Wiper blades connecting rod fallen off - 02 Polo

my3cents

Just driven home in the rain and with a bit of a bang my wipers stopped working. On examination there is a sort of cup and ball joint between the driver side wiper and a connecting rod to the motor. The ball joint has come apart and will go back all to easily so after one wipe falls apart again.

Does anyone know what parts I need to replace or if there is a standard fix for these joints something like a plastic insert?

Interslice

my3cents wrote: »

Just driven home in the rain and with a bit of a bang my wipers stopped working. On examination there is a sort of cup and ball joint between the driver side wiper and a connecting rod to the motor. The ball joint has come apart and will go back all to easily so after one wipe falls apart again.

Does anyone know what parts I need to replace or if there is a standard fix for these joints something like a plastic insert?

You could get a new wiper linkage (rods) from a scrappy handy enough.

my3cents

Interslice wrote: »

You could get a new wiper linkage (rods) from a scrappy handy enough.

That would be my first call if the local scrap yard wasn't useless, I don't have 2 hours to waste standing around waiting to get the wrong part and a load of excuses.

Googling got me this http://www.amazon.co.uk/WIPER-WORKING-WINDSCREEN-LINKAGE-REPAIR/dp/B00LO9EY58/ which is a repair clip which should fix the job till I get the connecting rod ordered from the main dealer or pass a decent scrap yard.

In the rain the problem looked much worse than it is and the ball part of the joint faces downwards making it difficult to see exactly what part was worn. Cleaned off and in the dry I can see its the plastic cup in the end of the rod thats worn. Initially I thought I'd have to replace the ball end which would have been a slightly bigger job.

Interslice

I'd give the main dealer a ring for a price first. Not sure if they sell the rods individually. The scrap yard in kilcock is good. You can just go in and pull out a decent looking one yourself.

my3cents

Main dealer has them to order about €22 plus VAT for the drivers side one I want so hardly worth messing with a scrap one and I've one of those clips on order which I'll keep as a spare in the dash in case the passenger side goes next.

CJhaughey

Get a thick plastic bag as thick as you can find.
Put a piece over the ball and then clip it back in the socket.
Then fit the clip.
This should help remove any slack from the joint.

my3cents

CJhaughey wrote: »

Get a thick plastic bag as thick as you can find.
Put a piece over the ball and then clip it back in the socket.
Then fit the clip.
This should help remove any slack from the joint.

Will give that a try tomorrow.

my3cents

CJhaughey wrote: »

Get a thick plastic bag as thick as you can find.
Put a piece over the ball and then clip it back in the socket.
Then fit the clip.
This should help remove any slack from the joint.

First time it rained since I tried this and it works a treat with just the plastic, not sure how long it will last but definitely a great "get out of jail card".

CJhaughey

my3cents wrote: »

First time it rained since I tried this and it works a treat with just the plastic, not sure how long it will last but definitely a great "get out of jail card".

Yep used that trick a good few times, I had some superthick plastic material and it worked for a looong time for me.

my3cents

I went in and out of town twice in heavy rain and just the plastic lasted 3 trips and the wipers went off half way back home so thats just short of an hour that trick worked with fertiliser sack grade plastic. Will try some heavier grade but should have the replacement part next week.

dr.fuzzenstein

my3cents wrote: »

I went in and out of town twice in heavy rain and just the plastic lasted 3 trips and the wipers went off half way back home so thats just short of an hour that trick worked with fertiliser sack grade plastic. Will try some heavier grade but should have the replacement part next week.

I had an 02 Polo and the same problem (and a few other cars I owned, it's the Irish weather).
Forget any bodge or workaround, I've tried them all, including drilling out the balljoint and plastic cup and replacing it with nuts and bolts. Second hand parts are pointless too, you're simply replacing something worn with something slightly less worn and will have the problem again.
For worn wiper linkage, there is only one solution: new wiper linkage.
Everything else is just a complete waste of time.

CJhaughey

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

I had an 02 Polo and the same problem (and a few other cars I owned, it's the Irish weather).
Forget any bodge or workaround, I've tried them all, including drilling out the balljoint and plastic cup and replacing it with nuts and bolts. Second hand parts are pointless too, you're simply replacing something worn with something slightly less worn and will have the problem again.
For worn wiper linkage, there is only one solution: new wiper linkage.
Everything else is just a complete waste of time.

I agree but sometimes you need to be able to continue on a journey and the bodge I suggested will allow you to do just that.
I have replaced plenty of wiper linkages in my time, I wonder if there is any country that has more wiper wear than here?

my3cents

The added problem with this particular car is that the cup and ball joints are orientated with the cup at the bottom so any water or crap can get caught up and speed up wear and when it gets to a certain point the linkage drops off. I've had other cars where the joints were the other way up and even when worn out they still worked and don't fall apart.

Its easy to get to the joints so its handy to have a get you home fix.

dr.fuzzenstein

CJhaughey wrote: »

I agree but sometimes you need to be able to continue on a journey and the bodge I suggested will allow you to do just that.
I have replaced plenty of wiper linkages in my time, I wonder if there is any country that has more wiper wear than here?

Agree, if it gets you home, its great.
I think a thread on the great art of the bodge is in order.
I'd love to see stats for wiper linkage sales by country, but what lunatic would keept those?

gctest50

http://imgur.com/N2Gwp0X

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

.............
I'd love to see stats for wiper linkage sales by country, but what lunatic would keept those?

would you be wanting them by county or country ?

dr.fuzzenstein

gctest50 wrote: »

http://imgur.com/N2Gwp0X





would you be wanting them by county or country ?

Spain compared to Ireland?

my3cents

I'm using the clips

http://x8r.co.uk/

and they work really well, I'll probably forget and not replace the rod unit :rolleyes: