Ok really dumb question, how do you get the $@&$ arms off ?

I need to take the arms + cowl off to shoot a coat of paint on the truck + didnt see an obvious way to remove the arms.

I pried up on what looks like the cap at the base of the arm, but it didnt budge.. Tried moving the little aluminum lookin tab all around, didnt budge. Pretty much tried all I could think of except pulling them directly (pressed on) or trying to remove the spring.

Figured I would check with the experts before I use too much mustard on the wrong part and break somthing

 

oh man last May I had a frustrating time getting them off too when I swapped my cab

Mine came off like so. (If you need I might be able to take a couple pics tomorrow and post them if I can't explain well enough)
The thing holding them on is a little silver swing arm that sorta locks under the splined shaft head. IIRC it more or less swings out away from the wiper mounting spined shaft thingy in the same fashion the wiper does on the windshield. Kind of in a sweeping fashion. yeah...
If that explanation doesn't get 'er done for ya I'll take a pic or 2 tomorrow for you.

 

Pivot the arm up at the joint and pull the little tab out to lock the arm up off the windshield. Then Just pull the arm straight off the shaft.

 

What he said ^

The tab is attached to a flat piece of metal ("swing arm") that slides into a groove on the splined shaft (the shaft that comes through the cowl cover). If you will wiggle the tab you should be able to pry it straight out and away from the wiper arm at which point the way the whole mess operates will be obvious.

And I don't think it's a dumb question at all; I nearly ruined my wiper arm before I accidentally discovered how it works.

 

Thanks guys, piece of cake.. The instructions make perfect sense & they came off without a problem.

I looked and looked and didn't seem to find the answer anywhere. Even the haynes manual glossed over that little tidbit. Glad to see I wasnt the only one..

 

you should try to take off mid 80's they suck

 

Why is this. What am I in for???

 

I tried this and wasn't haven't any luck. FSM tells me to unbolt the wiper motor first here. Is this what's causing the arm not to let go or has my arm seized to the splined shaft?

I've never been so foiled by a mere wiper arm before. Very frustrating.

 

Just like ofcmarc said, lift the arm up against the spring-tension as far as it will go, then slide that little keeper outward, such that it now holds the arm up.

Wiggle and jiggle and it will work it's way loose from the drive-spline.


Coat the drive-spline with anti-sieze before re-installing.


An interesting note about the 1st Gen. Dodge wiper-arms :


They are interchangeable with those found on 1980-9? Ford pick-ups.

Both use the same 18" blade and the drive-spline is identical.

There is a bit of minor difference in where the "kink" is located in the length of the arm, but it has no bearing on their use.


Most auto-parts will list replacement arms for the Fords and not list anything for a Dodge; simple --- just get the part-number listed for the 1980-9? Ford and it will fit.


I am uncertain just how far up in the 90s this holds true.


If you are messing with the wipers, better go ahead and replace the wiper-linkage bushings.

 

WooHoo! Success! Turns out they were somewhat seized together. I hit it with some PB Blaster and let it sit overnight. Followed the directions and on faith just kept wiggling and pulling sure that I was going to tear/bend/ruin something and that this was not it.

Little by little it finally eased itself free just as promised. All is well and operating smoothly now. Thanks for the patience and explanations everyone.