My wife has a valid complaint about our 91 RS: The "high" wiper speed setting is just not fast enough.

We live in Florida and get some very heavy rains and the wipers just don't clear the water fast enough (sweep rate). Yes, the glass is clean, brand new Bosch blades, etc. We have the variable speed system.

I know some cars are just better than others in this department. For example, our 86 Grand Wagoneer has wipers that go like lightning when on high.

Is there a more powerful motor available? Any other ideas?

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions!

Kevin

 

Might try applying some "rain-x" to your windshield. Bottle of rain-x should be under $5.00 and will make your windshield hydrophobic. Water will bead up and roll off the windshield similar to what happens when water hits a freshly waxed paint job. Should then be able to drive in the rain with the wipers set at a lower setting, but still have better visibility than with the wipers set at high.

http://www.rainx.com/product_pages/a...uto_glass.html

"Rain-X® Original Glass Treatment

Formulated with a transparent polymer that fills the microscopic pores of glass with hydrophobic molecules that force rain, sleet and snow to bead-up and roll off. Rain-X® improves all weather visibility, safety and driving comfort.

- Repels rain, sleet and snow on contact
- Increases visibility and driving safety
- Easy to apply"

http://www.islandsci.com/rainx.htm

"This amazing solution normally used to render your car's windshield water-repellent is also the ideal choice for the lab. For example, it can easily and quickly make half of your electrophoresis plates hydrophobic for easy removal of your plates from the gels without all the usual caustic smells associated with laboratory siliconizing solutions."

http://www-pgss.mcs.cmu.edu/Publicat...me15/RainX.pdf

 

I will give it a shot. I've actually got two containers of Rain-X (and their anti-fogging agent as well). I use it on my faceshield when I ride my motorcycle.

I have used Rain-X in the past BUT the rain here in Florida is often much, much heavier than what I experienced in CA. Visibility drops down to a few yards.

The higher speed combined with the more vertical windshield on the Wagoneer can handle it but the Camaro system seems very similar to other passenger cars in lack of speed (right now we have a K-Car, two Metros, and the Jeep).

 

Actually, instead of Rain-x, get some aquapel from Jiffy Lube. (And this is the ONLY time I'll ever recommend going there; I used to work there) If you can buy it outside JiffyLube, great, but I haven't seen it yet. Anyways, it's a lot more expensive than Rain-x, but lasts a hell of a lot longer. I put some on my car a year and a half ago and it's still working.

 

Hook some nawwwsss up to them thangs.

 

LOL.....

I live in southern Florida also so i know ezactly what you are talking about........I use Rain-X on my car and it works ALOT better.....

I would highly reccommend it...

 

I have been using Rain-X for a couple weeks now and, yes, it does help. One problem with this solution is that when the rain is very heavy OR misty (very small droplets) it is still necessary to turn on the wipers when moving slowly or stopped. Once the wipers have been turned on, the film degrades fairly steadily until the point comes when it is necessary once again to keep the wiper going at speed. This means re-applying Rain-X on a regular basis (more than once a week) which eats up some time.

I have not tried the Aquapel yet.

I measured the cyclic rate of my stock Camaro wipers on high and they run at almost exactly 1 cycle per second. I measured the Grand Wagoneer system and it ran approximately 4% faster (the vertical windshield makes a big difference apparently). I have since been experimenting with wiper systems from other vehicles and have modified the stock Camaro system to run approximately 20% faster at the high speed setting. I might make up a kit for the modifications.

Mark, maybe I'll call them Nawwwsss Wipers...

 

Just read the PPG site on Aquapel. Don't expect to see it outside of Jiffy-Lube or other service centers. PPG is marketing it as a professional product, i.e. for a technician to apply. It is nice, though that it is supposed to last up to six times as long as silicone based products like Rain-X.

http://www.ppg.com/gls_aquapel/about.htm

 

As a native Floridian, I feel your pain! I use the rain-x windshield washer fluid, so every time I use the washers, fresh application of rain-x. The only drawback is that, at night, when the streetlights hit the windshield just right, you get really bad glare.

 

Yes, you really have to polish the finish, which, of course, adds to the amount of work. On my motorcycle faceshield it is a noticible glare even when highly polished.

Too bad you cannot fit a spinning clear plate like on ships...

 

You might want to try and find a car that has FAST wipers and somehow take the motors out of it and place them in the camaro

Just a thought.....

 

Yep. That's what I've been working on. So far I have them running 20% faster. 72-73 cycles per minute versus the stock 60 (on high). Not done with it, though.

 

maybe a few more volts? Try boosting the voltage somhow... my car wont start unless I hit it with 16+ volts... so I carry around a few flashlight batterys to jump it. dont ask.... and YES im serious!

 

Heheh...

I just checked the stock wiper speed of our RS again but this time after letting it warm up fully and with the lights and AC going (how it is typically driven in the rain). The high rate drops down to about 45 cycles per minute. Looks like the motor is going on that puppy. I had previously compared my Naaawwws system to 60 Hz (the RS going at night without being warmed up). With the more realistic rate, that is now a 40% (vs 20% previously at night) increase in speed over stock.

I measured the voltage directly and that came out to about 12.9v at the connector (same as at the battery terminals). If I run the Naaawwws system at roughly 13.5v, the cyclic rate jumps up to well over 80% faster than stock (45 Hz). I am very hesitant to boost the voltage over 13.5v because then you are exceeding the typical setting for the voltage regulator -- plus it doesn't seem to be needed.