Arm, Wiper: Description: Front
The front wiper arms are the rigid members located between the wiper pivots that protrude from the cowl plenum cover/grille panel near the base of the windshield and the wiper blades on the windshield glass. These wiper arms have a somewhat sculpted appearance that actually has a functional purpose. The sculpting is designed to reduce wind buffeting, which helps to reduce wind noise within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
These wiper arms feature an over-center hinge design that allows easy access to the windshield glass for cleaning. The wiper arm has a die cast aluminum pivot end (2) with a large, internally tapered mounting hole at one end. A molded black plastic cap snaps over the pivot end to conceal the wiper arm retaining nut and the mounting hole following wiper arm installation.
The wide end of a tapered, stamped steel channel (1) hinges on and is secured with a hinge pin to the blade end of the wiper arm pivot end. One end of a rigid stamped steel strap (3), is riveted and crimped within the narrow end of the stamped steel channel. The tip of the wiper blade end of this strap is bent back under itself to form a small hook to cradle the pivot block of the front wiper blade. The entire wiper arm has a satin black finish applied to all of its visible surfaces.
Concealed within the stamped steel channel is a long tension spring which is engaged with a formed wire link hooked over a metal dowel pin that passes through the underside of the pivot end. The opposite end of the spring is hooked over another metal dowel pin that passes through the underside of the steel channel.
The driver and passenger side wiper arms are unique and are not interchangeable. A wiper arm cannot be adjusted or repaired. If damaged or ineffective, the entire wiper arm unit must be replaced.