Seized Wiper Problem

[DavidBrough]

Hi Guys,

Well, there I was driving along enjoying myself when it started raining. No problem, I thought, that’s what my wipers are for. Unfortunately, they only managed a half sweep before Stopping. As it was only a light shower, I didn’t stop straight away and it took me about 20/30 minutes of driving before I investigated the problem. I expected a burnt fuse but what I found was a red hot wiper motor so I removed the fuse until I got home.

Once back at home I started taking things apart and after disconnecting the link arm found that the right hand side had seized solid. The motor seemed to work OK even after getting very hot, I assume that it was still trying to finish it’s cycle for the 20/30 mins it took me to remove the fuse.

Does anyone have any experience of this type of problem, I have a RHD car and have removed the rev counter but try as I may, I cannot get the wiper to move; it is stuck fast. Also, and whilst the motor seems to work OK now I have disconnected the wiper linkage, will this need a rebuild as a result of being under so much stress for about half and hour. Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

David Brough

[ah53]

I had the same problem a number of years ago and had to replace the entire mechanism. It entailed taking everything from under the dash out. There maybe some better ideas from the real mechanics on the list.

[jeffc280sl]

David,

Sorry to hear about your trouble.  Here is a picture of the wiper assembly.   If the motor is disconnected from the wiper assembly you should be able to turn the wiper spindle back and forth to copy the motion of the wiper arm.  You indicate the wiper spindle is frozen.  The attached picture gives you some idea of what you are up against.  The silver colored bracket is bolted to the under side of the body.  Protruding through the body from underneath you have two hollow shafts which are represented in the color lt blue.  These shafts are permanently fixed to the silver bracket.  Behind the silver bracket you have the wiper assembly itself. It is shown in red.  As the wiper assembly rotates via the motor a right and left side spindle inside the hollow lt blue shaft rotate back and forth causing the wiper blades to move back and forth on the wind screen.

I suspect your problem is caused by friction of the wiper spindle as it rotates back and forth inside the lt blue hollow shaft.  This area is not often lubricated and has a tendancy to dry out causing a squeeking sound when the wipers are on.  You can try and lubricate the spindle and hollow shaft area to see if you can free it.  If you can't free the spindle much of the under side of the dash must be removed to permit access to nuts which secure the silver bracket to the under dash body.  The wipers arms and large nuts on the r and l shaft must also be removed.  Once this is dome you can push the wiper mechanism through to the uder dash side and take it out of the car for service.

I hope this is clear enough.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Download Attachment: wiper mech.jpg
71.65 KB

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[Tom230sl]

also previously discussed...


http://sl113.com/forums/index.php?topic=4639

[DavidBrough]

Thanks Guys,

I have left the offending spindle soaking in WD40 and will try to free it again tonight. By the sounds of it if this doesn’t work I’ll have to dust off my book on keyhole surgery and remove the dash. Oh well, at least I now know what was causing the wipers to squeak a lot!

David Brough

[Ben]

David it may be worth trying some PlusGas on it instead of WD40. PlusGas is used by the aviation guys on frozen or rusted fixings and it has never let me down !

WD40 is a water displacer and not a lubricant, whilst the PlusGas has somelubrication properties if you do mange to free it all up I would try to apply some form of oil to the area !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[JamesL]

FWIW.....

Do everything you can to get what you have working. I am told that this is one of those parts that's practically impossible to get for a RHD car. Roger Edwards Motors fabricate their own, for example...

[DavidBrough]

Thanks Ben & Tosh, plenty of oil and a couple of nuts locked on the spindle did the trick in the end and all is well. I’m certainly glad I didn’t need to take the dash out as I’ve done that before and I think it would be easier to wallpaper my living room through the letterbox. Oiling the wiper spindles is now a dead cert for the annual maintenance list and every time there’s the slightest hint of a squeak.

David Brough

[Benz Dr.]

The job from Hell.
 There is no oter job on these cars that I dislike more. However, it's a chance to go through all your heater controls, flaps and cables. Good time to have your instruments looked at and maybe paint the dash too.
Why go half way?

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[George Des]

Last time I had this part out, I completely dissassembled the two spindle assemblies, polished the spindles with very fine paper and repacked them with high temperature grease bfore reassembling them. As I recall, there is a small circlip that holds the two spindle assemblies together.

George Des

[ah53]

Be sure the drain holes on either side of the air scoop are clean and not painted over/closed; otherwises the lower part of the spindles will lay in a puddle of water and you will be doing this again.

[jeffc280sl]

I think George is correct.  I believe the clip is installed in a groove on the exterior side of the wiper spindle shaft.  It keeps the spindle from falling back inside the car when the wiper arm is removed.  You may want to clean the area very well and remove the clip so that oil can flow more freely.  After removing the clip you may even try putting the nut back on the threaded spindle shaft and gently tapping it towards the floor of the car.  It may help free the joint.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[al_lieffring]

The stuck wiper arms on a pagoda was one of those jobs that no one else in the shop wanted to do so I ended up doing them.

