Pantographic Wiper Installation Project

[Chris & Dale]

One day I will be done with projects...wait, what was I thinking....this is a boat! Anyway, I'm going to copy in a word document and add a few pictures on removing the old and installing the new. Here goes:

Removing Old Wipers
1. Mark w/a piece of blue tape where your wiper rests on the windshield, which is the park position. The side wipers will most likely be to the right of the windshield (from the outside looking in) and the center one in the middle.
2. Lift up plastic cap over shaft end
3. Remove set screw with allen wrench
4. Gently pry old arm up off shaft. I used the wooden handle of a wire brush to protect fiberglass
5. If this doesn’t work, don’t bother with PB Blaster type products. Get a Dremmel tool with a cutting disc and cut right thru the set screw until close to shaft. Take a flat head screw driver and pry it open and remove arm. In fact, unless they just pop right off, get out your dremmel and get on to the install.

Cut.JPG

Installing AFI Marinco Pantographic Wipers
1. Clean up shaft and threads.
2. Remove and apply an anti-seize lubricant to the set screws and reinstall in the new wipers. (I use NAPA which is copper based)
3. Remove nut from shaft w/ 3/4" wrench, clean, and use anti-seize lubricant
4. Place the large hole of the new wiper arm base plated over the shaft and reinstall rubber grommet, washer, and hex nut. Don’t tighten all the way yet.
5. Align the base plate parallel with the top of the windshield, mark the 2nd base plate hole and drill a #10, add a little dab of 4200 in the hole, and install #10 s/s screw. This will be a challenge due to space. I had to use a #10 countersink w/a drill bit and a small B&D screwdriver.

Small Drill.JPG

6. Now tighten the shaft hex nut.
7. I added a little 4200 on the top & side edges of the bracket just to seal out any spray.

Bracket Installed.JPG

8. Install anti-seize compound to the shaft.
9. Place the wiper arm over the motor shaft such that it is centered in the windshield.
10. Adjust the wiper arm to the desired length. There is a silver lever on the backside of the arm that you flip up to adjust its length.
11. Make sure the “T” is flush w/the rest of the arm and parallel w/the base plate. (This will look like my picture of the center arm installed)
12. Now adjust the other arm length and tighten the nuts.
13. Remove the arm and realign w/your tape marking of the park position
14. Press down until it is firmly seated.
15. Lift the plastic shield up to expose the set screws and tighten.
16. Install wiper blade and test that it sweeps and comes to rest in the proper park position.
17. This will take some playing with to get the sweep area at the right height, so be patient.
18. For the center window, if the desired park position is not center, then after preliminary alignment (8-11 above), then you’ll have to adjust the park position from the motor. I’ve decided to leave it in the center for now and adjust another day.

All 3 Done.JPG

19. Wet down windshield, turn them on, and be happy!
20. This will be harder than you think from the body position/strain/twist perspective, so be prepared Took me about 6 hours all total for install.
20. Have a beer, you’ve earned it.

Hope this helps those thinking about it.

[Nancy]

Chris, thanks for posting this as I see wiper replacement in our future... What model wiper did you install?

Also, did you choose pantographic wipers to get more of the windshield cleared? Or is there not a replacement wiper arm available?

[Chris & Dale]

Nancy,
First, these were the original 13 year old wipers and they'd lost their spring and tension on the glass. Second, they didn't clear that big an area. So in looking at replacements the research indicated the pantographic to be the best solution to both. Here's the details:

SKU Description Qty. Shipped Qty. Ordered Price Total Amount
161693 Polymer Wiper Blades, 20", Black 3 3 22.06 66.18
35213 Deluxe Adjustable Pantographic Arm, 17" to 22" 3 3 56.60 169.80
Shipping UPS Ground (UPS_GND) 1 15.82 15.82

Subtotal: 251.80

Total: 251.80

I used Go2Marine which was recommended as best price on this site and they were right. Using the anti-sieze compound and periodically servicing them, I hope to get another 13 years out of these, so it was worth the investment. Good Luck.

[kathylsails]

We put a pantograph wiper on KP Duty some time ago and have been quite pleased. We made the replacement because the viewing area from the old one did not extend far enough to do any good.

BTW....Anyone who has a boat will never be through with projects! So, stock up on the beer and be happy .

[Nancy]

Thanks, Chris!

[jms02050]

Decided to make the switchover to pantographic wipers due to a wiper motor needing to be replaced. And this has bought forth the usual challenges...

First off, on my 2003 Albin, Marinco indicated that the AFI 1000 wiper motor was used, but it was discontinued and replaced with the AFI 1.5 heavy duty wiper motor. Was told that although literature indicated the motor shaft was 2 inches, it was actually 2.5 inches - which would match my existing motor. Was also told that the mounting holes were the same.

Ordered the motor and lo and behold, the shaft is 2 inches and the mounting hole is different. Overall the motor is pretty much a match and it's just the screw hole to help secure the motor on the inside of the pilot that needs to be re-drilled.

Chris, in looking at your pics, it looks like the motor shaft is shorter than what's currently on my boat - do you think they're 2 inches? I'm hoping that the 1/2 inch difference in height off the windshield won't matter.

Also, while test fitting the new motor and wiper arm, it seems like it's going to be a game of trial and error to determine at what angle to mount the wiper arm to the shaft. Unfortunately, it's extremely difficult to get the wiper arm on the shaft and I found that once the wiper arm is on, it's a bear to get off - basically requires a pry bar.

