Worn out rubber "rattle" insulators in Wiper control rods

[EuroDat]

I have a rattle in the wipers (since my polyurethane suspension bushing upgrade) and decided to remove the motor and control rods to see what was causing it. The control rods are not tight which is what is causing the rattle. 3 Rubbers normally provide tension and stop the rattles, but my rubbers are so worn they are not doing anything anymore.

I have searched the common places on the internet but had no luck. I want to order the parts C-04 & C-05 on Banzai's webshop, but they don't have the rubbers in the control rods. http://www.zzxdatsun.com/catRubber.php

I was wondering if an O-ring would do and if anyone has done this or other mod to fix the problem.

I have included photo's to show which rubbers I mean.

Any advice input is welcome

Thanks EuroDat

[esprist]

OK. I have done quite few of them. After degrease, clean all the joints and lub them with high speed grease, I use lublicated O rings.

http://jdm-car-parts.com/restoration/wiper-motor-regulator-restoration/

[TomoHawk]

Is there a writeup on this? The JDM website says to look through the pictures, and it has some little things you can barely see.

thxZ

[EuroDat]

Hi esprist,

Thanks for your info. Im glad to know im heading down the right track. Do you have the size of the O-rings?

Thanks

[HS30-H]

3 Rubbers normally provide tension and stop the rattles, but my rubbers are so worn they are not doing anything anymore.

I think you're mis-diagnosing the problem, and mis-identifying these "rubbers".

What you are calling "rubber O-rings" are in fact felt washers which were designed to hold lubricating grease / oil for the eyeball joints in the linkage. If you replace them with rubber o-rings they will not lubricate the joints and will actually slow down your linkage through the drag they will create.

I recommend you dismantle the whole linkage and pay extra attention to cleaning out the alloy castings that the wiper spindles pass through ( they have grease traps inside them, very likely fuull of solidified gunge now ) as this is where most of the stiction occurs, as well as washing out the eyeball joints with thinner or fuel, and re-greasing them. If you can't find replacement felt washers, you can cut some yourself from a suitable material. Soak or pack them in grease before fitting. Should work a lot better afterwards.

[EuroDat]

Hi HS30-H,

I cleaned all the rods and castings in a parts washer, it even removed the shoddy red paint. I then turned the eyes 180 so I could fill the cavity with grease. The castings are also greased and assembled. The 3 rubbers are definetly rubber and not felt. Maybe someone changed them in the past?

Ill look at the option of using felt. That would also stop the rattle.

Thanks

Edited October 19, 2012 by EuroDat
EuroDat

[Zup]

Go to the parts store and ask for a package of the felt washers that are used for corrosion resistance on Battery Terminals.

They are very close to the original size and thickness. Lube them up with grease as suggested above.

If the red washers offend you, buy 2 packs.

HTH

Jim D.

"Zup"

[TomoHawk]

How do those eyeball joints come apart? I'll probably try re-greasing things and putting in this greased ring soon.

[EuroDat]

I am assuming you have dismantled the linkages from the wiper arm pivots by removing the soft metal circlip. Once you have done that you can clean the old grease out with decreaser or equivelant.

The eyeball itself doesn't come apart. I cleaned it with degreaser/parts washer and worked the new grease in with a small brush and turning the eye over in the socket untill the grease filled the cavity.

Its hard to explain and I didn't take photos, but you can turn the eyeball in such a way that the hole is horizontal in the socket. When you do that you can see into the cavity and with a small brush you can work the grease into it.

Someone fitted my unit with three o-rings. I changed them for felt which I had to cut out of a thin mat. Couldn't find any battery terminal felts here.

I needed something to stop the rattle. That was my biggest problem. Glad I done it, they have never worked so good and smooth.

Goodluck with.

Chas

[TomoHawk]

Mine are a little jittery on the ends of the wipes, so I think the looseness at the eyeball joint is what cases that. I'm asking because Mr. HS30 suggests installing the felt washers onto something that is riveted together.

I have a small grease gun with a pointed tip. That should easily fill cavities with grease.

Edited November 19, 2012 by TomoHawk

[EuroDat]

Mine was a little jittery too, but main problem was rattling especially after new bushes in the suspension. This rattle had me stumped for a while, it was only a low speed driving rattle. Now I know it was because the wind put tension on the linkage by pushing the wipers up when I drove faster than 60km/hr.

The linkage is domed shaped where the ball fits and the ball is held in place by a chrome plated spring steel shell. It is fitted with to small rivits. If you have to much play you could try removing the plate squeezing the dome section to remove the excess play. It would be trail and error.

I have included photos of the linkage with the chrome shell with small rivits.