Sticky Chattering Wipers

ekpolk · Oct 9, 2005

About two weeks ago, I had my car in the dealer svc dept for some wty work and maintenance items. Because I was on the road, and didn't feel like bothering, I gritted my teeth, and had them install new wiper blades (sidenote: I was amazed at the non-rape I experienced; only $11 for two blades, installed, at an Infiniti dealer, no less!).

Anyway, they worked fine and smoothly on my Rain-X coated windshield until a few days ago. BTW, I don't use them much, as the RX coating works well enough by itself 90% of the time. Then, on a recent road trip, I ran out of wash fluid, and refilled with Prestone bug removing windshield wash. It's great at removing the remains of swarms of love bugs, but shortly after starting to use it, my blades started sticking to the glass so badly, I can hardly use them. They buck and chatter so bad, I'm afraid I'm going to harm the system. I've washed and washed the blades and the glass, and even scrubbed the glass down with acetone, but the darned blades still stick and chatter.

Anyone got any brilliant ideas before I pony up for another set of new blades??? Thanks for any assistance.

Of course, I've purged out all the Prestone crap, and will never try that stuff again.

kenw · Oct 9, 2005

sounds like the solvent that de-lovebugs also attacked the blades. Some solvents will make rubber/neoprene really sticky. Once that happens, it's curtains for the blades. A friend once claimed to be able to stretch the life of blades with armorall, but I've never gone there and don't think that would help if they've been chemically degraded like this.

sorry.

ShortBuSX · Oct 9, 2005

I recently got a bottle of No Touch - Auto Glass stripper...worked great, wipers go over the glass smoothly even with no water on the windshield.

Interestingly enough, the dirrections say to continue to use the product until the water sheets off, not bead up, like RainX would do.

1sttruck · Oct 9, 2005

I use RainX but also strip the glass once in awhile. Wipers work well on clean glass but my experinece is that they can't keep up with a heavy downpour or with lots of road spray, so I use RainX. With fresh RainX I usually have my wipers on low regardless of how much it's raining.

Eddie · Oct 9, 2005

I gave up on RainX, as the hassle is not worth it.

ekpolk · Oct 10, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Eddie:
I gave up on RainX, as the hassle is not worth it.

I gave up on the Rain-X washer fluid, as it too seems to cause sticking and chattering after a while. The wipe-on stuff is a bit of a pain, but I've found that you can really put it on fast in a pinch, and it lasts a decent amount of time. I can see why you'd feel this way, but I drive enough, and in the rain enough, that I don't want to give up on it.

TomH · Oct 10, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Eddie:
I gave up on RainX, as the hassle is not worth it.

Ditto here as well. Rain-X works great, at least for about a week anyway, after that, it's chatter city. Short of using Bon-Ami on the glass and installing a new set of blades/inserts, nothing else seems to get rid of the Rain-X chatter.

Kestas · Oct 10, 2005

For wiper/windshield maintenance I always include a good cleaning of the wiper blades. I use alcohol to remove much of the accumulated grime from the wiper blade itself.

seotaji · Oct 10, 2005

quote:

No Touch - Auto Glass stripper

where do you get it?

'Tard · Oct 10, 2005

303 protectant on the blades and the windshield, no more chatter.

Brett Miller · Oct 10, 2005

Regular old blue washer fluid works well for cleaning wiper blades. I use glass cook-top cleaner to clean my windshields. Bon-Ami also works well and is recommended by GM.

ekpolk · Oct 10, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by 'Tard:
303 protectant on the blades and the windshield, no more chatter.

I just found a whole range of 303 products on the internet. I've got two questions. First, exactly which one am I looking for. Second, can you get this stuff retail (I want to get this problem solved, like yesterday...)?

Thanks.

============================================

I thought old blue would help, but I think that I compromised the blades with that Prestone anti-bug crap. Having tried a wide variety of substances, except the 303 stuff, I think the blades are toast. They're even a little tacky to the touch. Shoot, at $11 for a pair installed, I shoulda just done the blades at the outset. . . But being irrational, I'll still try the 303

.

dkcase · Oct 11, 2005

303 protectant ....., can you get this stuff retail ?

Thanks.

QUOTE]
If you go to their site.. 303products.com, you can click on "where to buy" for retail locations. 303 at Pensacola

Other than boater shops, I got some at a truck accessories place -- camper tops, tonneau covers. However, it was too expensive compared to online . I actually think they had it marked wrong for the product size. I too wanted to get it without waiting.

'Tard · Oct 11, 2005

Are you sure the blades are toast or are they only coated with that tacky bug stuff?
Clean them with rubbing alchohol and see if they are still sticky. Inspect if they still have their little beaded edge where they contact the glass.

303 Aerospace Protectant can be bought at marine stores.

Boater's World
5100 N. 9Th Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32504
850-969-0788

West Marine #00170
7160 N. Davis Hwy
Pensacola, FL 32504
904-476-2720

West Marine #00065
3500 Barrancas Ave.
Pensacola, FL 32507
904-453-0010

West Marine
3810 Barrancas Avenue # 3
Pensacola, FL 32507
850-456-9955

ekpolk · Oct 11, 2005

Thanks Tard and dk. Alas, the Marine Corps has me stuck up in Atlanta at the moment, and I get home about every other weekend. I'm sure that in this little Georgia village, I'll be able to find a supplier if there are four of them in Pcola.

XS650 · Oct 11, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by ekpolk:
Thanks Tard and dk. Alas, the Marine Corps has me stuck up in Atlanta at the moment, and I get home about every other weekend. I'm sure that in this little Georgia village, I'll be able to find a supplier if there are four of them in Pcola.

NAPA carrys it in my village.

kang · Oct 12, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by TomH:

quote:

Originally posted by Eddie:
I gave up on RainX, as the hassle is not worth it.

Click to expand...

Ditto here as well. Rain-X works great, at least for about a week anyway, after that, it's chatter city. Short of using Bon-Ami on the glass and installing a new set of blades/inserts, nothing else seems to get rid of the Rain-X chatter.

This has been my experience as well. RainX is great on the side & back windows and mirrors, though!

Winston · Oct 13, 2005

Anyone try these blades.

http://www.silblade.com/

You can get them for about $13 at amazon.

ShortBuSX · Oct 13, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by seotaji:

quote:

No Touch - Auto Glass stripper

Click to expand...

where do you get it?

Ace hardware...itll run you bout $7 bucks.

C.S. · Oct 14, 2005

I had the same problem when I replaced my blades with silicone ones about a year ago (1000 mi from home in a 3 day rainstorm). They chattered like gangbusters for a couple of hours, then settled down and are as smooth as (insert favorite smooth cliche here)ever since.

Sticky Chattering Wipers

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