Windshield Wipers Hopping

Yep.

I've also had great luck with whatever spray detailer you like to use and some clay bar. Takes all the imperfections off the glass and makes it feel like glass again. Smooth surface makes for no skips. That's been my experience on most of my vehicles anyway.

 

i had a massive issue with this on my other car, a subaru brz. i bought the car new, off the showroom floor. but about 1 year in, i couldn't get the wipers to not chatter, no matter the newness of the wiper blade.

but also important: from the first week, the car has always had aquapel window treatment applied to the windshield, which definitely didn't help. but i'm not willing to give up the water shedding capabilities. cars work better when the driver can see where they're going.

i ended up using an adjustable wrench and just barely twisting each wiper arm slightly, just above the point where the wiper attaches to the arm.

i originally tried ziptieing the wiper arm springs to increase the spring tension, but it didn't do anything.

i twisted the arms so that the 'return' swipe had 0.5-1 degree more dragging angle to it than it did before. they still chatter a little, but are far better.

 

It's not the wipers; it's the glass. Try a 3-step cleaning process:
1. De-grease with a degreaser. Conventional window cleaners just move the grease around.
2. Clay to remove embedded contaminants. This an eye opener.
3. Clean and wax. Yes - wax the glass either with a conventional wax or a newer product.

Since adopting this process, my blades last at least a year and perform flawlessly. As other TW Members said, go with original arms and replacement OEM inserts.

 

Went to get new inserts at my Toyota dealer and was told that they no longer carry the inserts due to people not installing them correctly, them falling off and the frame scratching the windshield. They now only sell the complete blade unit. Cleaned the windshield, put them on and now have a chattering on the driver's side bottom. 100% Toyota OEM blades.

 

It's a sad day in the world. Beam or frame type wipers are kinda foolproof. Haha!


It really mystifies me when we get Friday posts about the most basic stuff, yet the masses can some how install nuclear bright LED / HID retrofits on just about any vehicle.

 

AND... Asked if they carried the all metal frame type wiper arms, as mine had been changed out to the beam type mostly plastic "snow blades" a few years ago. If I was going to have to replace them, I'd rather have the metal ones. Was told they only have the all weather ones now. Will have to go online to see if I can find them... and the refills.

 

I use the OEM wipers and replace the inserts before the rainy season starts. Also, once a month or so during the rainy season I clay bar my windshield to clear it of technobits accumulated along the way. Wipers never chatter.

 

I followed along to TCCN.

https://youtu.be/adRFPUFJDoo

 

I am a fan of the beam type as they tend to work better at speed, but it sucks not to have choices, esp on something like that.

 

Gosh, me too! I was gonna say, OK, I'll give it a try, things sure have changed since I just kept my windshield clean, used a squeegee, and used factory blade inserts, but these kids with their Star Trek phones and Amazons must really know their stuff!

Here goes nothing!

 

Cheap trick that most of us have around.
Orange hand cleaner will work wonders on getting off bug and road grease.

 

I tried cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. Really hoped that would take care of it. Nope. Wanted to punch the windshield when they started jumping all over the place. Ordered the OEM wipers. Will also try to clay bar, barkeeper’s friend, shorter wipers. Really appreciate all the suggestions.

 

0000 steel wool. Yep!

 

Ordered the 0000 steel wool

 

I believe one of both of your arms are bent? Not the wiper bits, but the main arm that connects to the mechanism.

 

Interesting theory. Given that fact that OP has done quite a bit focused on the blades themselves with zero improvement, this is very plausible.

 

wiper blades chatter when the glass is too hydrophobic. products such as RainX prevent a thin layer of water lay between the rubber blade and the windshield so it can glide. Without the water to glide over, its a somewhat sticky rubber on clean glass, so you get grip, aka chatter.

try waxing the windshield as a form of lubrication.

 

It seems like water would be an adequate form of lubrication for wipers.

 

I think the dealers make more off the arms. I bought a set on my first one, but ordered the inserts from an online dealer and used the factory arm (I luckily saved).

 

the hydrophobic coating on the windshield (that transfers to the wipers) prevents this from happening. it's a very common misconception that dirty windshields make chatter. it's the same reason soap or a drying aid makes the paint slick. it's a surfactant that breaks surface tension.