AHHH! These F***ing wiper pivots!

Here's the back ground.........
'74 jeep CJ5 I purchases from N.Y.
The PO had installed a new windshiled frame, but had problems with the wipers, mostly the passenger side.
He cut a small tab where the wiper "pin" goes through the frame for ?????
I aligned the wipes up nice, tightend the nut down GOOD.
Nice they go back and forth, back and forth.
Then it rains........
the passenger side wiper flops down on the inside and WHAMO! the wipers stop.
I reach out pull, it "pops" and goes back into place.
(it won't do it with the wiper arm off)
I noticed last night the pivot was as a angle, bent it back into place and REALLY noticed how easy the windshield frame bends in and out.
Saw here someone put a big washer to spread the psi out, so I got a HUGE washer re-aligned the stops and tighten the P*** out of it,
Nice it goes to and fro, to and fro! I'm as genious!R)
Hop in this morning, go to wipe the dew off the windshield WHAMO! it plops down.
Drive it to work, make a 6" X 2 1/2" plate out of a old sign, drill a hole for the wiper arm, plop it on the outside of the frame, install the HUGE washer and tighten the P*** out of the nut yet again.
It seems to be going to and fro again.
What is going on here????
I checked the throw of the passenger wiper arm (figuring the hole was a bit closer than the arm, causing it to "bind" and that making the frame flex, I inlarged the hole a tad so the pivot has some room.
Any thing else I can check? do?
It's annouying the farkle out of me, it's soooo simple, but I just can seem to get it right!:?
Joe
Maybe it's a "sunny day jeep"?

 

I think your right. It doesn't like to get wet. :twisted:

 

Mmm. No experience with the repop windshield frame, but I kind suspect that's where your problem lies. The bottom of my windshield frame was rotted out and I repaired it with some metal, but have no problems with the pivots or their alignment.

 

Mopar came out with a reinforcement plate for the YJ wranglers
same problem, weak frame or overcentered linkage, then damaging the holes. It was to be installed on the inside of the frame
the spacing may be off, as it is one unit with both holes, , but maybe you could find one locally, boneyard or dealer, and make it work on the inside.
Once these frames get the "oil can" effect, almost impossible to make them stop.

 

Last night I went nuts on it, I figured I was freaked anyway, so what the heck.
Last resort was I was gonna yank out the existing system and install the 2 electric wiper motors that replaced the old vacuum wiper set up on the flat tops jeeps.
Here's what I did................
Windshield frame flex-(I would have like to get a plate on the INSIDE of the frame, but there is NO access to the linkage?:? I dunno how they got all to fit in there, but they did), so I pop riviet a 6 "long X 2 1/2" almn sign plate on the outside to reinforce the frame, (I figured if I used metal and spot welded it in place, it'd weaken it up more from the heat, there was no way I could get a wrench to use nuts and bolts in there).
Next came a 2 1/2" flat washer that I found in my can of washers.
I took the windshield frame and oblonged the hole 1/16"ish wider, (to the passenger side I thought the linkage was longer than the hole causing the oil canning)
With the linkage in the LONGEST position I bolted the pivot in place, keeping the left side stop close to the pivot stop on the linkage, so there is no play to have it flop down, (the stop will stop it). Before I had it set up so the pivot arm didn't hit the stop like 9-3 position, now it like 10-4 position).
With the bolt snug, I DRILLED 2 1/8" holes on the pivot flange where it touces the inside of the frame through the assy and frame/plate/washer. You gotta do this with the holes angled AWAY from the locking nut maybe a 15 degree angle, so you don't hit the nut, (I did on the first hole, then realized the angle was needed)
2 pop rivets keep the assy from turning, plus keeps the oil canning down.
Toss the chrome spacer washer and TIGHTEN the outer nut, followed by another nut to "lock" the pivot in place.
This SHOULD keep the pivot in place from turning, (you gotta remember the PO had cut a tiny spot out where the little boss held the pivot in place for ???? some reason???).
I had the wiper arm on and noticed the washer was rocking just a tad, 2 pop rivets on the right outer edge to the frame pulled that tight.
I had it runnign 10 minutes last night,seems good, (but I've said that before).
it can't "pop" down as the stop won't let it, can't turn as it ha 2 pop rivets stopping it, as well as that 3/4" bolt TIGHT.
Over all it looks like something the dog barfed on the carpet when you look close at it, but it seems to work.
Sprayed it black,(the windshield frame is black), silcone the rivots, edge of the plate to water proof it, and we'll see.
If it wasn't a BRAND new frame, I didn't have the jeep DONE, I'd just get another WS frame and start over, but for some reason I want to DRIVE this jeep instead of fix and sell like my other projects.
Joe
Did you ever notice no matter what's YOUR project, there is ALWAYS some simple pimple that gets on your arse? A motor swap- a wire keeps falling off, hose leaking, A stupid bolt strips or breaks.
A re wrie- something simple, the headlight dash bulb works 1/2 the time, no matter what you do, your horn works when you don't give a sheet about it. The wipers only work when it's nice out!
If it someone elses or a customers it goes perfect, but yours-forgetaboutit mehh!!
Ahhh jeeps! You gota love them!