Suzuki XL7 Windshield wiper conversion

I picked this windshield wiper motor linkage setup out of a suzuki XL-7 since out of every car I walked past in the junkyard the wipers assy comes out of that model in about 10 minutes from the engine compartment. The final setup is a litttle more complex and bulky than I had hoped. I had to trim down the linkage end of the plastic bracket on the windshield about 1/8" to get the arm to stick out far enough on the dash side. Then I had to make little bronze bushings to take up the extra shaft length. I debated putting the motor in the passenger side dash but its designed to be push from the side, not down below. I cant say I care for it much, its a little bulky but I will leave it in for now. I will weld up the linkages to get rid of the screws. I also plan on going to smaller linkage and smaller dash brackets now that I see how it all works.

 

Not being happy with the look of the stock wiper linkage from the Suzuki I made my own arms from carbon fiber tube and little heim joints from mcmaster carr. I like this look better. One thing I was thinking about is the heim joints arent really designed for 360 degree rotation. This primarily applies to the joint on the motor. The driver side arm is stock. On the passenger side I cut down the plastic wiper shaft bracket and made the new L bracket with the same length as the stock. Works fine, its fun to watch. Switch is hidden behind the dash.
http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x395/jwinsley/Newlinkage.jpg
<a href="http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/jwinsley/media/Newlinkage.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x395/jwinsley/Newlinkage.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Newlinkage.jpg"/></a>

 

I did something similar to that for my 3B back in the 70's but used a Toyota motor mounted on the front side similar to the later CJ's. I also used bearing ends from McMaster (there are many different types of bearing ends and some of them do just fine with 360 degree rotation). Linkage is 1/4" aluminum rod and I enclosed the back side of the windshield frame to both protect fingers and to provide defrost ducting. That might be hard to do on a 3A if you want to keep the vent.

Then there was this Bubba job on another 3B at a local 4x4 shop-