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Wagon Wiper Cable System Question

Discussion in 'Jeep Truck and FC Tech' started by FinoCJ, Sep 10, 2020.

  1. Sep 10, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    5,593
    Going to try and get my wipers working (a couple days of rain in Colo has kept me from driving the Willys)....It still had the vacuum motor when I got it, but it didn't seem to work - although not sure how much was the vacuum motor and how much was going on up behind the dash. Taking a look up under there, it looks like the cables are not broken and are on the pulleys correctly, but the the tension might not be right, and the pulleys may also be stuck...Its quite possible the wipers haven't been used in 30 years. These are some reference pics for what it should look like (hopefully you all can see them):
    53 willys wagon windshield wipers motor works but blades don't move
    53 willys wagon windshield wipers motor works but blades don't move
    [​IMG] www.oldwillysforum.com

    I have an electric motor conversion ready to put on in place of the vacuum motor, but I want to make sure the cable system is good to go (and am trying to do this with the dash and everything else in place). How easily and how far should I be able to manually move the cables by hand and how much tension should there be - and does one of the pulley's have an adjustable position to change the tension? Sorry - this is probably covered in the FSM - thanks for your help. I may wish I went with the SPW solid rod kit, but it seemed trying to install a solid rod kit with dash in place and all the other stuff might be too much to tackle at this time.

    Oh - last question: do the wipers operate in a parallel manner (like most modern cars), or do they go opposite of each other (both move inward toward the split windshield divider at the same time, and then both outward and down toward the lower outer corners of the windshield).

    thanks
     
  2. Sep 10, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
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    They operate opposite of each other. The tension is adjustable for each side....a tensioner is on each side. It's pretty easy to adjust the tension, hardest part is trying to get up under the dash.
     
    FinoCJ likes this.
  3. Sep 10, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
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    Without looking at mine I can't think of how to actually adjust the tension, but it's easy. Its not something you want to have a lot of tension on so best to do trial and error.
     
  4. Sep 10, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    FSM says to loosen the nut and let it self adjust (assuming its not seized from years of sitting). The black and white photo is very low quality - so hopefully it will make sense when I climb under there. I think the nut they are talking about is the one pointed out in red here:
    [​IMG]

    Think I am going to remove the heater and defroster duct to make a bit more room (I need to pull the heater core anyway as it was leaking).
     
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  5. Sep 11, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2014
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    4,170
    I've never adjusted the cables, but a loose cable makes the wiper a bit "floppy" when operated. If the cable is slack, you can move the wiper arm side to side. If the cables(s) are slack, and the wiper isn't floppy, you have other issues with something (pulley, wiper arm pivot, etc) in the wiper mechanism.
    -Donny
     
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  6. Sep 11, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
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    12,367
    Agreed! Yeah, if it's slack any resistance at all on the windshield makes the wipers drag and operate poorly, sloppy, inconsistent. If working properly they're decent considering their design. Not awesome though. :D
     
  7. Sep 11, 2020
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

    At the foot of...
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    Got a link for this??
     
  8. Sep 11, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    colojeepguy likes this.
  9. Sep 11, 2020
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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  10. Sep 12, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
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    I am converting to electric motor but using the cable and pulley system....I bought the motor and bracket kit from Walcks - there are some different generic motors you can buy cheap(er) and fab your own bracket to adapt to the mount where the vacuum motor is. I got a bit of a discount using the labor day sale Walcks does, and they also include a switch etc...it appears to be a totally complete kit (minus the switch knob - I should be able to re-use the OEM one). You could probably do it for half the price of the kit if you pieced it together yourself with a standard bosch or similar motor and generic switch etc....
     
  11. Sep 13, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    Jan 23, 2014
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    I'm taking another direction for one of my Wagon's wipers. I have a wiper assembly out of a Triumph sports car. It consists of a motor/gearbox with a long attached "cable", two separate shaft gear assemblies, and metal outer sheath/conduits that connect the components. I can cut the cable a bit shorter once installed, cut the conduits to fit, and mount one shaft gear right-side-up, and the other upside-down to make the wipers "wipe" opposite like original.
    I've assembled it all on the bench and it works fine. I just haven't shortened and fit it under the cowl yet. I will have to fabricate a solid mount for the motor too.
    -Donny
     
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  12. Sep 13, 2020
    dozerjim

    dozerjim Member

    western New York
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2010
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    966
    I sprayed a little chain and cable lube on the pulleys ,reached up made sure everything was free,spring should move the pulleys untill cables are snug and then snug the nut up,I even got my vacuum motor working,kinda neat,not as good as electric but this won't see much rain,even got the cable switch freed up and bought a new knob from Walcks
     
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  13. Sep 13, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    Looking at sellers on E-bay that have old car parts I found some NOS tensioners and pulleys and cables for my stash. This was years ago but who knows what is still out there. I haven't even looked on there lately.
     
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  14. Sep 14, 2020
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    There's a new set on ebay right now, but big $$. ($350 item #3131 8922 1261)
    Single side, NOS ($79 iten #1743 9083 7618)
    -Donny
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2020
    Glenn likes this.
  15. Sep 16, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    I am getting the cable and pulley system cleaned up and working - but the big problem is there is no room for the electric motor to mount with the sbc - mostly it interferes with the 14" round aftermarket air cleaner. So there are some 10" housing that might work - it would be close - like touching each other close. And the other problem is that the distributor probably cannot be removed with first removing the electric motor (that was the case with vacuum set-up as well).
     
    Glenn likes this.
  16. Sep 16, 2020
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
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    Yeah, that's big bucks. I didn't pay near that for everything I picked up.
     
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