..
 
Once you have spraying some sort of solvent to get rid of the old grease (or most of it should work) and then spraying in some clean new white grease would be a good start. You'll also need to clean out all the tubes that the cable runs in.

They are all a bit yucky with dirty grease burcome apart easily. When I went to remove mine out, someone had put some awkward bends in the tubes. Ended up replacing 1 and took ages playing with the others.

[minisilverbullet]

 

The new mini spares blades are great 

 

These ones MSB? https://www.minispar...|Back to search

. 

these: https://www.minispar...|Back to search

[tiger99]

The problem may well be the design of the arms as people seem to think, and if parts of the blades are not contacting the glass, that is where adjustment or replacement is needed. However, the condition of the edge of the blades is also important for good wiping. A garage service manager advised me to clean those on my daily driver, not a Mini unfortunately, by wiping with a cloth soaked in vinegar. It worked! I got another 30k miles or more from the blades.

[Woolfie 640]

Following on to tiger99's comment I always add a dash of vinegar to my windscreen washer mix . It's helps break down road grease and is safe on wiper rubbers