Tricks for getting the center of the wiper blade to work in wintry conditions?

[mapper]

So I drive in the snow a lot, which is one reason I bought the xc70. As winter progresses here in SLC I'm getting more and frustrated that anytime it snows I get about a 1.5" strip right in my field of view that happens because the wiper blade ices up right at the point where it attaches to the arm. My car is the 2005 so have the new fandangled springy style wipers...the kind that also work for crap (chatter like crazy and lift up in the wind) when I purchased them as replacements on my other cars.

In any case. I hoped a new volvo blade would help, but no dice. It seems this is some kind of design flaw so I can't be the only one having the problem. Doesn't help that the wipers park below where the defrost hits the windshield. Every time it snows I'm left moving my damn head around like a bird trying to see around that little strip right in the middle. It's driving me nuts. The car drives awesome in the snow, especially when spin control is switched off, but I can't see!!

Has anyone figured out some kind of ingenious solution? I'd love to run old style blade (esp. the winter blades) but my wiper arm is the new design. Furthermore last time I went to the local auto parts store every blade they had was the new kind.

[JRL]

Buy a new wiper arm

[mapper]

Buy a new wiper arm

Ok, I'll politely ask why that might make a difference in the wiper blade icing up...and if anyone else has had a similar issue rectified by a new wiper arm?

[mapper]

Actually, the more I think about it, I don't think the blade is icing up. I actually think the blade can't conform to the curve of the window in that spot because the attachment prohibits the new style one-piece blade from flexing right in that spot.

[JRL]

I must say I'm not all that familiar with the new flat blades and arms, but with the older arms, installing a new one (with new springs) usually fixes wiping issues.
Also it just may need to be adjusted a bit (again, like the older ones).

[mapper]

Your 2007 should have the same blades as my 2005.

ok, forgive my ignorance here. How does one adjust a wiper blade or wiper arm? In twenty years of owning and wrenching on cars I've never needed to touch the wiping system aside from a drop of oil on nuts attaching the arms and changing blades. If you thing spring tension is the issue I could add a slight bend to the arm to give it more tension...but honestly this seems much more like a blade issue than an arm issue. I should add that the passenger side does the same thing....but I'm not trying to look through that part of the glass.

Are you saying adjust as in change the indexing of the arm on the wiper transmission? If so, that's not the problem they are parked correctly and moving them up would mean the driver's side wiper goes off the windshield when at full travel

[bfife]

Mapper, I hear ya with the wiper blade frustration. I think I've tried them all. and I don't think its just the Volvo, I fight the same problem with my Ford truck. I finally found these http://www.surewipe.com/.
They come out of Canada so about 3 weeks shipping. I got mine yesterday, just in time for this latest round of snow. So far, I'm impressed. and for $10 it can't hurt.
drive carefully we've received about 10 in last night here in Ogden and more on the way

Barney

[seanm]

bfife: It looks like $19 with shipping.. yes?
did you install the sure wipe springs on your Volvo or Ford?
If Volvo - did you order the the Sure Wipe G?
How did they do today with the snow in Salt Lake?

[mapper]

Yeah I always get frozen wiper in bad snow but the volvo is the worst I've ever dealt with. The blades just plain suck everytime it snows even a little bit. I ski basically every weekend and go out and play in the snow everytime it snows, even if just sledding with the dogs after work...so the issue is getting old real fast. You're never to old to sled, by the way...been rocking an old school tobbagon this year, tons of fun!

I may look into the sure wipes but I also may just try bending the arms to give the blades more pressure. I find the old school snow blades, with the rubber membrane and red plastic caps, work best in winter. Sadly I can't find them anymore. I have an old set on my VW but the rubber is getting crappy.

My volvo has a whole different type of blade system and even if I could find the old snow blades they wouldn't attach to the arm. Maybe some zip tie kung-fu would work.

Measure a solid 12" of snow at my house this eve. Been in UT 4 winters and this is the worst I've seen the winter driving in town. Mts have actually been getting less snow than town on some recent storms. Best ski turns I found today was in the foothills right in town.

[JRL]

You can put on 01-04 arms and go back to the older style where there are a lot of blade choices

[KB3MMX]

You can put on 01-04 arms and go back to the older style where there are a lot of blade choices

^^^^^^WHS
Could even add aftermarket heated blades too!

.

[sjonnie]

Has anyone figured out some kind of ingenious solution?
I believe this (http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2289078/windshield-wipers) guy found the answer [thumbup]

[bfife]

bfife: It looks like $19 with shipping.. yes?
did you install the sure wipe springs on your Volvo or Ford?
If Volvo - did you order the the Sure Wipe G?
How did they do today with the snow in Salt Lake?

