Wiper arm keeps falling off

[sfizio]

Hello all. The wiper arm on my '66 beetle keeps falling off in the rain. I've tightened the bolt that should clamp it to the shaft to the max but it still comes off. I also added a bit of foil around the shaft before inserting it into the arm to try and give it a little more meat to grab but off it comes under the torque of the motor. I'm thinking about cutting a slot in the metal surrounding the shaft so the nut and bole has more range to clamp but any suggestions are most welcome.

I have a 12v conversion with a two speed motor so I'm guessing this is not the original setup. Below are pictures of the arm and shaft. Notice the flat side of the shaft. I think this might be contributing to the slip.

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Like me, looks good from 10 feet away.

[60ragtop]

replace the shafts, they should be round. Yes that is the major contributor to your problem
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Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986

[Bruce]

Wiper pivot is the problem.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1570604
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[KTPhil]

Are those stock arms? I thought those years used the setscrew to directly bear on the shaft, not as a clamp.

These are from a Bus and a later Bug but the idea is the same:

In fact, the setscrew wearing onto the shaft is probably why you have a flat. The shaft is originally round, but some file a flat so the setscrew has a clean surface to bear down on. Maybe that was done to yours.

[Eric&Barb]

About 1967 VW issued a recall of wiper arms for the bus. Looks like OP is using a set on a Beetle. Probably with arm cut down.

http://www.arfc.org/autos/vw/volkswagen/recalls/000001209000014607000000243/recall.aspx

Hmm, looks like type 1 & 3 were involved also..

Near the end of this post shows the replacement arm on a bus.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=606985&highlight=1967+wiper+base
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[gt1953]

The wiper shafts are well done. Replace them and freshen up the rest of the wiper assembly.
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Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[60ragtop]

[glutamodo]

VW did issue the improved, redesigned arms for Bugs as well! I have 4 sets of them!

[sfizio]

Thanks all. Looks like my setup was a compilation by the PO's restoration.
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Like me, looks good from 10 feet away.

[61SNRF]

As said, best long term fix is replace them, but you can get a few more rainy seasons out of those shafts if you sleeve them

Head to your local hobby shop and pick up some K&S brass tubing...
http://ksmetals.com/26.html
(Not sure if it's 7/32 or 1/4" you need Buy a selection to be sure, save the receipt and take the others back)

Using a Dremel and a cut-off wheel, cut pieces to the same length as the exposed wiper shaft, then slit them lengthwise so they form a C shape.
Once slit the right size tubing should be a snug fit and of the same radii as the shafts.

File off any raised burrs on the shafts then tap on the sleeves so the slit is opposite the set screw or clamp depending on your arm style. The sleeves will rejuvenate their clamping surface and provide a beefier bite area for the wiper arms.
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-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[Bruce]

What a waste of time.
Fix them right and be done.
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[61SNRF]

Geez Bruce, given your frugal nature though you would embrace this simple, cost effective fix to the age old problem of VW wiper shaft wear. You are the same guy that recommends one wheel cylinder at a time, right

Waste of time? Hardly. Probably took me longer to research, compose and edit my post explaining how to do it.

And, would never have put it up here if I wasn't 100% confident that it is a rock solid and viable service alternative to simply replacing original vintage parts with reproductions.
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-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[tb03830]

Had the same issue with mine and after buying new arms it would still slip. So I figured the proper place on the shaft and flattened one side of the shaft for the screw to set on flat. That did it. No more slipage and looks and works the same.
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"Sic Vic Pacem, Para bellum - Pray for peace, prepare for war."

1964 Convertible Bug - 1600cc SP engine with a stock H30/31 Carb and SVDA Distributor - Swing Arm Highway Flyer Tranny, Gene Berg's Temperature Dipstick, 2.5" drop spindles, 2" narrowed adjustable front end. Chromed OEM fan tower.

[Bruce]

[jzjames]

Sleeving fix sounds good to me. There's alot of repairs can be done without buying new. Especially on Bugs.

[Max Welton]

I much prefer the later splined version VW used.

Max
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1967 Type-3 Fastback
Under the Knife https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=151582
Home Stretch https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=767836

[glutamodo]

Here's my wiper shaft story -

At one point over 10 years ago now I decided I'd go and replace the wiper shafts on my 62 - I had an NOS wiper motor I was putting in there as well, and while my wiper arms didn't fall off of the shafts, the shafts were getting a bit worse for wear - although I had switched to the superior, improved version of the wiper arms that clamp down around the shaft instead of the more primitive set-screw original design.

Well I thought all was well. Until one evening driving on I-90 across S. Dakota, it started to snow, then snow harder. And suddenly, clang! - the wipers stopped working. The pivot had just fallen off of the end of the wiper shaft! I was very lucky, I was near an exit, and there was almost no traffic, so I was able to barely make my way at a snail's pace into town - with my arm out the window and snow-brushing the windshield. I went and got a motel room for the night.

Examining the parts I figured out what had failed. I wish I had tried to find NOS parts like mentioned before in this thread, or a better reproduction. I don't remember where I got mine from but it was not Wolfsburg West (I immediately ordered their wiper shaft kit and found the quality to be much better, and that's what I've had in ever since.) At the time I attempted a temporary fix of the wiper shaft that fell apart, I tried to use a hammer/screwdriver to leave some strike-marks that would help hold the pivot on there better - it didn't really. And not only had the pivot fallen off, one of the studs for the linkage arms was also getting loose. You can see here some of those strike marks, plus how much better the peening is on the one I got in the mail from WW a few days later:

My point is - if you replace them, get good ones!

-Andy

[61SNRF]

A great story and good advice Andy. That side by side shoot shows
WW is stepping it up when it comes to bringing us quality reproductions.

My wiper shaft story-

Got my second VW in '75 (the same '61 Sunroof I get my user name from). It was well used and one of the first problems I had with it was the wiper arms wouldn't stay tight
I bought a VW wiper shaft "repair" or "update" kit, and think it might have been made by ANCO (either from the Beck/Arnley store or MG Mitten in Pasadena, not certain) that converted the plan shafts to a splined hub with clip mounted wiper arms like American cars had. It came with two ~1/2" OD splined die cast hubs with set screws that locked them to the shafts, two matching spline fit stainless steel wiper arms, and two American style stainless steel backed wiper blades. If I recall correctly, each hub had two set screws for a more secure fit. As far as I remember, they were still on the car when it was sold in '79.

My point is, even way back then someone was trying to improve on a basically weak design

Call it MM if you want to Bruce , but after all, necessity is the Mother of invention.

For those interested in getting a few more rainy seasons out of their otherwise good wiper shafts;

Cut K&S #8131 1/4" OD brass tubing to length with a tubing cutter...

Cut the slit with a mini hacksaw equipped with a fine tooth blade...

Walla, two non-corrosive, self compressing wiper shaft repair sleeves that only add about .028" to the shafts OD and work like a charm...

I would even go so far as to say installing them on your NOS wiper shafts would protect them from normal wear and therefore make them last much longer
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-Bruce

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[Das67bus]

[Eric&Barb]

Compare images in post above our first post and images in the post after our first post here.
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In Stereo, Where Available!