Jerking wipers

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Rinkle_Stinkle
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Jerking wipers

Post by Rinkle_Stinkle »

So today while driving I noticed my wipers are starting to jerk instead of glide. The blade are newish and I seriously doubt that's the cause. I believe the spine in on the crank maybe stripping or the motor in general maybe going bad. I also noticed recently that instead of stopping an inch above the bottom windshield trim they are instead going all the way down to the trim sometimes causing a big "smack" when it does actually connect. id imagine like most there an adjustment for that, where's the adjustment and a little instruction would be great.

I haven't worked on wipers in a wagoner, is everything under the dash except the motor? how difficult is it to work on and do you have any suggestions?
1988 Grand Wag
AMC 360 with 96K
Edelbrock intake manifold
260H Comp Cam
Edelbrock AVS 4brl carb
Headman headers
2" to thrush muff with 3" tip exhaust
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tgreese
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by tgreese »

First thing I would do is take everything apart, clean, inspect and lubricate.

I have not had a Wagoneer apart. Looking at the part catalog may be helpful. Typically the motor comes off as a unit, and there is a bellcrank extending under the dash that connects to an intermediate link. That link goes to a long link that connects to the two wiper pivots. Once you take the wiper blades and arms off, there is a nut on each pivot that you remove, and the pivot drops down into the dash. Then you have to snake the linkage out from under the dash. The links have bronze bushing set into the ends, and a clip of some sort that holds it all together.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
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tgreese
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by tgreese »

From the parts book, it appears that each pivot has two screws holding it to the dash from underneath. You will need to unscrew from underneath to remove the pivots for service.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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Rinkle_Stinkle
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by Rinkle_Stinkle »

tgreese wrote:First thing I would do is take everything apart, clean, inspect and lubricate.

I have not had a Wagoneer apart. Looking at the part catalog may be helpful. Typically the motor comes off as a unit, and there is a bellcrank extending under the dash that connects to an intermediate link. That link goes to a long link that connects to the two wiper pivots. Once you take the wiper blades and arms off, there is a nut on each pivot that you remove, and the pivot drops down into the dash. Then you have to snake the linkage out from under the dash. The links have bronze bushing set into the ends, and a clip of some sort that holds it all together.

oh goody this is sounding like a very fun day indeed.... :banghead:
1988 Grand Wag
AMC 360 with 96K
Edelbrock intake manifold
260H Comp Cam
Edelbrock AVS 4brl carb
Headman headers
2" to thrush muff with 3" tip exhaust
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dodgerammit
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by dodgerammit »

Any updates on this? Mine have bumped from the time I bought it, but now the bottom pausing location of the blades will vary up and down (both vary the same direction and amount) from "Bonk!" to 2" above the bottom of the windshield.
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD

letank
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by letank »

Same here, my wipers started to act up on the 74, it bothered me at the beginning, but when I saw what it took to service them, I did not do anything, yes there is a lot a play, but with climate change it barely rains in the bay area...
What I did to avoid the windshield gasket bong, shorter wiper blades, 13"...
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)
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dodgerammit
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by dodgerammit »

letank wrote:Same here, my wipers started to act up on the 74, it bothered me at the beginning, but when I saw what it took to service them, I did not do anything, yes there is a lot a play, but with climate change it barely rains in the bay area...
What I did to avoid the windshield gasket bong, shorter wiper blades, 13"...
It is the driver's side wiper that hits, and it hits with the center attachment area (part that locks to wiper arm). :( I'm sure there is some way to fix the issue as they will vary in their bottom of travel position by up to 2".
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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kansasboy001
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by kansasboy001 »

There are 2 tabs on both the drivers and passengers side of the linkage that make the wipers stop where theyre supposed to. Over time the tabs can bend outwards and the wipers will no longer work properly. My drivers tab bent and the wipers would stop in the middle of the windshield. Bending the tab back fixed it
1983 Cherokee Laredo. 360/ 727/ np228/ Junkyard 7427 TBI/ Msd ignition
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fulsizjeep
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by fulsizjeep »

Geez, I thought that was a feature.
Flint Boardman
88 GW, 401/727/208, 5" lift, D44s/4.10s/locked up, 35s
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dodgerammit
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by dodgerammit »

kansasboy001 wrote:There are 2 tabs on both the drivers and passengers side of the linkage that make the wipers stop where theyre supposed to. Over time the tabs can bend outwards and the wipers will no longer work properly. My drivers tab bent and the wipers would stop in the middle of the windshield. Bending the tab back fixed it
Okay. This could be the problem. I'm guessing under the dash? I'll check into it.