Chris, did you have the same experience?

I keep thinking it shouldn't be so challenging....

[Chris & Dale]

Jim,
I guess I was blessed in that I didn't have to mess with the motors at all, just the wiper arms. One of my lessons learned in having to cut the wiper housing to shaft area (not sure that's the right term) and seeing how corroded it was, is that I used an anti-seizing compound on the set screws and shaft. My intent for periodic maintenance (PM) is to every other year remove them and reapply the anti-seize compound. If on the first PM I have difficulty, then I will make it an annual PM. Yeah, I know, I'm anal but remember, I spent 30+ years working at a nuclear power plant. Anyway, as for aligning the wipers, place some kind of temporary mark as to the current alignment when it comes to rest and then try to install at the angle. I must have removed and replaced for positioning 3-4 times for each blade, but when it's right, oh my what a difference these blades make. Part of this was also that I wanted them to come to rest on the opposite side of the window, so again, experimentation. My big challenge now is to mess with the middle motor to expand the swipe to a wider area, and have it end on one side versus the middle. But that's another day. So I guess bottom line is...lubricate and be prepared to adjust...several times. Good Luck.

[Tree]

Chris,

I am about to do this conversion on FP and my buddies 28 - did you make full use of the 17"-22" arm or would the 12"-17" arm suffice?

Thankfully its easy to source Marinco AFI parts over here so i have the choice of either but would like to have all the parts ready to hand so I can get on with the job.

cheers

Lee

[Chris & Dale]

Lee,
If you want to use the 20" blade, then yes, you'll need the 17-22" arm as I described above. It will give you the best window cleaning area. It's a bit of a chore, but worth it in the end. My only other comment would be that if you're even remotely thinking of it, go ahead and get and install a washer system. That's on my spring list of things to do. Good Luck!

p.s. Lived in and around Oxford from 1970-1973 at RAF Upper Heyford. Always loved the "Island across the Pond". Maybe one day I'll return. With the exception of maybe London, if there's any place that could remain essentially unchanged and beautifully so, it would be England.

[Maye Marie]

k2-_70b7c493-252d-41be-8b63-bd67c77e8662.v1.jpg

You can buy this wiper puller at auto zone for twelve dollars number OTC4675. Makes removing the wiper arms much easier.

You will need to modify it. The end of the threaded knob is to big to fit through the hole of the wiper arm. Remove the threaded knob and replace with a bolt. End of the bolt drill a small hole and pres in a screw small enough to pass through the hole on your wiper arm. Cut off the head of the screw and you are ready to use. I tried to work with the threaded knob that came with it. But it is hollow in center and too week to use if you file down. So save time and make one out of a bolt.

I keep it in my boat tool box for emergency repair and for what was suggested, frequently remove arms and keep lubed.

[Tree]

Thanks for the info. I've ordered 6 17"-22" arms with 4 20" blades and 2 22" blades for the centre. I'm just trying to figure out how to install a screen wash using the boats fresh water supply but I see that AFI do a kit that puts the spray nozzle onto the wiper itself that I think I will opt for - that will be a spring time fit out as so I'm not rushing the job in the cold.

Thanks for the heads up on the arm puller, I'll look in local garage supplies over here to see what's available.

[Chris & Dale]

Terry & Karen....wish I'd known....looks a lot easier, along w/some PB Blaster, it should go very well.

[carolmarie]

Did the conversion to pantograph arms on the Carol Marie (2001, 28TE) in 2009. Made a huge difference and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Our 28 came with AFI- 2000, HD motors so there was no issue handling the additional load forces.
When I started this project I went to the IMTRA marine products site; they have terrific wiper application questionnaire that will allow them to provide you with a wiper/blade design based on the window and line of sight for your boat. The 28TE, based on my height (6'3") line of sight, resulted in following recommendation:
- Outboard windows: set wiper motor to 45 degree sweep; Wiper arm, RC538824, set to 18.9"; wiper blade RC520924-24"; sweep width , 14.9".
- Center windows : set wiper motor to 80 degree sweep; Wiper arm, RC538824- set to 22.0"; wiper blade RC520920-20"; sweep width 25.1".
It' likely that the model nos. have changed but the concept should be OK today.
I did purchase the items as IMTRA recommended, via Defender (and was vey pleased with the outcome), but have been using Bosch automotive replacement blades at considerable savings, with no impact on performance.
Hope this helps.

[Tree]

Thanks for the heads up in the lengths etc. I shall use those figures as a guideline when I do the install, weather permitting next weekend.

[Tree]

Well, I would like to say this project is going easily but I can't!

All three wiper arms are solid on to the shafts and despite making pullers, buying pullers nothing is moving so I will be cutting them back and splitting open.

I have however managed to remove and install the helm side wiper after a colourful vocabulary hour or two, only to then test and the locking screw for setting the angle had fallen out inside the motor!!!!! Obviously this did mean that I needed to remove the wiper motor and reset, naturally throwing out all of my measurements for the wiping angle.

I am set at 45 degrees for helm and co pilot windows but the wipers seem to fall about 2" short of the frame, is this normal as the sweep seems a little short? I may be tempted to drill and tap a new hole in the setting gear to increase the angle to say 55 degrees as a possibility.

I will need to remove the wiper motors again but not till summer when its warmer as the current park is in the middle of the window and i would like them to stop at the sides.

However, I have a dremel and a box of cutting wheels - I shall endeavour with it again tomorrow as the light is starting to go here.