Peak Optix Wiper Blades

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Those "beam" blades are nice in the winter because they won't clog with ice. The wiping performance is not as good as a traditional metal-frame blade because the pressure is not exerted very evenly. The edges of the blades tend to skip or won't wipe well.

For someone in AZ, I'd stick with a metal-frame blade for best performance.
 
I've used them for almost a year in MN and I have zero complaints. I'm actually quite suprised they work so well for the price I paid.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Those "beam" blades are nice in the winter because they won't clog with ice. The wiping performance is not as good as a traditional metal-frame blade because the pressure is not exerted very evenly. The edges of the blades tend to skip or won't wipe well.

But isn't that the point of beam-style wipers? They should have more even pressure than traditional frame-style blades because there's not just a few pressure points?

The OEM Mitsuba beam-style blades did a great job all year round on my Nissan. I currently have Bosch ICON beam-style blades on both of our vehicles and they've been great all-year round too. I have sets of Trico NeoForm beam-style blades sitting on deck.

There's a lot of variability in wiper performance, across both styles of blades, that is due to the varying curve in windshields, axis point of wiper arms, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: barlowc

But isn't that the point of beam-style wipers? They should have more even pressure than traditional frame-style blades because there's not just a few pressure points?


In theory, yes, but in reality, sometimes the old type works better. I had Rain-X Latitude blades on my Optima and got rid of them in less than a year. They were not not wiping cleanly in the center part of the blade's area of travel over the windshield. They never worked well from day one, so it wasn't age related.

This only happened on the driver side which is a 24" blade (passenger side is 18"). My speculation is that the longer blade had a tendency to lift off the windshield in the middle due to inconsistent pressure across the blade. It was almost like it was pushing too hard at the ends.

Also, they would skip and chatter at highway speeds, another problem I never had with regular blades... guess the wind was catching them even though they are supposed to be more resistant to that issue.

Switched to cheap Rain-X Weatherbeaters and haven't had either problem even after 10 months.

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There's a lot of variability in wiper performance, across both styles of blades, that is due to the varying curve in windshields, axis point of wiper arms, etc.


Exactly. For this reason, I might try OEM from the dealer next time.

No matter what, I have found that a good CLEAN windshield goes a long way. Also, every month or two, wipe rubber on the wiper blade with a soft cloth dampened with a good window cleaner such as Invisible Glass. This can greatly improve wiper performance, and help save money buy not replacing wipers as often (especially if you buy the expensive ones).
 
My father worked in Bosch's wiper division for over 20 years. He said their own internal testing even proved the beams don't wipe as evenly. The metal arm assembly allows pressure to be distributed much more effectively towards the edges, especially on larger blades.
 
Originally Posted By: jim302
In theory, yes, but in reality, sometimes the old type works better. I had Rain-X Latitude blades on my Optima and got rid of them in less than a year. They were not not wiping cleanly in the center part of the blade's area of travel over the windshield. They never worked well from day one, so it wasn't age related.

This only happened on the driver side which is a 24" blade (passenger side is 18"). My speculation is that the longer blade had a tendency to lift off the windshield in the middle due to inconsistent pressure across the blade. It was almost like it was pushing too hard at the ends.


That's been my experience, too. It's very vehicle dependent. The G37 has no problems with beams, even though the driver's side is long, like yours, and short on the passenger side. The old F-150 with 18" blades both sides has no problems with beam blades, either. The Audi 200, with 21" blades both sides, does not tolerate beam blades at all.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
My father worked in Bosch's wiper division for over 20 years. He said their own internal testing even proved the beams don't wipe as evenly. The metal arm assembly allows pressure to be distributed much more effectively towards the edges, especially on larger blades.


This ends the discussion, for me! Done!

A good suggestion for winter is the rubberized covered type that won't allow snow/ice inside.
 
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I I just bought another pair (my third for a third car) and I noticed the attachment system is different than my two original pair. Not bad, just different. Also, I noticed "Valeo" is printed on the actual rubber wiper portion.
 
Originally Posted By: E365
I I just bought another pair (my third for a third car) and I noticed the attachment system is different than my two original pair. Not bad, just different. Also, I noticed "Valeo" is printed on the actual rubber wiper portion.


That's good to know. Valeo wiper blades have a great reputation and a lot of people here like them.
 
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