Windshield wiper blades

[Huskinhano]

Is it just me or do others feel mentally challenged changing them? I had to change the ones on my work truck, it was like taking a Mesa test.

[TheSilverBuick]

Haha, after three years of working at Autozone, I had 99% of them down to a science. What angers me is how hard it is to find the refills these days. If I can spend $5 and get two wipers rather than $5 each, I much rather do that.

[JOES66FURY]

they last 6 months out here at best...and "refills" dont exsist. They can be a real mofo to change and I dont understand why they have to be so damn difficult...more often than not, I look like jo-jo the circus gorilla out there trying to change mine

[38P]

The wiper manufacturers and retailers justify selling whole blades instead of refills based on a claim that the late-model spring designs that tension the "squeegee" degrade over time and could affect wiper performance and safety. And some of the OEM blade designs aren't really set up to be refilled or field-serviced any more. Nobody wants to face a products liability action when there's profit to be made by avoiding one . . . .

Some of us remember when a little cabinet on the island at service station contained virtually all the refills necessary to get most anything on the road back to wiping . . .

As for how long they last . . I once did a side-by-side test on our SVT Focus . . . The expensive Bosch brand blade I put on the drivers' side wiped better, chattered less, and lasted about twice as long as the cheap one I put on the passenger side at the same time. I guess sometimes you really do get what you pay for.

[TheSilverBuick]

Easy to solve, only have refills in 18" and less, as pretty much no vehicle made after '99 use an 18" or less blade except on the back window.

[Barry Donovan]

Haha, after three years of working at Autozone, I had 99% of them down to a science. What angers me is how hard it is to find the refills these days. If I can spend $5 and get two wipers rather than $5 each, I much rather do that.

it was one of my jobs at a quick lube years ago...
its like I blanked it out of memory, I get all confused today.
I have had the same all steel winter blades on since my first 1987 .. in 1997.
3rd subaru later..and 17 years. A wreck, many winters... and they are older than 17 by who knows how much. Do they even make all steel wipers anymore?

Same wipers flapping the rubber shredded covering in the breeze starting around 80 or so.

[Beagle]

takes me about 30 seconds a side, the pollution here wipes them out really fast... should replace them every 6 months, but the new car has a replacement blade only, there is no "refill" and they're like 15.00-20.00 a side.

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

Easy to solve, only have refills in 18" and less, as pretty much no vehicle made after '99 use an 18" or less blade except on the back window.

wifes 2004 sport trac (exployer) uses 18" many vehicles use 18" amco still makes the refills.. Advanced sell them , but it's a moot point as many wiper blade frames are not the same type.. the basic cheape blades are the old metal frame, wipers last longer if you armorall the sides every 3 weeks.. just try to not get it on the tip that rides on the glass... also rain x on the window helps the blades last longer.. Adding plastic lifts so when parked they are off the glass also helps.. I get 2 years out of a set.. armor all/ rain x, and plastic wedge to lift off glass, and clean the blades once a week, or every fill up..

[GFogg]

As Joe said. they go bad pretty quick in AZ. It usually rains and when I turn them on they fall apart so I replace them. When it rains again next year I'll turn them on and they will fall apart again.

[antmnte]

You definately cut your knuckles or smash your hand into something when changing them. I curse it every time. My G8 has a short one on the passenger side I can only get from the dealer for 30 bucks !

[Whelk]

I feel your pain. They usually end up breaking when I take the old ones off. The new ones snap nicely in place. Go figure.

[STINEY]

My Dodge Magnum has an expensive weirdo small wiper blade on the back window....yeah, like the $30 G8 one. Its 7" long IIRC.

I buy a standard 14" blade and cut it in half for $5.....then I have 2 refills.

[Karberator]

You definately cut your knuckles or smash your hand into something when changing them. I curse it every time. My G8 has a short one on the passenger side I can only get from the dealer for 30 bucks !

I bought some GM blades for my wife's G8 from Summit. They were less than the dealership wanted even with the shipping. It saved me a trip to the stealership which was great. I looked on Summit's website,but they don't list them now. Not under G8 wipers for sure. That was my first staggered set of blades.

I've just used the Anco blades from Wally-World or elsewhere for 5 bucks for quite some time on my vehicles. I had good results in the past,but the last two sets have streaked like crazy. I just change them every 6 months or so,and it takes about 2 minutes to change them at the most.

My Mom has an '06 HHR that she bought new. My wife and I went to a funeral with my parents back in '07 or so,and I remember the factory wipers were getting bad then when we ran through a rainstorm. My Dad just freaking put new blades on a month or so ago. There was no wiper left. We almost had a fight because he swore I had put set of blades on the car for them,but it was their last car instead of the HHR. I don't know how they didn't get killed. I shoulda took a picture of the blades.

[tonycpe]

it takes 30 seconds on my pickup truck , but we tried for over half an hour on my buddys volvo wagon to get one on the rear window and never got it right

[oldsman496]

Haha, after three years of working at Autozone, I had 99% of them down to a science. What angers me is how hard it is to find the refills these days. If I can spend $5 and get two wipers rather than $5 each, I much rather do that.

$5 ??? where do you shop? Ecuador? A set of Bosch Icons will set you back $50.....and refills are $8 bucks a piece.