At 02:21 AM 6/21/2001, Tony wrote:
>Aha - ok so just replace the arm - cool.  I also
>understand one can pull the arm off - clean out loose
>bits of metal - and tighten down snug - this will cut
>new grooves in the wiper arm socket?

Right.  The arms don't have splines when they are made -- they're cut when
you tighten the arm onto the shaft.  The splines on the shaft are made
fairly sharp to facilitate this.

The major reason is to provide a shear joint so that the linkage won't tear
itself apart if the wiper gets frozen down or caught on something.

david

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"