Over on you tube, someone has a video of newer style wiper arms that pivot straight up for blade changes, and more importantly, the newer J-hook style attachment point. A set runs roughly 70 dollars..... But surely, they came from another car. Perhaps a cheaper source. Has anyone tried that? Just checking before I up and order one.
I can't speak to the video, but I know that, in the past, some people have discovered aftermarket "newer style" arms that seemed to work, but then didn't. Or seemed to work for some people but not others. The sockets on the arms didn't grip the splines on the shaft nearly tightly enough. There was enough arguing back-and-forth, that the best I can say is "Be careful. YMMV". I wouldn't place much stock in anything, unless you have tried it, and found that it works for you. Or not, as the case may be.
The problem some people were having is they couldn't figure out how to install them, they don't just press on like the Fiero arms. I made a video on how to install them:
RWDPLZ is 100% correct. I picked up a set at pick & pull years ago for a few dollars each. Or if you want new the PN's are.
Dorman 42579 Front passenger $19.99 Dorman 42580 Front driver $14.99
AutoZone pricing. Arms only. The choice of blades for me were the longest I could get that swept the most windshield area so the blades were different lengths.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
Based on this and a couple other threads on the Forum, I decided to go get real live GM ones in 'yard. I got a pair off of a '98 Tahoe, IIRC. They fit very well, almost too tight. I put a bit of anti-seize on the shafts, just to make sure I could remove them, should the need arise (I've had them on and off since, for other reasons, and no problem). I've had them for a couple of years now, and they fit very well. They are very close to exactly the same length as the Fiero arms, and each other.
Some notes: 1) They do hinge upward and can be set up from the windshield, but 2) You can only put them up with the hood up (And don't forget to put them down before closing the hood!) 3) The arms from the Tahoe have slightly different blade-to-arm angles on the driver vs. passenger side (stamped 'D' and 'P' on the underside). I think they line up best with the base of the windshield if you put the passenger arm on the driver side, and vice versa.
I'm very happy with them. The spring pressure is good with the Michelin Stealth wiper blades I favor. Incidentally, I can't see any significant difference between the Michelin Stealth blades sold everywhere and the Michelin Guardian blades sold by Costco. My GT has the Guardians on it right now.
The problem some people were having is they couldn't figure out how to install them,
Screw you, man.
Here's the photo. Again. It's obvious why the parts that I had would not work. I was not the only one.
I don't know what your problem is that you keep saying people were too stupid to install wiper arms. It's pretty insulting and misleads new people in the community.
The Fiero wiper blade is on the right. As you can see, the splines in the Fiero wiper blade's socket are MUCH deeper than those in the truck wiper blade's socket. Even though they look close... even though the both measure 0.620" ID, the new ones don't work because the splines do NOT engage.
ETA: I'm willing to try this again... Maybe I got dud parts; maybe only the Dorman parts have the right spline
Continuing to lie and insult people about whatever this controversy is doesn't help anything.
ETA2: RockAuto has GM Genuine left wiper arms in stock, so I ordered one of those and one of the Dorman lefts, so we'll see if it works, and I'll document any differences.
[This message has been edited by Will (edited 12-08-2021).]
No no, screw YOU. I've posted photographic AND video proof. Lots of people have tried it without issues, only a few have had a problem, either with defective parts or defective installers. Why don't YOU post some evidence of them NOT working?
No no, screw YOU. I've posted photographic AND video proof. Lots of people have tried it without issues, only a few have had a problem, either with defective parts or defective installers. Why don't YOU post some evidence of them NOT working?
The date on the post I linked above, which is where I originally posted the photo that clearly demonstrates why the parts I bought didn't work, is 3/29/2014. That's been up for 7 1/2 years.
If you don't see the photo of the parts, I'm sure we'll all be willing to pitch in to get you some psychiatric help.
Edit: Is there an explanation? Of course there is. As I mentioned above, maybe only some manufacturers used the right spline. Maybe a batch of parts with the wrong spline came out of China. Whatever the cause is, my photo demonstrates that the problem is with the parts themselves. I really don't have a problem with finding different parts that work, as long as the reason the wrong parts don't work, as well as the specifics of the parts that do work is documented.
Looking at that photo and continuing to maintain that people are too stupid to install wiper arms correctly is a genuine dick move on your part. Fess up and we can all move on.
[This message has been edited by Will (edited 12-09-2021).]
The date on the post I linked above, which is where I originally posted the photo that clearly demonstrates why the parts I bought didn't work, is 3/29/2014. That's been up for 7 1/2 years.
If you don't see the photo of the parts, I'm sure we'll all be willing to pitch in to get you some psychiatric help.
Edit: Is there an explanation? Of course there is. As I mentioned above, maybe only some manufacturers used the right spline. Maybe a batch of parts with the wrong spline came out of China. Whatever the cause is, my photo demonstrates that the problem is with the parts themselves. I really don't have a problem with finding different parts that work, as long as the reason the wrong parts don't work, as well as the specifics of the parts that do work is documented.
Looking at that photo and continuing to maintain that people are too stupid to install wiper arms correctly is a genuine dick move on your part. Fess up and we can all move on.
You didn't say "I got some defective wiper arms, I better order another set" You said "This doesn't work and won't work for anyone, take down this information, it's false." The overwhelming evidence is that it DOES work. If you don't see the difference, YOU need to get your eyes checked. The splines in that picture don't appear to be quite as clearly defined as the Fiero arm. So? How about, I don't know, MEASURING THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE SPLINED SHAFT?! You know, MATH? PROOF? Maybe video of you trying to put it on the car and it not fitting?
I also had SEVERAL people PM me asking for help installing the arms, and they all figured it out eventually. The fact they don't snap on like the Fiero arms is what tripped up several of them. Did those people admit their mistake in the thread? No, they chose not to be embarrassed publicly by what turned out to be a simple problem. I regularly get PM's from people asking for help with fixing their air conditioning systems, PM threads that would have made great forum threads, but don't get posted.
You didn't say "I got some defective wiper arms, I better order another set" You said "This doesn't work and won't work for anyone, take down this information, it's false." The overwhelming evidence is that it DOES work. If you don't see the difference, YOU need to get your eyes checked. The splines in that picture don't appear to be quite as clearly defined as the Fiero arm. So? How about, I don't know, MEASURING THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE SPLINED SHAFT?! You know, MATH? PROOF? Maybe video of you trying to put it on the car and it not fitting?
I also had SEVERAL people PM me asking for help installing the arms, and they all figured it out eventually. The fact they don't snap on like the Fiero arms is what tripped up several of them. Did those people admit their mistake in the thread? No, they chose not to be embarrassed publicly by what turned out to be a simple problem. I regularly get PM's from people asking for help with fixing their air conditioning systems, PM threads that would have made great forum threads, but don't get posted.
Will's photo showing the different splines is overwhelming evidence that (some/all?) Dorman/Motormite wiper arms don't work, yet you have never directly addressed that photo. Instead, you choose to skirt around discussing that evidence (the photo), and change the subject...
[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 12-09-2021).]
Will's photo showing the different splines is overwhelming evidence that (some/all?) Dorman/Motormite wiper arms don't work, yet you have never directly addressed that photo. Instead, you choose to skirt around discussing that evidence (the photo), and change the subject...
How did I not address it? What part of 'some parts may be defective or the installers are defective' are you having trouble comprehending? While the splines look smaller on the new part, the diameters appear to be identical, and the splines are either defective, or it's an optical illusion due to lighting (even modern cameras have trouble photographing objects that small).
We've disproven this theory by the fact that dozens of people have tried this, and it worked. The fact some people have had difficulty, as I stated several times above, means there may be defective parts out there, or people that can't figure it out.
So here's the deal: I have NOTHING to defend. Either you retards post overwhelming proof of it NOT working, or SHUT THE **** UP. I'm done. Again.
I can't speak to the video, but I know that, in the past, some people have discovered aftermarket "newer style" arms that seemed to work, but then didn't. Or seemed to work for some people but not others. The sockets on the arms didn't grip the splines on the shaft nearly tightly enough. There was enough arguing back-and-forth, that the best I can say is "Be careful. YMMV". I wouldn't place much stock in anything, unless you have tried it, and found that it works for you. Or not, as the case may be.
Guys, I respect you all, but as Radar says "YMMV". After all, these are just cheap U-pull-it, or returnable Dorman wiper arms. Ain't no thang, right? :hugs:
And this is why I'm selling these wiper arms. Mine are expensive, my cost is rising making it so it's hard to profit as at that price point, my supplier has raised the price on my maybe 20% since I started buying them. I'm doing everything I can to bring the price down but the reason they are priced the way they are is because they aren't from dorman. To provide these wiper arms I have to profit and I hope to offer better pricing and more products in the future.
As well as cheaper upgraded wiper arms I'm exploring options for fixing 4 spoke horn paddles and whatever other holes I can fill in the demand for fiero parts.
You didn't say "I got some defective wiper arms, I better order another set" You said "This doesn't work and won't work for anyone, take down this information, it's false." The overwhelming evidence is that it DOES work. If you don't see the difference, YOU need to get your eyes checked. The splines in that picture don't appear to be quite as clearly defined as the Fiero arm. So? How about, I don't know, MEASURING THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE SPLINED SHAFT?! You know, MATH? PROOF? Maybe video of you trying to put it on the car and it not fitting?
I also had SEVERAL people PM me asking for help installing the arms, and they all figured it out eventually. The fact they don't snap on like the Fiero arms is what tripped up several of them. Did those people admit their mistake in the thread? No, they chose not to be embarrassed publicly by what turned out to be a simple problem. I regularly get PM's from people asking for help with fixing their air conditioning systems, PM threads that would have made great forum threads, but don't get posted.
Even though they look close... even though the both measure 0.620" ID, the new ones don't work because the splines do NOT engage.
It's obvious from looking at the photo that the splines that drive the stock Fiero arm will not drive the parts I received. Other people have had this problem too and from you only received insults about their ability to install wiper arms.
[This message has been edited by Will (edited 12-13-2021).]
So, Joshua, your arms are not dormans or gm originals ? Did you custom make these to fit the Fiero posts, and are they dimensional the same as the original Fiero arms ? What are the differences between yours and the gm's mentioned on this thread ? I may try a set if they are custom/modified to fit, and report back. Also, what length blades work best ? They came with 18's. But I see 19/22 combo used with the factory arms.
[This message has been edited by gatorfrey (edited 01-14-2022).]
Just put on a set of the new wiper arms from Josh today. No one sponsored me, nor did I ask. Just bought a set outright. Straightforward install. Fit perfectly. Tried out a 22 inch Bosh on driver side,19 inch on the passenger side. It all fit nicely. Don't be afraid to try them out from what I saw on my real world install for myself.
[This message has been edited by gatorfrey (edited 02-28-2022).]
Just put on a set of the new wiper arms from Josh today. No one sponsored me, nor did I ask. Just bought a set outright. Straightforward install. Fit perfectly. Tried out a 22 inch Bosh on driver side,19 inch on the passenger side. It all fit nicely. Don't be afraid to try them out from what I saw on my real world install for myself.
[sarcasm]That's impossible, there were two guys that couldn't get them to work![/sarcasm]
I also used a set off a 88-98 C1500 truck. Fit great and offer a lot of blade options and look way better. I did have an issue with them, the splines fit but there was enough room that they would sometime not swing back and forth. I solved it by drilling a hole thru the blade base into the Fiero spline and then using a set screw to hold them in place. works great, no issues now.
I did have an issue with them, the splines fit but there was enough room that they would sometime not swing back and forth. I solved it by drilling a hole thru the blade base into the Fiero spline and then using a set screw to hold them in place.
Yeah, that's not an issue with mine, I've also heard/witnessed someone taking the loose/sloppy wiper arms like yours, disassembling them by drilling out the rivets to remove the bar/hook, doing the same to the stock wipers and making a hybrid of the two by bolting the j hook bar to the stock Fiero wiper arms. And as a nice touch he used torques head bolts.
Luckily, mine take no modification and "knock on wood" I haven't had any come back yet so I'm very pleased.
[This message has been edited by jmbishop (edited 09-18-2022).]
Just put on a set of the new wiper arms from Josh today. No one sponsored me, nor did I ask. Just bought a set outright. Straightforward install. Fit perfectly. Tried out a 22 inch Bosh on driver side,19 inch on the passenger side. It all fit nicely. Don't be afraid to try them out from what I saw on my real world install for myself.
Thanks, I appreciate the good feedback. I apologize for not answering your earlier questions, I don't get in the forum much.
Speaking of wiper blades.......does there happen to exist a product or chemical that can renew the rubber on the blades. I heard that wd40 works but I would think it might leaves streaks. Just wondering. Thanks!
I use a conditioner, I soak or spray the blades down a few times a year, I'm in year 3 on the set on my current daily driver.
I use 303 aerospace protectant, I bought an entire gallon of it. I use it on all rubber and vinyl parts that I touch including interior parts. I even had a sticky airbag cover on a Saturn that was fixed with one application.
It's sometimes available at Walmart and auto parts stores in a smaller spray bottle for $13
Also, wiper blades are getting so expensive the wiper refills are making a comeback, I haven't seen them locally yet but I've been seeing them and even bought a set on Amazon. I'm tempted to just buy a roll of cut to length stuff from China so I may never have to buy again.
[This message has been edited by jmbishop (edited 09-20-2022).]
Trico makes blades that fit - they even sell an OEM style.
Of course, there are many that fit, I don't think anyone thought otherwise. However not all of them fit well, and there are some wipers people like that don't offer the pin mounting. Also the finish of most stock wipers are cooked if you haven't refinished then.
Brand new shiney parts that pretty much guarantee you can use whatever wiper you want, not having to deal with the wipers that don't clamp well to the pin, and in an emergency you know you'll find something that fits are the reasons you might consider updating your wiper arms. It's by no means something you have to do or you won't be able to find wipers.
