Wiper arm removal - wipers now kaput

[stripped fred]

Had another go at removing the wiper arm from my sharan today. I need to take it off so I can replace the wiper mechanism as I managed to fracture the o/s support. It all started with trying to change the pollen filter but there you go, try and fix one thing and make more work.

 

I've tried hammers, screwdrivers, crowbars (hence the broken mechanism), plusgas and swearing loudly and nothing's worked. I bought this device hoping it would be the answer but the bar at the top bends and still the little b***ard won't shift. Any suggestions? I did think about heat but I'm likely to cause nore mischief with that method.

[dave21478]

if I were changing the mechanism anyway I would belt the stud as hard as I could with a decent sized lump hammer.

 

Heat is no use unless you have oxy acetylene or similar...you need high power to get a LOT of heat into the arm quickly to expand it before everything else heats up too. A blowtorch is unlikely to cut it and will just heat everything else up, melt plastic etc.

[dollywobbler]

Penetrating oil and a screwdriver to lever the non-hinge end while you pull the arm. Try to rock it back and forth if you can.

[spartacus]

Is the car in everyday use? Leave the nut just on the end of the thread and use the wipers as normal, it might work it loose.

[stripped fred]

if I were changing the mechanism anyway I would belt the stud as hard as I could with a decent sized lump hammer.

 

Heat is no use unless you have oxy acetylene or similar...you need high power to get a LOT of heat into the arm quickly to expand it before everything else heats up too. A blowtorch is unlikely to cut it and will just heat everything else up, melt plastic etc.

The problem is there's not much room to get a lump hammer in due to the way the bonnet opens. I will rule out heat based on your advice!

[stripped fred]

Penetrating oil and a screwdriver to lever the non-hinge end while you pull the arm. Try to rock it back and forth if you can.

Tried that and it won't shift even with a crowbar.

[stripped fred]

Is the car in everyday use? Leave the nut just on the end of the thread and use the wipers as normal, it might work it loose.

I will try this as running out of options. I also tried freeze spray but that didn't work either. I think it must have been on there for years.

[billyboy406v6]

Be brave, use heat.

[MikeR]

I have used one of these on a stubborn  wiper blade , needed a piece of metal to take up the gap , but it worked !

 

 

the bottle behind is to rejoice with afterwards !

[AlabamaShrimp]

Have you tried hammer a bigger Sharon over the top of it?

 

 

 

Or what Dollywobbler said but with a much longer lever.

[Timewaster]

If it is alloy corrosion, would a soak in vinegar help?

 

I R not chemist.

[stripped fred]

I have used one of these on a stubborn wiper blade , needed a piece of metal to take up the gap , but it worked !

 

20151228_205748.jpg

 

the bottle behind is to rejoice with afterwards !

I've tried one of them but there's not enough room behind it due to the shape of the plastic moulding.

[stripped fred]

Have you tried hammer a bigger Sharon over the top of it?

 

Will try this. Nothing to lever against though.

 

Or what Dollywobbler said but with a much longer leaver.

[stripped fred]

If it is alloy corrosion, would a soak in vinegar help?

 

I R not chemist.

I'll try it!

[Squirrel2]

You could try boiling a full kettle and pouring it over the arm. It is made of alloy and will expand faster then the steel shaft. Hot water should not do any damage to this.

 

This method has worked countless times for me.

 

After you have got the arm off you go and refill the kettle and make yourself a well-deserved brew..

 

Squirrel2

[AlabamaShrimp]

If it's knackered can you not just saw it off?

[PiperCub]

You could try boiling a full kettle and pouring it over the arm. It is made of alloy and will expand faster then the steel shaft. Hot water should not do any damage to this.

 

This method has worked countless times for me.

 

After you have got the arm off you go and refill the kettle and make yourself a well-deserved brew..

 

Squirrel2

 

Was going to suggest this along with a small version of a ball-joint splitter tool.

 

Put the splitter tool on the shaft/wiper arm & wind it up as tight as you can.

 

Pour the boiling/v.hot water on the wiper arm.