My wipers vary where they stop, which, I would think would have to mean something has play somewhere. But regardless, this is a start.

Thank you!
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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kansasboy001
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by kansasboy001 »

Where the wiper shaft attached to the linkage can be wore as well if that's the case it needs welded or you need new linkage
1983 Cherokee Laredo. 360/ 727/ np228/ Junkyard 7427 TBI/ Msd ignition

SJTD
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by SJTD »

Idunno about a stop having anything to do with it. My wipers don't hit any stops in normal operation. Parking is determined by the contacts in the motor.

Flopping would be caused by looseness as has been mentioned. Wiper is pushed then stops for a moment while slack is taken up then jerks or flops farther than it should do to the play.

Could be in the bushings, the gears, where the drive arms are staked to the shafts or the shafts to the splines.
Sic friatur crustulum

'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
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tgreese
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by tgreese »

Yes, the park function is part of the motor operation. If the wipers don't stop always on the right then they are wired wrong, or the contacts in the motor are kaput, or the motor is not grounded. I presume that '88 is the same as earlier years. There is a section in the TSM that covers this - you do have the TSM?
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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dodgerammit
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by dodgerammit »

tgreese wrote:Yes, the park function is part of the motor operation. If the wipers don't stop always on the right then they are wired wrong, or the contacts in the motor are kaput, or the motor is not grounded. I presume that '88 is the same as earlier years. There is a section in the TSM that covers this - you do have the TSM?
Okay. I'll check the grounds. Do not have the tsm. Mine is 84, but I would think motors are similar? Any way to service the contacts?
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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tgreese
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by tgreese »

I'd take the motor apart and look at it. The earlier motors I've seen have had a circuit board with copper traces and carbon contacts on the traces. These traces maintain the circuit until the wipers rotate to the park position.

Realize that the park function works by maintainig a ciruit in parallel with the switch, so the motor continues to run until it reaches the park position. The later vehicles could be more sophisticated, but the concept of the park circuit will remain.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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dodgerammit
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by dodgerammit »

tgreese wrote:I'd take the motor apart and look at it. The earlier motors I've seen have had a circuit board with copper traces and carbon contacts on the traces. These traces maintain the circuit until the wipers rotate to the park position.

Realize that the park function works by maintainig a ciruit in parallel with the switch, so the motor continues to run until it reaches the park position. The later vehicles could be more sophisticated, but the concept of the park circuit will remain.
Okay, so if the park position moves around, i'm looking for corrosion or worn contact points?
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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tgreese
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by tgreese »

There are procedures in the TSM. Section 3T in my '82-83 book. Very detailed. Even includes diagnostic flow charts. You are flogging if you have not read the chapter.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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dodgerammit
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by dodgerammit »

tgreese wrote:There are procedures in the TSM. Section 3T in my '82-83 book. Very detailed. Even includes diagnostic flow charts. You are flogging if you have not read the chapter.
I tried pulling those up the other night on Tom Collins' page, but the internet wasn't cooperating. Have them pulled up for a read now.
84 Grand Waggy-Radio Flyer (Garnet Red/3M Ebony Metallic woodgrain, with honey interior) AMC 360 :cry: 2004 4.8LS/Advance Adapter/727/242 D44/AMC20 Serehill tailgate and headlight harnesses :fsj: Ongoing thread-viewtopic.php?t=11897

92 Wrangler Islander 4.0/32RH/231 D30/D35 RHD
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tgreese
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Re: Jerking wipers

Post by tgreese »

Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
GTI without the badges: '95 VW Golf Sport 2000cc 2D
Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
Blockchain the vote.
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