Yep $19. I ordered 2 sets, one for each. I haven't installed them on the Ford as its under cover for the winter. Like mapper said we got about 12 inches of snow yesterday
and I will say, the wipers worked very well. even after going shopping and coming out to ice frozen under the snow the wipers cleared the glass quickly. I do believe I'll shop for a new set of blades just so I'm starting "fresh" so to speak.
The Surewipes came with a note, "the G springs have been superseeded to a new universal spring." The number is 093 or 21-0417. I think if you just order the G's online you'll be OK. I must add the customer service has been awesome. When I ordered, the paypal jumped right to the "done" screen before I could confirm my ship to address. And seeing as the last time I had purchased anything I was in South Dakota, that's where the springs were going to. I called the 800 number and got a really nice lady that said they were closed but how could she help. After explaining what happened she was able to look up my order and fix it with no hassle. Just a good purchase overall.

Barney

[Allen]

Your wiper arm springs may be worn out, thus unable to force down the entire blade to the window surface. The new wiper blades work great if your arm has enough spring-tension to make them work.

[seanm]

So I am clear - the Superwipes are NOT a new wiper arm - but a set of springs - that install onto your existing wiper arm.
And you leave your existing arm springs as they are?
So they are NOT a replacement spring - but a supplemental spring - that adds additional tension to the arm/blade against the windshield..?

[JRL]

A LOT easier just to buy a new wiper arm

[seanm]

Retail price:
$18 for a pair of Superwipe springs (incl. shipping) - or $110 (w/o shipping) for a pair of wiper arms (IPD OE)
IF the add-on springs work - it looks just as easy to install and much less expensive.

[bfife]

So I am clear - the Superwipes are NOT a new wiper arm - but a set of springs - that install onto your existing wiper arm.
And you leave your existing arm springs as they are?
So they are NOT a replacement spring - but a supplemental spring - that adds additional tension to the arm/blade against the windshield..?

that is correct

[ssicarman]

Have you made sure that the wiper arm pivot is free? If it is siezing due to corrosion it will not let the full pressure of the wiper arm spring come into play. If you pull the wiper arm up it should move up freely and come down freely. If it doesn't lube the pivot up with a penetrating fluid until it is moving freely.

[mapper]

Your wiper arm springs may be worn out, thus unable to force down the entire blade to the window surface. The new wiper blades work great if your arm has enough spring-tension to make them work.

y blades do work fabulous except when it is cold and snowy. Noticed you were in GA so I'm not sure you have had an issue with those conditions.

My car was originally from So Cal and there isn't a spot of rust on it. The pivots in the arms are free and with all the stopping to bang/clean blades I've done, that pivot has been used plenty.

It just seems odd to me that a car with 75k on it would have worn out wiper arms, sure as hell not going throw a $110 part at it on a whim. May be easier for someone who gets wholesale prices and cheap labor but for us regular blokes throwing parts at a problem is not a rational solution to every issue.

That said, there may be something to because it seems this isn't a common problem. The predictability of the issue kind of made me think folks would be jumping up and down saying, yeah...I know exactly whatcha mean. Looks like I need to experiment a bit on my own.

[DennisM]

Thanks JRL.
I was just looking for that very info. I would like to buy blades at the local auto parts store, but that 'very special' attachment system on the 07 looked like it wan't going to play nice.

What is the secret to removing the rear blade? I don't want to break the plastic covers trying to remove them without a little heads up.

Thanks,

Dennis

[Allen]

Now that I think about it, I've had this problem before, too. I don't think I had a fix for it besides blowing all of the warmed air onto the windshield instead of through the cabin. I guess the plastic body of the wiper wants to contract and return to it's original curved shape, maybe even more so. Maybe you can install a set of the old-school wipers that don't have the bow-shape built in?

[DennisM]

Our 08 Mini cooper has "Euro style" blades and they do the same thing. I'm going to change them to a 'framed' blade. The Volvo Semi-tractor. . .same thing. They (our service department) had to change to a full-framed winter blade to keep up with Maine's lovely icy, slushy crappy winters. There are 5 wrecked Volvo 70 series cars in the 00-04 range at a salvage yard in Gorham, Maine. I'm going to pop in and get the wiper arms from one of them. $30.00 each. Then it is back to normal wiper blades.

[Xheart]

We expect a world from the thin strip of rubber.
After several years of failed attempts to fix or find a perfect blade, I have modified my approach and lowered my expectations of the blade.

Instead improved the overall workings of it with surprising results and visibility in all weather condition. I do not use scrapping tools on windshield or any glass surface to remove ice buildup, or wiper assembly.

This is working for me.
- remove the wiper blades
- remove the wiper arms
- clean the wiper arm where it is mounted, remove any build up
- check and clean the threads for re assembly later
- clean the windshield with warm water, then use rain-X 2-in-1 few times with a coffee break between each
- re-assemble wiper arm and torque to just above the spec, 12 ft/lb in my case, be careful, check for the wiper arm position
- put new good quality blades from Volvo
Give it a try!

