Shorten Stroke of 250sl wiper

[250SLFranco]

Does anyone know how to shorten the stroke of the wiper on my 250sl.....as it is now the blade stroke goes of the curve of the windshield and gets stuck on the return trip.  A shorter stroke would solve this problem...if anyone knows how I might go about correcting.
Thanks in advance.

[hauser]

I have to ask but do you have the correct size wiper blades?

[250SLFranco]

Good question...but they are the orginals from 1967.

[jedwards]

The stroke of the wipers is controlled by the location of the bolt that joins the lower wiper arm to the wiper motor. The wiper arm has a slot that allows the length of stroke to be adjusted. The longer the arm, the wider the stroke and visa versa. 
The arm and the adjuster nut are  located under the dash directly below the wiper motor. 

Good luck

[ja17]

Hello,

It seems to me that the wiper stroke is fixed and controlled by the little fixed  link between the wiper motor and the adjustable linkage. The adjustable link just controls the range or final position of the fixed sweep of the wipers.

 The wipers arms must be set up correctly and in sync with each othe. Right side should go on top .  Wipers must immediately go up and should not go down at first  when turned on, or the sync at the motor pivot is not correct. Position of the individual wiper arms can be adjusted to clear each other.

Caution !!!!  Make sure the ignition switch is off before tampering with the wiper linkages.  The wiper automatic return feature can automatically start the mechanism while you are working on it.  Serious injury could result if your hands are up under the dash. 

[Alf]

Hi Joe

Right side should go on top

Do you mean right side when you are looking at the windscreen from standing in front of the bonnet?

[jedwards]

On further prodding and poking about, I must now conclude that  my previous hasty comments regarding adjusting the wiper stroke, was in fact incorrect. I now fully agree with ja17 that the only apparent adjustment on the system is the final park location. 

That does pose an interesting issue as my RHD car does have a rather wide sweep on the passenger side and a limited sweep in the driver's side where it is required, as Alf originally reported.  For LHD cars, this would be ideal, but do all RHD cars suffer from this problem?  Is it actually and inherent design fault that is unalterable?
Jeff

[ja17]

Hello Alf,

 Right side as you sit in the drivers seat looking forward.

No big deal Jeff, that was a logical conclusion. Thanks for offering up your ideas and assistance. Sometimes it takes a group effort for the cure.  Getting the wiper arms in sync, so that they do not hang up, can be difficult. Bent wiper arms, bent linkages, incorrect set-up or rust-bound wiper shafts can cause difficulties for synchronizing the wiper arms. The wiper arms should move up immediately when activated. If they go down slightly first  when activated,  or up slightly at the end of activation,  then the small link on the wiper motor shaft may not be in the correct possition. Be sure to do the final adjustment with a wet windshield, it makes a difference. Again, be cautious not to have your hands and fingers in the linkages when the ignition is on !!!  

[jedwards]

I agree Ja17,
It took me ages of fine tuning to get mine to park exactly at the lowest point and to be correctly synchronised. I eventually got there. 

But still I have limited wiper blade coverage of the windscreen across the driver's side. If 12 o'clock was considered the view straight ahead of the driver, then my blades  only clear to about 1.00 o'clock, leaving a great deal of uncleared windscreen on the drivers right.
As this seems to be determined entirely by the length of the connecting rod between the wiper fulcrums,  are all RHD cars dangerously exposed in this area?  How do all the UK drivers get on with all that rain and wipers that only clear half the windscreen? Or can you only use your cars in summer?

[Paul & Dolly]

Hi Jeff,

Well here in wet Wales, the wipers are essential !

I took these today for you, showing the sweep on my RHD 250SL.

I have fortunately not had the need to adjust the wipers.

Good luck
Paul

[ja17]

Hey guys,  llooks like the right hand drive cars has the other wiper arm on top at park.  Makes sense I guess. So in every case, the driver's wiper arm is parked under the passengers at rest.

[jedwards]

Thanks Paul, that  is really helpful. 
Yes, this Forum seems to have settled that the passenger wiper is always on top.
You seem to have near prefect symmetry  on your drivers and passenger's wipers, unlike 250SLFranco and myself. My car was resprayed by a previous owner so that make me wonder if mine have been reassembled incorrectly, as I do not have the same level of symmetry that you have. I will try and photograph it like you did and check.
Perhaps the wiper shafts and their triangular drive plates are slightly different and have been inadvertently swapped?

Many thanks
Jeff

[Paul & Dolly]

Jeff,

I shall probably have the glovebox out (to work on the radio) in the next two weeks, I could take a couple of pics of the mechanism position at rest and full sweep then, if it would help you, let me know .

I think that the glovebox side wiper is always the upper one, probably makes sense, as the motor is always on the glovebox side,  RHD or LHD.
I believe the motors are different, the RHD ones being very difficult to find.

Keep well

Paul

[mbzse]

So in every case, the driver's wiper arm is parked under the passengers at rest.

This is correct
/Hans  in Sweden

[Paul & Dolly]

Jeff,

I have the glovebox out, whilst I am changing the Radio,

so today I took these two piccies, - at Rest & Full Sweep - Maybe they are of help to you ?

Keep well

Paul

[jedwards]

Hi Paul,
Great pics. Thanks.
It appears the ratios are not interchangeable as the drivers side will have only a single connection, so the two could not be accidentally swapped.
So your pictures do suggest that RHD cars do not get quite the screen clearance that LHD cars do.
Thanks
Jeff