Pierre Gillet Posted December 1, 2000 Share Posted December 1, 2000 Does anyone have experienced cutting wiper blades to length? I just received among other bits and pieces from Caterham, two new wiper blades. After having removed the left one, I fitted a new one, just to discover once fitted that it obviously had to be shortened blush.gif Any recommendation for what could easily turn to be a disaster question.gif Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 1, 2000 Share Posted December 1, 2000 Pierre. Yes, I have done this job. I too was surprised to find they weren't a standard length! I used a junior (small) hacksaw for the frame & a 'Stanley' knife for the rubber blade. I calculated the lengths required with a steel rule (figuring out the working arc) and then did it again to be sure. Remember the old adage "Measure twice; cut once!". If you raise an edge from the cutting then a l-i-g-h-t tap from a hammer closes it up again. I carefully filed the edges and then used a black indelible marker pen to reprotect the cut edges. Note:- To get the maximum sweep (coverage) area I found that both blades worked out at different lengths overall and that the lengths from the fixing to the arm both above & below (the arm) were all different too. Good Luckthumbsup.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 1, 2000 Author Share Posted December 1, 2000 Thanks Chris, will follow your directions. Junior hacksaw seems to be the right tool. For length my plan was to copy the old one , but if the "coverage" can be improved let's try! cool.gif Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 1, 2000 Share Posted December 1, 2000 Pierre. I guess your "Anniversary" models blade length will have been set by whoever built it (or maybe there is a 'basic' length!). I'm sure you can do better!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 2, 2000 Author Share Posted December 2, 2000 Chris, job done. I followed your recommendations thumbsup.gif. I also changed the windscreen which was kind of sandblasted. I applied some Rain X to help the wiper blades and try to prevent the metal frame of the left wiper blade from scratching the glass surface. Only problem still to fix: The rubber seal of the windscreen is not perfectly applied on the body in the two curved corners. Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 3, 2000 Share Posted December 3, 2000 Pierre. I changed the seal on my car when I first got it. I used a bit of washing up liquid to ease the trim into the slot. Cut it to suit around the heating wires etc. One side was perfect, the other not quite so. Just a slight wrinkle.I was in the area a few days later, so I dropped into the factory to see how the 'experts' did it. Funny thing was the car I looked at was just like mine; perfect one side, not quite so the other. I felt a lot better about my effort!!! I cleaned all the washing up liquid off (or so I thought) but a few weeks later on I was caught in a massive rain storm (those people who say in their adverts 'never used in the wet' are either lying or don't use the car!). I speeded up to get home & the next thing I knew was a stream of bubbles blowing through the cockpit!!!!!wink.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 4, 2000 Author Share Posted December 4, 2000 So Chris, you have a self washing car now! Nicely done! I sprayed some silicon grease on the seal. It worked OK too. The seal must look about like yours. I tried some hot air. Improved a little bit.Time may help too. So I'll be patient.May be a light touch of neoprene glue would help too as a last try. Regards, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 4, 2000 Author Share Posted December 4, 2000 Is it right that wiper blades supplied by Caterham are really wiper blades of Land Rover ? It would save me carriage/post thumbsup.gif Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted December 4, 2000 Share Posted December 4, 2000 If they are off a Land Rover it can't be a recent one, coz most LR's have had proper wipers for some time. I wouldn't put it past them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 5, 2000 Share Posted December 5, 2000 Pierre. I think they are normally fitted to joke glasses (they're that small!). I will try & find out. I used to have a list that I made up when I rebuilt a S3 Lotus 'Esprit'. That was full of mini clubman bits etc. as well as the well known austin 'Maxi' door handles! Could be useful for 7's. Anyone else done this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted December 6, 2000 Share Posted December 6, 2000 The blades are from the series 3 and older Landrover's. You can get them from any Landrover dealership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted December 6, 2000 Share Posted December 6, 2000 Casbar. Price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted December 7, 2000 Share Posted December 7, 2000 Chris, Don't know, I used to have a landrover, so I've got some spairs. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted December 8, 2000 Author Share Posted December 8, 2000 Thanks Robert. Will contact the Rover dealer close to my home. Regards, Pierre Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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