In snow and freeze condition, run the wiper AFTER you have switched the selector to send all cabin hot air to the windshield, and the defrost is ON. If your engine is warm, it will be few minutes to a jolly good driving.

[coflynn]

Out of interest I picked up those extra springs (easy to get here in Canada, local store has them). It does make a small improvement, basically what you would expect by getting a little extra pressure.



clean the windshield with warm water, then use rain-X 2-in-1 few times with a coffee break between each


I recently switched to the Rain-X windshield washer fluid, which over time is supposed to coat the windshield in whatever chemical that is. We noticed that the area where the RainX has been applied by the blades is noticeably less icey in the mornings/easier to clear. So doing the RainX treatment is an excellent way to save yourself a little hassle in the winter too.

[DennisM]

The only issue I have had with Rain-X, is night driving in the rain. I have used their product on my car before, and used it for awhile on the International I drove as an over-the-road truck driver. During the daytime, it was fine, as long as I didn't need the windshield wipers, and I could let the rain 'blow' off the windshield, but when I had to turn on the wipers, especially at night, the return stroke of the wiper always left a haze, like a fog across the windshield. It would go away after about 1 to 2 seconds, but I could not stand that loss of vision with every sweep, even if it was brief. I found the Rain-X deicer/windshield washer solution to do that even more. I ultimately ended up removing the reservoir and dumping the remainder, then washing out the residue.

I don't expect much from my wiper blades. Just wipe my windshield clear. The products advertise that they do it, so I don't expect them to not do what the say. As I have said, on the Volvo tractors, we switched from the thin plastic euro-blade, to the full framed wiper blade that you typically see on Japanese and American cars, and the problem was greatly improved. Freezing rain issues are another story altogether, but just driving down the road on a normal snowy day, should not lead to you having a 2 inch wide swath across the middle of your windshield that keeps you from seeing clearly, or forces you to duck down to look underneath it.

I also don't want to pay Volvo prices for wiper blades that don't work very well.

By the way, if you try Rain-X and decide you don't like it, it will be awhile before the stuff wears off. I used acetone to remove the coating, with some success.

[Xheart]

I also don't want to pay Volvo prices for wiper blades that don't work very well.

By the way, if you try Rain-X and decide you don't like it, it will be awhile before the stuff wears off. I used acetone to remove the coating, with some success.

You will be surprised at the Volvo part prices these days. I have started to Not be a penny wise and pound foolish.

Acetone is sharp like a razor blade. Take a look at turpenoid natural from Weber. Not much difference in price, but safe on your health, and on variety of materials it comes in contact with, and since windshield glass has ample synthetic material around, which acetone could damage non-repairable.

These are not permanent fixes, be diligent.

[gibbons]

I think these cars have a convoluted defrost system. When it's snowing hard, I put it on defrost, and turn the temperature control up full blast, and the fan up full blast. The window finally gets warm enough to help the wipers.

[Astro14]

PIAA Silicone wipers work better and last longer than anything I have ever tried, including Bosch.

Order from The Tire Rack.

[DennisM]

PrepSol from the automotive paint supplier would be a good choice as well. No residue, dries instantly, and won't cut your paint.

I'll look at PIAAs for the 2004 wiper arms and see what they have.

[DennisM]

Ah, so they leave a coating of silicone as they wipe. I don't want to end up back to where there is a momentary haze left behind on the return sweep of the blade like Rain-X leaves. Rain-X uses Siloxanes (proprietary) and alcohols. I'm guessing that the 'Silo' in siloxane is a silicone base. I think I will still lean towards just a good full frame blade. No tricky stuff, and see how that works first. Regular blades have worked on my Ram and Dakota for 200,000 miles each. Should be ok on a Volvo.

[JRL]

Also claybar your glass, this works like RainX without leaving any residue on the glass

[Astro14]

The PIAA wipers don't leave a coating of silicone, that I can tell. I think the name means that they're made from silicone rubber...

They are worlds better than regular wipers - no streaks, no film, no chatter.

[mapper]

I think these cars have a convoluted defrost system. When it's snowing hard, I put it on defrost, and turn the temperature control up full blast, and the fan up full blast. The window finally gets warm enough to help the wipers.

Only problem with that system is you need to strip down to skivvies and a t-shirt or open the windows while you drive through the snow storm [cool2]

I definitely go with that approach on the nasty, nasty storms but it's not reasonable for every little snow shower that comes along. Often I'm going to or returning from skiing and wearing clothes that don't require much heat pumping out the climate control. Even in daily duty I rarely turn my temp above 64 or fan above #2...which leads to another rant:

Why can't I have just a little heat. 62, the lowest setting that gives any heat at all, is often much warmer than I want. AND, this silly semi manual auto climate control system requires me to change 2 knobs to select a proper temperature [cussing]. Oh well, that's another thread. :rolleyes: