Removing windscreen wipers

[alku83]

I must be doing something wrong, but for the life of me I cannot remove my windscreen wipers, even though it seems like it should be very easy. I want to take them off to give them a spraypaint, which I know quite a few of you have done before. I can't seem to get either the rear or the front ones off. I've had a look at the FAQ on FTOOC which is for the rear wiper, but I imagine the front wipers are the same process?

http://www.ftooc.org/?section=faq under this question:
(under question: I want to replace my rear speakers, but I've got a windscreen wiper)

I get stuck at the "removing plastic disc" section. This is a photo of where I'm up to - I've removed the plastic top and undone the bolt:


If I slide up the round plastic thats kind of in the middle layer, I can see a bolt that needs to be undone with a spanner, but its a bit hard to get to.

And I can't see how I can possibly do the same on the front - there's just no room:



Help please!

[mr-charisma]

use a socket wrench for the front one

I've never taken them off, but also want to take them off and the grill underneath them on the windscreen to give them a spraypaint. Might do that this afternoon when I buff my car & let you know how it goes if I end up doing it.

[alku83]

use a socket wrench for the front one

Yes yes thankyou Ok so I didn't take the bolt off for the photo of the front wiper. I know how to remove the bolt...but after that?

[dstocks]

Should be on a spline. If you move it back and forth, it should come off

[alku83]

Should be on a spline. If you move it back and forth, it should come off

As in wiggle it left - right - left? Not quite sure what you mean.
I'll give that a go in the morning!

[dstocks]

Yep, its a tapered spline. The nut jams the fitting onto the spline. You need to move it so it loosens....

[alku83]

Yep, its a tapered spline. The nut jams the fitting onto the spline. You need to move it so it loosens....

Well, I wiggled and moved and couldn't get anything to happen! I tried with both the front and the rear wipers...what am I doing wrong?

[dstocks]

Ummm,

how to explain this......

The wipers are probably rusted (or stuck) on the spline. When I say wriggle it, I dont mean in the same way that the wiper motor does.

1. Lift the wiper arms up (as if you are cleaning the window).

2. Make sure that the nuts have been removed.

3. pull the arm away from the window while wriggling it. A bit of WD40 may help to loosen it up a bit.

Failing that, I have to remove the ones on one of the cxars I have in the next few days. Ill try and take a picture for you and post it up. May be a few days though.....

[alku83]

I'm pretty sure I'm doing the right thing, and it's what I've been trying all along. I assumed since I was getting nowhere it was more complicated than that! I drowned it in WD-40 today but to no avail. I think I might just cover the car in newspaper and spraypaint them directly!