How to stop wiper blade chatter

MikekiM

MikekiM

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East of Montauk, NY
Anyone have any ideas that actually work?

Tried cleaning old blades, changing to new blades, bending the wiper arms.. nothing helps reduce the dreaded chatter.
 
I bought a pair of Silblades, pure silicone, about 15 years ago for my '04 Rubi. I kept them when it was traded in on the GC. When I got my '06, they went on that vehicle. They are more expensive, but they last forever, never chatter, streak, or squeak. I wash them when I wash the Jeep, every six months, whether it needs it or not.
https://silblade.com/
 
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Dr. Internet said:
I bought a pair of Silblades, pure silicone, about 15 years ago for my '04 Rubi. I kept them when it was traded in on the GC. When I got my '06, they went on that vehicle. They are more expensive, but they last forever, never chatter, streak, or squeak. I wash them when I wash the Jeep, every six months, whether it needs it or not.
https://silblade.com/
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I didn't cheap out on the what I have now.. I think they are Bosch or Rain-X. It's annoying enough (especially given it has been raining non-stop for weeks) that I would spend the $50 for those SilBlades.

Do you have the standard or the beam blade style?

TJ Jim said:
Have you tried twisting the flat metal so the blade always flips up when down? Works good on mine.
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TJ Jim said:
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I've watched that video and yes, I did exactly as suggested. Maybe I didn't bend it enough. I can see the blade flopping over as it should. Went as far as video taping them as they swept back and forth so I could slow it down and be certain of what is going on.
 
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Rain-X will do it. It stopped it on the RV and I have been meaning to put some on the Jeep next. edit: well it seems some folks say not to use Rain-X because it only works for a month or so then makes the chatter worse. I think I'll give it a try anyway and report back, except not much rain here.
 
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B1Toad said:
Rain-X will do it. It stopped it on the RV and I have been meaning to put some on the Jeep next. edit: well it seems some folks say not to use Rain-X because it only works for a month or so then makes the chatter worse. I think I'll give it a try anyway and report back, except not much rain here.
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I tried Rain-X years ago and saw no improvement with water shedding... swore off it from that point on.
 
I haven't watched that video, so maybe this is a suggestion in there, but have you felt the glass for buildup that might be causing the issue? If no, put a plastic sandwich or ziplock bag on your hand and rub across clean glass. You can feel and hear buildup and embedment in the glass if it's there. If it is, take care of it and see if that helps the blades slide.
 
Foe me, rain-x applied to the windshield works great if you just have a mist or very light rain. Once it’s heavy enough rain to use you’re wipers, it seemed to not work so well.

I have noticed that it works better on my vehicles with a more slanted windshield though. 😂
 
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BlueC said:
I haven't watched that video, so maybe this is a suggestion in there, but have you felt the glass for buildup that might be causing the issue? If no, put a plastic sandwich or ziplock bag on your hand and rub across clean glass. You can feel and hear buildup and embedment in the glass if it's there. If it is, take care of it and see if that helps the blades slide.
Click to expand...

Is there a way to clean all that grit off the windshield?
 
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Dr. Internet said:
I bought a pair of Silblades, pure silicone, about 15 years ago for my '04 Rubi. I kept them when it was traded in on the GC. When I got my '06, they went on that vehicle. They are more expensive, but they last forever, never chatter, streak, or squeak. I wash them when I wash the Jeep, every six months, whether it needs it or not.
https://silblade.com/
Click to expand...

Thank you for this - I'm sick and tired of cheap ass blades that I'm replacing all the time. I haven't gotten any better service out of "premium" blades such as Rain-X either. I'll try the Silblades, they at least sound like they have the right philosophy.
 
MountaineerTom said:
Foe me, rain-x applied to the windshield works great if you just have a mist or very light rain. Once it’s heavy enough rain to use you’re wipers, it seemed to not work so well.

I have noticed that it works better on my vehicles with a more slanted windshield though. 😂
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i started using Rain-X in Germany.

it is an absolute wonder at speed, the heaviest rain with no wipers going,

here in the US. we are hardly ever at speed so it doesn’t work as well. and you have to keep applying it. so the once a year rain i get here in CO doesn’t really matter to have the rain x
 
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NashvilleTJ said:
Is there a way to clean all that grit off the windshield?
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Yep, like App said, people call it "super clean". I've tried various techniques to a few pieces of glass with good results, but a glass polishing product like Maguires water spot remover and a DA really do the majority of the work.
 
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BlueC said:
I haven't watched that video, so maybe this is a suggestion in there, but have you felt the glass for buildup that might be causing the issue? If no, put a plastic sandwich or ziplock bag on your hand and rub across clean glass. You can feel and hear buildup and embedment in the glass if it's there. If it is, take care of it and see if that helps the blades slide.
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No plastic bag needed... you can see the 20+ years of use in the glass. I've toyed with replacing the windshield but fear more leaks than I already have.

In any event, there are times of planetary alignment when the blades don't chatter. Far and few in between but enough that I don't think it is any kind of build up. I deep clean them every few months.. clay bar followed by marine glass cleaner.
 
MikekiM said:
I didn't cheap out on the what I have now.. I think they are Bosch or Rain-X. It's annoying enough (especially given it has been raining non-stop for weeks) that I would spend the $50 for those SilBlades.

Do you have the standard or the beam blade style?



I've watched that video and yes, I did exactly as suggested. Maybe I didn't bend it enough. I can see the blade flopping over as it should. Went as far as video taping them as they swept back and forth so I could slow it down and be certain of what is going on.
Click to expand...

Standard. I also bought a pair for the road warrior - 2012 Grand Cherokee with 100k highway miles and going strong, in 2012. They are also going strong. Both sets have been in rain everywhere; South Texas and NM heat; NY and KC winter snow, sleet, ice; and beautiful AL, GA, and Fl spring times.
 
MikekiM said:
No plastic bag needed... you can see the 20+ years of use in the glass. I've toyed with replacing the windshield but fear more leaks than I already have.
Click to expand...

Try using a DA and that water spot remover I mentioned, or a glass polish. You'll probably be surprised at what it will do. As small as these windshields are, it'd be about a 15 minute job. Worse case, you get some practice with the DA and replace the glass like you had already thought about doing.
 
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According to both the US Army and Navy, the best glass cleaner is ammonia, which is available in the grocery store. I use plain, but sudsy should also work. Put it on, wipe it off. Repeat as necessary. The best results are obtained using newspaper to wipe it off and polish the glass at the same time. Also, works great on mirrors.
 
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