Wiper blades.....again....

[Forkie]

For once, will try to keep things short. What is the procedure for changing just the rubber insert, keeping all the original metalwork. Im sure i did this back in the day with Allegros etc - just cannot remember. Been trawling the forum / net, nothing jumps out.
Many thanks.

[johnnydog]

I'm glad you want to keep the original stainless wiper blades, rather than replacing with black - modern black blades just dont look right on a Triumph!
Assuming you have the original type of stainless blade, then it's just a case of squeezing the two 'barb' shaped tabs together and sliding the rubber out along the claws.
Any replacement rubber refills need to have the reinforced / solid back (that sits in the claws) to keep the rubber straight and in position. If its just rubber without a reinforced back (metal or plastic), then the refill won't have any support and not sit evenly on the glass.
I know it's only a wiper blade rubber, which you think shouldn't cause any problems, but if the width is too wide for the claws, it won't slide slightly within the claws as it passes over the curve of the windscreen. The refill needs to be held by the claws, but not 'clamped' so it slides easily within the claws.
As the originals are open at the end away from the arm itself, as some replacement rubbers don't have the 'barbed' end, they can't be locked in position to stop them sliding out whilst in use.
All mine have the same type of stainless blades, but there may be slight differences in fitment with other makes.
Who would have thought wiper blades could be so involved !?!

[Forkie]

Trying to keep it as original as i can !!!! So yes, they are original Trico arms and blades. I have recently brought a new pair of blades with stainless back plates from CW, so should be correct size. However, there are differences - original one have the barbs that have to be squeezed in , to release the blade and backing from the claws, with a stainless ' stopper' and the barb end, open at the other. The new ones have modern plastic stoppers at both ends, with no barbs. I assume you remove one plastic end, feed through the claws, refit stop end - job done. Not keen !!!! What i hope to do is just change the RUBBER ONLY,thus retaining all the original Trico metal work. But the rubbers seem well in, do they simply just slide out from the backplates - i did not want to just pull at them and risk breaking something without checking....
And i agree, who would of thought simply changing blades would be so fiddly....

[Forkie]

Sorted The better half just whipped one of the horrible black plastic ends of the new blade - out slid the new rubber, my original ones were just solid in the back plate so just cut the blade down the middle, pulled the inside piece away, slid the new rubbers on ! Easy, i was just being too careful!!!! My attention then turned to why no screen wash - did not take long to find the thick sludge in the washer bottle!! Hopefully two more jobs down

[Forkie]

Right John, here we go !!! No straight forward fix with the washer. Got rid of the lump of sludge from bottle, bleached out. Filter was a bit filmy - now clean. ( is it not wonderful that everything can be taken apart, unlike todays throw away society). Removed jets from bulkhead - clear , still nothing ( motor is running by the way!). So - pipes off from motor - hairdrier warm up first of course - so from the pump outlet to jets blew clear. However - the inlet stub was full of more sludge. Picked out with a pin until no more came out. Refitted, but left the pipe to bulkhead off, so hopefully any remaining sludge in pump comes out into some paper towel instead of into the pipe - still nothing....it does not appear to be drawing up from the bottle, so assume the pump is still blocked past where the pin can get. I cannot blow through either. My question is , the three screws that go into it through the bracket on the side - does that gain any access to it further in? I know they are only a tenner new, but i would rather try to clear this one if possible....the book says not servicable, but thought i would ask anyway.

[johnnydog]

The three Phillips head screws appear to hold the mounting bracket on, but also appear to hold the union piece in position with a rubber gasket in between. I 'd remove one of the screws and if they are long enough to reach the pump body, then I think it can be dismantled and hopefully cleaned, or any obstruction cleared.
For what it's worth, I can't blow through any of the pipe unions either on a spare one I had to hand!

[Forkie]

Yes, i noticed the gasket. Right, so nothing to lose then, by unscrewing the 3 small phillips screws. And see what i see... as an aside, how many second hand ones do you have in stock i did wonder about an air line blow through?

[Forkie]

Another small but annoying job sorted ! So yes those screws do indeed hold the bracket and union/ gasket to the body. Impeller was fine, so carefully eased off the gasket with a sort of ' backplate' to expose the inner face of the union and sure enough there was another small dollop of gloop. Was not sure initially if that was the cause but yes it was as i now have a pair of firefighting standard washer jets aiming at the windscreen . Such a simple but satisfying job, albeit made easier by the manufacturer that most of the system is easily taken apart, and another original unit not thrown in the bin, and no R.M. part needed to replace it. Note to self - change washer fluid periodically !!!!!

[johnnydog]

Glad it's sorted! I too would much prefer to repair if possible rather than replace. The satisfaction of a repair far outweighs simply buying a new and probably inferior quality modern replacement.
Probably why I like TV programs like the Repair Shop!!

[Forkie]

I agree! The car goes in the morning for the big ( probably expensive) trip to the transmission repair shop so it will be an interesting few weeks methinks - see what they come back with....i believe they do a test drive before anything so im really keen to see if they can get it to travel over 50 mph !!!!!!