I came up with some tools to make the job easier.

The first one was a piece of tubing that went over the entire tube. It is threaded to fit on housing inplace of the mounting nut, the other end is threaded to hold a compressed air fitting. I would remove the snapring from the shaft, I believe there is a washer below the snapring that I would take out too. Then I would install the tube on the threaded part of the housing, fill the tube with penetrating oil, then, let the air pressure force penetrating oil into the housing overnight.

I also made a lever out of an old screwdriver that would bolt onto the taper of the wiper shaft, I would use this to gently work the shaft loose after the penetrating oil had worked its way in.

finaly I made a tool similar to the first, but with a grease zirk, I use it to push grease into the shaft and bushings after the whole thing is freed up, to keep it from happening again.

Much to my suprise my wipers were not stuck after sitting for over 20 years. but after reading this post, I think I should dig out the tools and lube up the wipershafts so they dont jam up in the future.

al

113-042-10-014715
built 11 Jan 66
904/396 blue, Ivory Tex
condition- rust bucket

[jeffc280sl]

Cool tools Al.  It amazes me what ingenious people will come up with in order to save time and or reduce head aches.


Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[66andBlue]

quote:Originally posted by al_lieffring
... I think I should dig out the tools ...

Al,
please do and post some pictures. Thanks!

Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic

[Amanda]

I agree, it sounds like regular lubrication is an important element of maintenance.  Is this something you can do without dismantling?  Also, is there a specific oil that is recommended for the job?

[al_lieffring]

quote:
Al,
please do and post some pictures. Thanks!

Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic

I have started a new thread where I have posted pics of the wiper shaft repair tools that I made up.
http://index.php?topic=5929

Al :O)

113-042-10-014715
built 11 Jan 66
904/396 blue, Ivory Tex
condition- rust bucket

[al_lieffring]

quote:Originally posted by Amanda

I agree, it sounds like regular lubrication is an important element of maintenance.  Is this something you can do without dismantling?  Also, is there a specific oil that is recommended for the job?

A good preventive measure is to remove the chrome shaft covers and fill them with grease (white lithium grease is the least messy)
The grease will eventualy work its way into the shaft and bushings, and will also prevent water from working its way into the shaft.

113-042-10-014715
built 11 Jan 66
904/396 blue, Ivory Tex
condition- rust bucket

[glennard]

The Mercedes Gods smiled on you!!!

quote:Originally posted by DavidBrough

Thanks Ben & Tosh, plenty of oil and a couple of nuts locked on the spindle did the trick in the end and all is well. I’m certainly glad I didn’t need to take the dash out as I’ve done that before and I think it would be easier to wallpaper my living room through the letterbox. Oiling the wiper spindles is now a dead cert for the annual maintenance list and every time there’s the slightest hint of a squeak.

David Brough

[JamesL]

David, I blame you for putting a hex on my car

I was due to take my Pagoda from London to Needham Market to see Derrick Wells today for a service.

If you live in the UK, you'll know that it's peed with rain for much of the day.

So I get, ooohh, 5 yards out of my garage, flick on the wipers and mid stroke..... they seize!!!! IT'S YOUR FAULT DAVID,  YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN

I drove the 70 odd highway miles - in the persistent rain - with no wipers and dropped Audrey off, swapping it for my W202. So a service has just become a "see if you can unseize the wipers but if you can't, while the dash is in bits, do what needs doing back there, I know I have a leak into the footwell..." :evil:

Although, to be fair, i was told 18 months ago that I had a potential issue with the linkage (that's how I know it's no longer available in RHD) and clearly have lived on borrowed time: it rained most of the way both to and from Stuttgart this summer and all the way to the Hilversum event.

[DavidBrough]

Hi Tosh, never knew I had such an influence. Pity the wife’s immune to it. Hope your fix is as easy as mine was.

David Brough

[cascadia]

These are from my 230SL, the entire car is apart, I'm starting to reassemble the dash and this is definitely the first piece to go back in.  One shaft was seized so I removed the circlip and washer and applied PB Blaster and some heat.  Took a few tries but it started to loosen after a while.  I'll be packing it with grease before reassembling it!  Thought I'd share the pics for future reference.

[RickM]

FWIW; I'd probably use a grease more appropriate for the task and environment. Instead of White Lithium or a High-Temp product I'd opt for a waterproof synthetic grease.

Suitable products can be sourced at marine or bicycle shops in relatively small amounts.  

http://cgi.ebay.com/GORILLA-SNAWT-Waterproof-Grease-RC-Boat-Gas-Electric_W0QQitemZ180459786351QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRadio_Control_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2a043dd06f