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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Wiper Motor

I have a question for TF owners that have the original wiper motor/gear installed. Can you tell me approximately how long it takes for a full sweep of the wipers, i.e. right-left-right? My wipers takes about three seconds for a full sweep. This is fine only in a light drizzle. The wipers just had to have a faster sweep when new. I should mention that the gearbox is clean with new grease. I wonder if having the motor rebuilt might help? Any thoughts along that line?
OK, I know what you are thinking--that is why we have RainEx, who drives their cars in rain anyway, are you nuts, etc. etc. I must admit that, due to boredom, I thought I might look into this situation as something to do for the car.

Larry
LD Kanaster

I've always found all the MGs I've owned have a slow sweep. You want to see what they are like in snow!!!!!
JK Mazgaj

New glass, too tight a spring and RainEx all slow down the wipers.
I have used my TF all year round for 46 years (except when salt is down) and have never had a problem.
Just been in the garage. 26 double sweeps per minute on a wet screen.
Have you taken out the cable and fully cleaned and lubed it.
Just pull out the cable and it should move with ease. I clean it and use motorcycle chain lube as it is lighter than grease.
Ray TF 2884

Ray Lee

Ray-- I made a mistake when I rebuilt the car in that I failed to remove and lube the wiper cable. As I understand what you wrote I need only to disconnect the cable from the gearbox and it should pull out? For reasons that I can't say I have not tried to this. I figured that the entire cable system had to be removed from the gearbox to the switch to get it fully lubed. I will do as you say and see what happens.
Thank you for your advice.

Re JK-- Snow in England? I do remember being rather cold on my military flights to the island. I also remember being on the only open-deck bus running in London during the month of January. After about three blocks the other pilot and myself departed for the nearest pub for some badly needed liquid sustenance.
LD Kanaster

Larry,
I should have said to take the wiper arms off the drive splines. As you pull out the cable the shafts will spin, When refitting, push the cable in until it reaches the first wheel box then just screw it it in till it reaches the second. I do it every year during its winter service.
We do not get a lot of snow but we sure get rain.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Easy to time the TF wiper sweep, you just need a sundial. No, wait, they don’t work in the rain either..🤡
C I Twidle

Just run your side,your passenger does'nt need to know where they are going ;-)
One of my favourite cars was a Ford 107E Prefect, this had vacuum driven wipers. You got about 30 seconds of acceleration before the wipers stopped. You had to lift off the throttle for 10 secs of wipers.
Now the wiper functions on a new car mean you need to get the manual out to stop them going when you don't want them.
Ray TF 2884

you can probably guess by my many replies that lockdown is getting to me.
Ray Lee

Hang in there Ray, lock downs and masks may be a pain but Melbourne is proof that they can and do work.
My brother had a Ford Popular - same wiper system. Probably slightly better than manually operated, but not much!
Chris
C I Twidle

Chris,
I totally agree with the lock down, I am now in a "bubble" which allows me to be in contact with one family unit. As I have no family near I picked a friend and we are in the middle of converting his TD Mk2 from LHD to RHD and a 5 speed conversion. The only problem is that some bits are in another country (Wales),we are hoping to find somebody making deliveries who could swing by and pick them up.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

I have a newly rebuilt TF wiper motor and even with the cables being cleaned and lubed the sweep is hardly any different. I opted to modify a MGA DR-2 motor and it will wipe the screen faster when dry than the original when wet! The DR-2 requires no wire change from original, the DR-1 2 speed requires an extra wire and remote switch. PJ


PJ Jennings

This thread was discussed between 06/11/2020 and 09/11/2020

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