Wiper upsizing

[Slartibartfast]

I need to replace all of the wipers on my P5, and would like to upsize them if possible, especially the rear. I did some measuring, and it looks like I can do the following:

Driver side: 21" upsize to 25"
Passenger side: 19" upsize to 21"
Rear: 14" upsize to 15" (with 3/8" to spare below the spoiler)

I'm not sure if increasing the front wiper size will really improve visibility of the road. I think I will be able to see the hood my car better Will the stock motor & springs support larger wipers? Will my wallet support larger Bosch wipers? PartSource pricing for Bosch Microedge Excel is: 19" $12.99, 21" $14.99, 22" $14.99, 24" $20.99! 15" and 25" don't seem to exist for Bosch. There is an additional $2 discount on Bosch wipers with a Club Card until March 1, btw. All prices in CA$.

Has anyone safely changed the rear wiper to 15" without scraping the bottom of their spoiler? The only 15" wipers that I could find are at Canadian Tire: basic "metal" blades (they suck for the front), Teflon (heard they suck), and Aerofoil. Will the aerofoil cause lift or increased pressure on the rear wiper?

Thanks in advance guys. My first post, and I did search old posts first. (2thumbs)

 

[Stormtrooper77]

You could probably do the rear wiper with no problems. But as for the fronts, I don't think that you would be able to go any more than 1". The tension of the wipers are set to accomodate the current length. So the increased blade length will work while the car is not moving, but as soon as you hit a decent speed they will begin to skip and not make full contact.

I've tried this on my old car and have seen it done with another. It may seem like a good idea but in the end you'll end up going back to the stock sizes.

I say save the money and just keep them stock.

 

[peepsalot]

I don't know about wiper sizes, but I'd recommend some rain-x too. That stuff rocks so much. I was driving in a heavy downpour last night, and wipers were hardly necessary. I left them off for a while, and it made a negligable difference.

 

[tonkabui]

i'm running 22 driver and 19 passenger right now with no problems. i tried 15" in the back and it didn't clear. 14" is max.

 

[Poseur]

depending on climate, I wouldn't go much more than 1"over for thefronts. Again, spring tension, etc. at speed you'll get some chatter which gets annoying fast. Plus if ice is at all a concern, the londer the blade, the more curvature it'll have to cope with, and the ends'll freeze up very easily.

 

[Douggie]

Not worth the time, effort nor money for an insignificant gain (if any). Save the money for gas

 

[tonkabui]

Not worth the time, effort nor money for an insignificant gain (if any). Save the money for gas

huh? did you post in the wrong thread? all the wiper blades i've seen cost the same. from 19-22", they're the same price. then the 10-15" baldes sell for the same price.

 

[vindication]

just get the piaa ones that are the right size for our cars. well worth the money

 

[Slartibartfast]

Thanks for the useful comments so far. I had to drive home in a snow storm this evening, so I put on a new 14" Trico blade from PartSource that I had bought and put in my trunk just in case. What a huge difference from the OEM blades! I didn't get a chance to apply the rubber conditioner that came with the blade, but I think you only need that after cleaning the blade after some extended use. I remember complaining to the service guy around 18,000km that the rear blade didn't wipe well, and he said the wiper's getting old! (drunk)

Now for the front wipers - Does anyone have experience with Michelin wipers from Costco? All sizes (16" to 28"?) sell for CA$9.42. The few comments that I could find suggest that Michelins blades are good, but no direct comments. I'll consider PIAA, but I bet they are pricey. For now, if I have to choose between Bosch and Michelin, which brand would be better?

 

[tonkabui]

no, don't go michelins. i had them and they died fast. i now have the rain-x brand (similar to the piaa's, except for half the cost) and they are SWEET! be sure to rain-x all your windows and mirrors and you'll be amazed. the rain-x brand i found at walmart for $8 a pop. i think pep boys might sell them too. either them or autozone. i can't remember. but if you have neither of the stores available to you, then get the cheapest ones you can find and rain-x your windows. the michelins are a waste of money.

 

[blake_peanut]

Rain-X rocks! Use it with new blades, perfect!

 

[Douggie]

huh? did you post in the wrong thread? all the wiper blades i've seen cost the same. from 19-22", they're the same price. then the 10-15" baldes sell for the same price.

Not really. I was just replying based on what he said:

"Will my wallet support larger Bosch wipers? PartSource pricing for Bosch Microedge Excel is: 19" $12.99, 21" $14.99, 22" $14.99, 24" $20.99!"

It has been awhile since I've bought wiper blades, so I forgot what the prices are like

Anyway, for me, I always get the cheapest ones available. I'd rather change them more frequently so I have fresh blades most of the time.

 

[toucci]

so the rear blade wiping poorly is normal? mine is super clean (I wipe it down whenever I was the car) and it streaks the window, which is also in clean condition. I'd like to replace it if it'll work better with a different blade

 

[Lord_Zath]

Mine wipes pretty bad.

As for lengthening the rear blade, don't do it. My rear wiper actually hits the bottom of the spoiler and it's stock.

LZ
Z

 

[Slartibartfast]

so the rear blade wiping poorly is normal? mine is super clean (I wipe it down whenever I was the car) and it streaks the window, which is also in clean condition. I'd like to replace it if it'll work better with a different blade

I'll see how the new blade performs over the next few days and report back. It wasn't perfect, but almost like there was no glass where it wiped. The guy at the PartSource counter said he had the Trico wipers and was very pleased. He actually felt that they were just as good as Bosch, except without the fancy brand name.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Mine wipes pretty bad.

As for lengthening the rear blade, don't do it. My rear wiper actually hits the bottom of the spoiler and it's stock.

LZ
Z

My wiper had at least 3/4" clearance left. Do you think your wiper might be reverse mounted?

 

[Slartibartfast]

no, don't go michelins. i had them and they died fast. i now have the rain-x brand (similar to the piaa's, except for half the cost) and they are SWEET! be sure to rain-x all your windows and mirrors and you'll be amazed. the rain-x brand i found at walmart for $8 a pop. i think pep boys might sell them too. either them or autozone. i can't remember. but if you have neither of the stores available to you, then get the cheapest ones you can find and rain-x your windows. the michelins are a waste of money.

No rain-x wipers at Wal-Mart in Canada. No Pep Boys or autozone either, at least not in the Toronto area. I will get some rain-x - should be especially good for the side view mirrors. BTW, I updated any prices that I mentioned to CA$.

 

[ottawaP5]

Your best bet for the rear wiper is to stick with OEM blades. The reason being is that the blade is actually curved so it will wipe the top of the rear window better. Aftermarket ones are straight and miss the top of the window.

 

[Naveed74]

The Canadian Tire Reflex blades are great, pricey but great.

I upped the size to 15" on the back and it does a fine job. I wish they made the reflex in a 15".

 

[Slartibartfast]

The Canadian Tire Reflex blades are great, pricey but great.

I upped the size to 15" on the back and it does a fine job. I wish they made the reflex in a 15".

What brand wiper did you get? From where?