Windshield Wiper Thump

[Sweet95LS400]

Is it normal when you have the wipers on when they get to the bottom of the windshield they make a thump like they are hitting something? Mine are doing this but I cant figure it out

[SW03ES]

No, the wipers are out of alignment. You can adjust the wiper arc but I'm not sure how to explain to you to do it, someone here will know...

[Threadcutter]

Sweet:

Is it normal when you have the wipers on when they get to the bottom of the windshield they make a thump like they are hitting something?

I don't know about "normal", but it is not uncommon. My '95 has/had the same problem. I just now came in from "fixing" the problem. Before I go into details about what I did, a couple of thoughts;

I think it's fairly safe to assume that no one has ever "adjusted" the wipers on my car before me. Operating under that assumption, then it's safe to say that they were installed/aligned properly at the factory. OK, so if this is true, then why do I now find myself needing to "adjust" them.

Personally, I think that the "WigWag" mechanism that mechanically couples both wipers together probably has bushing(s) in it that are worn out. This results in extra travel (ie; Slop) of both wipers the more you use them/the older they get.

Mine were "clunking" on "high speed" only (thank goodness). It was the driver's side wiper that was hitting the passenger side wiper when they were both doing the "turn around" at the bottom/hood end of their travel.

My "fix" was to remove the nut on each wiper arm, remove the arm just far enough to clear the splines, rotate the arm just far enough to engage the next spline & re-install & tighten the nut.

You will want to do the passenger side first & adjust it down, toward the motor. Then do the driver's side & adjust it up, toward the roof. It will be hit & miss......there are a lot of splines & they're very, very fine. You'll find a couple of screws on the smaller arm on the driver's side. Don't bother trying to adjust the travel with them. Won't work. It's a pantograph & they are for adjusting the parallel tracking of the blade to the main arm. I used them to make sure the wiper blade was parallel to the driver's side windshield edge in the fully "up" position. I don't consider that I "fixed" them perfectly. I'm going to live with it for the time being. It's better (actually, a lot better), but not like new.

Not unlike the P/S rack solenoid filter, I'm not terribly impressed by their design of the wipers. Getting to the "WigWag" mechanism looks less appealing than trying to find something in the bottom of a woman's purse. There are only a few things in life that I refuse to do, and that's one of 'em................

[sapper_daddy]

i have never even bothered to lok at how the wiper system on my ls works at all but i have repaired a few domestic vehicles..........usually there is a linkage that goes from the motor to connect the two blades so that they work in unison, from the experience i have had is that there are nylon bushings in each of the joints going to each individual blade i have removed the and bought the repair kits from local parts store to repair the and it usually takes the play out of the linkage that causes that "clunk" that you hear when operating a messed up wiper system

but i don't know about this car it could operate completely differently than anything i have worked on

[Threadcutter]

Sweet:

i have never even bothered to lok at how the wiper system on my ls works at all but i have repaired a few domestic vehicles..........usually there is a linkage that goes from the motor to connect the two blades so that they work in unison, from the experience i have had is that there are nylon bushings in each of the joints going to each individual blade i have removed the and bought the repair kits from local parts store to repair the and it usually takes the play out of the linkage that causes that "clunk" that you hear when operating a messed up wiper system.

I think that's your solution right there................

[alsalih]

I have found that a common reason for this to occur is if you've had your windshield replaced, they must remove the wipers and in doing so they will either install it in a different position or as in my case incorrectly seat the splines (yes it can be done, they forced it on). So for me from now on if I ever have to have a windshield replaced I will take my wipers off myself (mark the nut first) to avoid this potential problem. Threadcutter I'm just curious, did you not ever have a windshield replaced on yours?

[Threadcutter]

al:

Threadcutter I'm just curious, did you not ever have a windshield replaced on yours?

I'm into this one ('95) for only about 6 months. So no, not yet.

I think Sap's right. I think a bushing kit is the ticket. Maybe someone here has actually done a bushing kit. From my initial glance at how to get to the mechanism, I think I'd rather do a timing belt though..................

[sapper_daddy]

yeah i looked at mine this morning.........

ever seen that cowling the is inbetween the hood and windshield on a truck, those were easy because four or five screws and you exposed the whole mechanism, too bad but i'd rather get a bushing kit that have to worry about that stupid noise and then have something go wrong like it breaking but i guess it's not a vital part so you'll be okay putting it off

[Threadcutter]

sap:

I was curious, so I went to P/P Lexus. Even they want a "mere" $220.00 for the wiper "linkage". There might not be any such thing as a bushing kit............................Sigh.....

'95 Wiper Linkage

The flip side may be that rather than having to screw around with a bunch of loose parts, you just "drop - in" the new mecanism. (Thats if you can get to it in the first place).

BTW........For anyone interested; As I stated in a previous post, I adjusted my wiper arms so that they don't go "clunk" anymore. It looks like if I want to keep it this way, I'll have to put up with the driver's side arm not stowing below the edge of the hood when the wipers are off. Not the end of the world, but a minor annoyance..................

[sapper_daddy]

man i wish i had some pics on digital that i could look at.......uh uh uh lemme think

call up your local parts store and ask if they carry a bushing kit either out on their floor or if they can order one, it should be relativly cheap to get (at least compared to ordering from dealer)

and if that doesn't work, cross reference with a 94 95 camry, i have noticed things that are used on those that are in my lex for instance the sunroof is identical and so are the front window motors etc. so check it out and i'm gonna take a close look at my assembly, i might even pull mine too because yesterday i noticed (whenever i turn my stereo down) that my driver's blade taps the outside edge of my windsheild, which really annoys me but i didn't notice it until reading the thread about your wipers and investigating on my own.

maybe that's a downfall of such a good forum, it makes you find issues with your own ride AGH!!!! :chairshot:

[nc211]

maybe that's a downfall of such a good forum, it makes you find issues with your own ride AGH!!!! :chairshot:

HAHAHA.....AMEN BROTHER...AMEN!!!

[Threadcutter]

sap:

yesterday i noticed (whenever i turn my stereo down) that my driver's blade taps the outside edge of my windsheild....

Metallica; Enter Sandman, Ozzie; No more tears, Tragically Hip; New Orleans is sinking..........Oops, sorry. Any of these will "solve" your noisy wiper problem................

Have you tried adjusting the pantograph arm with the 2 screws on it?

sap:

yesterday i noticed (whenever i turn my stereo down) that my driver's blade taps the outside edge of my windsheild....

Metallica; Enter Sandman, Ozzie; No more tears, Tragically Hip; New Orleans is sinking..........Oops, sorry. Any of these will "solve" your noisy wiper problem................

Have you tried adjusting the pantograph arm with the 2 screws on it?

This adjustment sets the "parallelness" of the wiper blade to the body in the fully up & fully down position. If one end or the other of the blade is touching the pylon (body/outside edge of windshield) then the pantograph adjustment is the solution. DON"T remove the wiper arm, you won't need to. Just loosen the two screws one turn, move either in or out, retighten the screws & re-check the position. Repeat until "perfect-a-mundo".........

[sapper_daddy]

no i haven't tried it but you can bet i will now!!! i was reading what you had wrote earlier and this sounds great, hopefully i can get that knocked out this afternoon, it's messing with my conscience!!

[ROBERT THOMASON]

My 2000 LS had the same problem and I found a quick fix. Right at the point were the two wipers smack together I put a small piece of rubber. I simply super glued a small square rubber piece onto the bottom wiper which is the passanger side wiper. It is not perfect but I can say if it only had the noise it makes now I would not even noticed it as something was wrong.