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MG MGA - Dodging the raindrops

Took a ride Saturday to meet up with the Paradise British Car Club. I checked the weather reports and figured I could dodge the raindrops and it might actually turn out to be a nice day.

David Holmes

Got to our meeting place in Central California where of course it never rains. The good news is that the new hood did not leak where the top bow meets the windscreen. The Bad news... without sidecurtains my wife and I were pelted with hail and became just a wee bit soaked. Great Fun!

David Holmes

Then of course the driver's side wiper flew off but luckily we were in slow traffic and I was able to reach out the open door and pick the errant blade and arm off the road. Reminded me of the Californio Vaqueros who would pluck a buried rooster out of the dirt by grabbing the rooster's head whilst in full gallop... not much fun for the rooster.

David Holmes

Well at least you could use the dis-attached wiper to wipe the INSIDE of the screen while you had it in your hand!
I found that the reason my wiper (it's always the drivers side regardless of what continent you are on!) fell off was because it didn't slide far enough down the splines for the little spring clip in the arm to "grab" the flange at the bottom. I cured it by filing down the bump at the top of the splines which was prventing it from sliding right on. It could be that modern wiper arms are made to different dimensions to the originals. I also tweaked the tension of the spring clip to make it hold better. I have been out in plenty of rain since, and no more trouble.
I have tried to explain as best I can, but if you remove your wiper arm and look closely at the end that slides over the splined shaft, I think you'll understand what I am talking about!
Lindsay Sampford

Thanks Lindsay, I get it. I think mine was not pushed down enough as you say. Will check it out.
David Holmes

This is the third or fourth report of "new" wiper arms falling off that I have heard in the past 6 months. George Merryweather had them both fly off on the same trip!
Maybe someone should take a look at these arms to see if there is a manufacturing fault, as suggested above, or it is an installation problem? Having to grind down the posts to get them to fit, does not sound like a long term solution to me.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Peter, nothing as drastic as grinding down the post. I found that my posts were slightly domed, which was enough to stop the arm going all the way. All I did was file the dome to give a flat top to the post.
Lindsay Sampford

it has been a problem for years as the moss posts are too small. Find a set of original spindles - the arms seem to be fine
dominic clancy

Lindsay,
New or original posts? Either way, filing down (a gentle way of "grinding"!) should not be necessary to make the arms fit. It is alarming that so many arms are flying off, even those installed by "experienced" MGers.
Dominic suggests that the spindles are the problem. Were yours new and from MOSS?
Peter.
P. Tilbury

I had a number of bad wipers from both VB and Moss that were labeled "Texan" (I think). All of them fell off at the slightest movement.

I finally got some that were made in the UK and the problem was solved.
JM Morris

Original posts Peter. I found that where the splined part had been fitted (interference fit I presume) to the actual shaft that goes down into the wheel box, the end of the shaft stood proud of the top of the splines. It was the same on both the wiper posts. This protusion was enough to bottom out (or should that be top out!) inside the wiper arm (new), thus stopping the spring clip from getting a hold of the bottom of the splines, thus allowing the wiper arm to slide up the post. That clip is what keeps the arm on, not friction on the splines. Without the clip to hold it, the arm is pushed up the post by the tension of the arm spring. Take it from me, my arms now stay on, and I have driven my car in plenty of rain. One trip involved 50 miles of relentless torrential rain and wind, but never lost a wiper. Works for me as "long term solution".

P.S. To be sure, I just went and gave my wipers a good tug; they don't come off just by tugging on them, the arm has to be lifted and tilted on the post in order to release the clip and get it off.
Lindsay Sampford

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2011 and 23/02/2011

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