Windshield wiper

doke01

doke01

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
Messages
583
Fluid Motion Model
R-25 Classic
Hull Identification Number
FMLT2507I607
Vessel Name
Nauti Dream (2007)
Anyone know where I can get a replacement windshield wiper? I dropped one overboard when I was cleaning it and can't find any local replacements that will work.

Doug K.
Nauti Dream
 
Doug - your best bet is to contact the factory at Ranger Tugs and see if they can tell you what wipers were installed based on your boat's hull no. These accessory items seem to change from year to year, and many look alike.
 
These blades are available at most any decent sized ship's store. They are typically described the length of the wiper blade. Being boat parts, you can expect to pay more than for automotive wiper blades.
 
Doug -

The wiper blades on my R-25 hull#43 are made by AFI Marinco. If yours are the same, their 12" black polymer wiper blades are part # 31012B Their website will list dealers in your Zip Code. The West Marine part number for this replacement blade is WM233770.

Ed
Bay Ranger
 
I guess this might be a good time to make a comment on getting more life out of your wipers
If you trailer the boat try not to park the wipers on the outside of the glass and sometimes this is a trick to do
but if you kill the power at the master switch you can pull it off. The wipers tend to get wind buffet (if thats the right word) and chatter and self destruct but parked toward the center of the boat that does not happen. I have a glass
cover now and that also helps. Bob Heselberg Eatonville Wa
 
Bay Ranger":2ysh290x said:
Doug -

The wiper blades on my R-25 hull#43 are made by AFI Marinco. If yours are the same, their 12" black polymer wiper blades are part # 31012B Their website will list dealers in your Zip Code. The West Marine part number for this replacement blade is WM233770.

Ed
Bay Ranger
Click to expand...

That WM part # WM233770 comes up NULL when I did a search on the WM web site! :cry:
 
I went to an auto store and got a generic blade @ 24" long that is designed to be cut to size. I think they were only a couple of bucks each, and I get two blades out of them.

Actually, I hardly use wipers since in put RAIN-X on my windows. That is amazing stuff.

Dave

"Lobo"
 
Thanks! I found it on Amazon.com using part number 31012B

Doug
 
I agree with Lobo, almost. I..........NEVER use the windshield wipers since I discovered Rain-X.
 
Ok, I got Rain-X and will use that. I also found the AFI wiper blades at WM here in Nanaimo. I'm wondering if anyone has tried using larger blades than the stock 12" ones. The motors seem to be designed to handle up to 16" blades, and as far as I can see, a 14" blade would probably fit ok, and maybe even a 16" if it was "customized" slightly. These things are pretty expensive, so I don't want to waste the money if someone else has already tried it. But it would be nice to have a slightly broader sweep.
 
One more wiper item: On my R-25 there is a hole where the blade attaches to the arm. It's a friction fit. I put cable ties through each and now I don't worry about them falling off.
 
Has anyone found a wiper arm that is better than the one that come with the boat. I find that mine constantly gets corroded at the joint and then the tension becomes compromised leaving a working wiper not removing rain.
 
knotflying":3upbs9h2 said:
Has anyone found a wiper arm that is better than the one that come with the boat. I find that mine constantly gets corroded at the joint and then the tension becomes compromised leaving a working wiper not removing rain.
Click to expand...

I agree.

I examined my R-25's wiper assembly the other week as the tension for holding the wiper blades on the glass was insufficient to remove water. I found the arms very corroded and covered in hard to remove crud. This was after 3 years of paying little attention to this issue. I removed the complete wiper arm assembly and did clean them thoroughly and removed most of the stuff. I then bent the metal arm to improve the wiper pressure on the glass and oiled all of the metal pieces. The extra pressure for the wipers to clear the water from the glass worked reasonably well but wasn't really what I would refer to as a good solution. The oiled metal though should go a long way in protecting the metal from corrosion and crud buildup over time.

The real problem with the assembly is if the blade assembly attachment to the serrated spindle corrodes so badly the the wiper assembly arm cannot be pulled off. In this case one would have to saw through the blade arm and somehow remove the remainder off the serrated spindle -- and this would be a PITA. Then of course you have to buy a complete wiper arm assembly and I'm told this could run into 100s of dollars for a set of four. Bob of Nellie Too mentioned this cost aspect to me a few weeks ago as he was faced with just this problem on his R-29.
 
Same problem on Lobo with corrosion (2008 boat). Andrew advised me to heat the wiper with a torch to help get them off, and that worked well. Heat the metal -- not the plastic cover which, in my case, broke off as soon as I touched them). There is a set-screw as well -- on my wipers they were at the top of the unit when the blades were in "park" so I had to turn them on and when in the "down" position shut off the house power.

I haven't reinstalled them -- still an avid Rain-X fan. I did buy new set-screws (West Marine at 10 cents a piece).

Now this sit, all clean and ready to be reinstalled.

Dave
 
It looks like this topic has gone cold and as a Newbie to this site, I am not sure if this post will be viewed or not but here goes. Also, I am unsure as to the method of posting a new topic.

We have just purchased a 2012 29 Sedan. All four wiper blades need to be replaced and I think "The entire apparatus" as the blades will not conform to the window when in use. Needed them yesterday due to spray but.... not working correctly. Totally missed on the survey.

Also, if someone has a good idea of "number of drips" acceptable when at rest and underway at the Packing Gland, I would appreciate it. I imagine 12 per minute while at the dock is excessive. I have made several attempts to adjust it but it seems to loosen after the operation. This box was supposedly restuffed after the survey but I was not there to observe.

Winds,
Mark
Dragonfly 2012 29 S.
 
Try lubricating and exercising the hinge/pivot and spring between the shaft and the wiper arm. They get crusty.
 
The wipers on our 29 work for show, but are not effective. For a surveyor, check, they work. We regularly rinse and lubricate the arms and the springs but they still never get pulled tight enough against the glass. The best fix is regular application of Rain-X so you don't need the wipers.

Chris
 
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