Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Wiper blade recommendation? Now Length?
From:Dave Mcneely
Date:Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:49:12 -0500

---- Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote that Dave.

and you think mine wasn't when I replied?  mcneely

>
> alistair
>
>
> On 2012-10-30, at 8:24 AM, <mcneely4@cox.net> <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
>
> > I've had no problem with the longer blades.  Oh, maybe I have.  The passenger side wiper started to flop around about six months after I started using the longer blades.  Things went down from there, and I ended up spending time, money and effort to get the wiper transmission replaced.  It actually was pretty expensive eventually.
> >
> > Of course, I cannot attribute the failure to the longer blades, but the transmission was carrying a miniscule amount more weight.  What I really think is that the shaft and the splines in the blade axle just got old after 21 years.
> >
> > mcneely
> >
> > ---- Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> >> some food for thought... a switch from 19" to 21" blades results in an (rough estimate) 22% increase in swept area. If one assumes same swept area increase on pass. side wiper, it would be a 44% swept area increase overall (from stock)l. Boy that seems like a lot doesn't it?
> >>
> >> So the crack team of Vanagon engineers were busily working on their "windshield wiper technical report ( scheibenwischer technischen bericht) which included a chapter on wiper swept area and power required. Little did they know that someone in another department had sourced and signed a contract for wiper motors before the engineers had delivered their report.
> >>
> >> This motor was, in the opinion of the engineers, only suitable for the smaller wipers :)
> >>
> >>
> >> alistair
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 2012-10-30, at 7:20 AM, Richard Koerner wrote:
> >>
> >>> I bought the 21" and 19" blades that GoWesty sells:  http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4354&category_id=&category_parent_id=
> >>>
> >>> I believe they were Bosch.  Work fine.  Wonder why VW was so chintzy on the length?
> >>>
> >>> Rich
> >>> San Diego
> >
> > --
> > David McNeely
>

--
David McNeely