 

The combination of the expansion of the arm and the tension on it will (almost) always pop it off. Worked on my old 406 that resisted all other tries at it! 

[vaughant]

If it's knackered can you not just saw it off?

Had to do this with a track rod end on my ml, in the end had to cut through either side of the thread and break it up, was totally corroded.

 

Wire brush and copper greased afterwards, sorted.

 

Same truck would work well on this, a dremmel if available or otherwise even a hacksaw blade up and down on the side of it, may take a while but it will work.

 

The thread looks totally fucked on the wiper mech now though from the pictures, a good die or you may get away with a file of and hope for the best.

 

Always leave nuts on a few turns when hitting threads, saves loads of hassle.

[twosmoke300]

Get a medium size pair of water pump pliers . Undo the nut on the shaft until it's flush with the thread . Position the wp pliers so one jaw is under the wiper arm and the other on top of the nut as best you can . Proceed to bray shit out of the upper wp plier jaw until the arm pops loose .

 

Boiling water helps too . No warranties that you won't miss and crack the screen either . I've never had this method fail . I've also never ever used water pump pliers on a water pump .

[twosmoke300]

Oh and I forgot to say - squeeze like buggery on the wp pliers while hitting them

[stripped fred]

Thanks for the advice. I had to call it a day as I wouldn't have had time to replace the mechanism and I need it for work tomorrow. I work very slowly. I also gave the already knackered thread a few more taps with a hammer which meant I couldn't get the nut back on properly so I'm now hoping it stays stuck together until I get chance to have another look. I don't have a tap and die set unfortunately. Didn't think to leave the nut on when hitting it but will try and remember that one!

 

Will try the boiling water and water pump pliers next time if it doesn't fall off before.

 

I need to sort my shed and garage out because I spent most of my time looking for tools that I couldn't find.

 

Sometimes diy maintenance is very frustrating although I did manage to successfully change the oil.

[Guest Hooli]

 I've also never ever used water pump pliers on a water pump .

 

I've never worked out how they'd be any use on a water pump!

 

Mine have been worn out pressing stuck pistons in or pulling them out of brake callipers.

[sierraman]

Freed off a brake drum today by chucking some boiling water on it.

[omegod]

Take the bonnet off and twat it harder

[stripped fred]

Take the bonnet off and twat it harder

If I took the bonnet off I doubt I'd ever get it back on!

[KruJoe]

All the good ideas have been shared, so I can only add that I had similar fun* with my sister's A1 rear wiper. So I feel your pain.

I managed it eventually, but it was a buttock-clenching episode, especially as the spindle comes through the glass.

 

 

 

 

Oiled up, nut and socket for the hammer taps, grips to pull and wiggle lots...

 

 

 

Looking at the new arm I put on it, I theorised that they seize on so badly because the spindle splines cut their own new splines in the soft alloy hole in the wiper arm. The new one came without splines in it.

 

I know you love* your acronyms, Fred. Here's your new favourite: FFS VAG POS.

[doubleyeller]

The important thing that people fail to understand is the need to vary the sort of levering pressure being applied. This requires broddling! Get a wooden door-wedge, tap it into the gap, then grab the end and make the hand motion you would if finger tightening a nut. It will come off with little if any effort.

[chodweaver]

The device you bought looks ideal - I'd find something that doesn't bend to replace the cheese part then persevere up to the point where the jaws snapped or I'd prevailed. Also, wind it up to tension THEN chuck a bucket of kettle water on it.

 

Sent from my BV6000 using Tapatalk

[Bear]

You bought the same tool I would recommend. It does need a bit of force sometimes, but I'd wind to tension then use some shock-release freeze spray on it. Put as thick a cloth as you can on the window behind though. Just in case.

 

I have that tool originally for changing the spark plugs on a Chrysler Voyager, and it's allowed me to have no stress or undue forces when changing seals/wiper parts on a few Mercedes since, so they're a good investment. Useful for things like window winders as well.

[sierraman]

I'd have just smashed the back window on the Audi. That would have sorted it out in a timely fashion.