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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Wiper efficiency

Can we talk about wiper efficiency again.
With road spray and dark winter nights the effectiveness of wipers is all the more important. My Spridget wipers are never as good as I think they should be.

I have fitted new windscreen glass and modified the wiper motor to give a 120 degree wipe to get a better overlap of the swept area in the middle. The problem remains of blades which flap about, lift at the ends, not folowing the curve of the glass and "flipping" excessively as they change direction so that the rubber feather edge never seems to be at the best angle to the glass.

Who supplies really good wipers arms and blades and are there any tips for setting them up and adjusting to get maximum benefit.
GuyW

Wishing and hoping...
Bill sdgpM

Guy.."wiper efficiency"? .. bit of an oxymoron that, eh? I am a great believer in Rainex..and leave the wipers for just the occasional swipe..
Dave
David Cox

Unless they've got better recently I would not bother with the spoon type and change to the 5(.2)mm bayonet.

As you probably remember I've had 'fun' with wipers. I fitted length and tension adjustable arms from Gregorys (Autoparts) and quite recently I got a set of blades from MGOC Spares who now use Q-Parts, these blades are better than the Tex ones I've got for many years (note the word better).

Tex despite being British and having pleasant and helpful staff I found don't make a good quality wiper arm or effective blade.

http://www.gregorysautoparts.co.uk/catalogue.php?t=0&c=560

ETA: I've not found Rain-X or other types of the same to be very effective on the upright screen of the midget but it does help with keeping the screen a bit cleaner and easier to clean, particularly flies.
Nigel Atkins

David, yes I use Rainex. Properly applied it is great in daylight and I can honestly say that as long as the rain is heavy enough (which it always is in Cumbria) then one can drive at any speed without use of wipers.
BUT, at night its a very different story and the globulets (nice word, that) of rain catching the headlights as they stream off the screen just make seeing beyond them impossible.

Nigel, does that wiper arm have the screw adjusted wedge to secure to the splined spindle? And which of their choice of blades did you go for? Do they wipe cleanly and evenly?

GuyW

Guy

I used Gregory autoparts and found them very helpful. I still use Lucas rainbow arms and blades on the Frog (they clear the bonnet when its lifted) and they seem fine. The arm spring action which holds the blade to the screen can get a bit weak is my only issue.
Bob Beaumont

Guy,
the arms I have do not have the screw wedge which (now) IIRC(?) you want as your spindles are worn, they have held tightly on my car for the past 5-6 years though.

I didn't use blades from Gregorys (not sure why not now, probably had too many sets of Tex at the time and then forgot) I used Tex but my later and better set was from MGOC Spares and their Q-Parts.

Nigel Atkins

Maybe its that spring inside the arm that is my problem then. I currently have TEX blades and despite the apparent hinged support sections the distal end of the blade lifts clear of the glass as they wipe. Or at least doesn't make a consistant enough firm contact with the glass so they smear.
GuyW

Guy the Tex blades aren't the best IMO.
Nigel Atkins

Anyone tried the Trico blades?
Nigel Atkins

" the Tex blades aren't the best IMO."
No, that is why I am here asking advice ! ;-)
I saw you mentioned that earlier
GuyW

Sorry rushing again, I (again) misread your post, my mind was distracted kicking itself for not trying those Trico blades 5-6 years ago.
Nigel Atkins

No problem Nigel. We are all after the same thing. I have long thought that wiper efficiency must be an area ripe for improvement and we shouldn't have to put up with poor wipers on these cars.

I think there may be many who don't drive at night, or in winter conditions and probably try and avoid rain anyway, for whom wiper performance may not be a great concern. But for the rest of us surely they can be improoved upon!
There must be something better!
GuyW

I'll see if I can get the Trico blades and test them off Gregory's Autoparts as he's on stand number: AJ-11 at the NEC in November.
Nigel Atkins

"Now wipers, that's a different thing altogether! You can tell immediately if you cannot see!"

Yes but some start off OK and then deteriorate much sooner than they should.

The difficulty seems to be getting a set of two where both are OK.

It's alright for you you can test them almost any day whereas some of us don't see rain for weeks! :)

Nigel Atkins

What about a rear wiper blade/arm from a modern if you're not too bothered about them being black?
Golfs have 11" I think, there may be smaller cars with smaller bidets.
Jeremy MkIII

I know you have a heater and a servo, Jeremy, but surely that's going a little too far!
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Oh, didn't you know? He has a Sauna as well as a bidet in his car. Prepared for foreign travel, don't you know.

Where did all thes x0 come from? Are we being infiltrated? Whoops. They've gone again!
GuyW

You can use modern rubbers easily and cut them to suit your blades. Just take care to get the right size (width, I think it's 6mm)and similar fastening profile. Also if it has a curved steel strip inserted that needs to be removed for the flat screen. Various profiles and compositions available.
Edit: you can get the bare mouldings by the metre once you know what suits.
Greybeard

Grey, that is exactly what I have done when the rubber feather edge has deteriorated. The problem of lifting remains
GuyW

Don't forget the carpets Nick! :)

In the words of Dominic Littlewood, an automotive bidet is a rear wash/wipe. Enough said.

I was thinking more of the complete arm and blade assembly from a modern which operates far better than the Heath Robinson set up on our cars.
Jeremy MkIII

I too tried replacement elements (rubbers) and aside from them not having locators at each end they didn't work well or last long. A combination of arm, blade and elements gives a poor outcome.
Nigel Atkins

As I was just thinking the same and then I read here Guy was also. :)

Been anoying me that my last 2 sets of wipers are rubbish.
As a US spec mine has 3 wipers, works briljant... that is with the right wipers...

My last two sets are TEX and they just dont "follow" the curve of the window.
The left(driverside) is okay but the middle one should lap teh left one but it just doesnt.
The tip of that blade doesnt bend with the window...

Just looked at my collection old blades(I almost never throw anything away) I see the last proper set were made bij Trico.

On the photo you can see the Trico one is already shaped in a bend and a different(more distance) hinge to it.
In theory the Tex (flat shape) should work too but it just doesnt.

Now where can I get Trico ones? (US size 9 inch)?



A de Best

Arie,
the answer is before you ...

To save your brain strain try this link but I can't find the price.

http://www.gregorysautoparts.co.uk/catalogue.php?t=0&c=578

ETA: see also -
DELIVERIES OVERSEAS

Please ring or email for an estimate on postage charges before placing the order.

eMail orders to orders@gregorysautoparts.co.uk or for phone orders use 01427 872224.
Thanks!

http://www.gregorysautoparts.co.uk/account.php

Nigel Atkins

Thanks Nigel, I looked at the usual supliers but they all sell the rubbish Tex ones.
Did found refills but rather have new ones al complete.
Did try refils once and didnt go well.
A de Best

Just ordered his last set!
Its only 2 of them so now still need to look for a third one or another set.

Maybe I need a weekend Beauly next year to find more Trico's :)
A de Best

Well this risk didn't pay off! Just my usual luck.

I did wonder if I advertised the supply whether it might run out before I could get any - that's life.

I shall curse your name every time I see it from now on. :)

On a serious note I did wonder about the quality of the rubber elements on such NOS. Let us know how you get on with.

But for my sake if they work well lie and say they don't. :)

ETA: and you've robbed Guy too, how will you sleep at night.

Nigel Atkins

I am following this with interest. I might upgrade this winter, I have Tex ones and they are abysmal!

UK blades are 11 inch, correct?

Cheers,
Malcolm
Malcolm Le Chevalier

there is a trader at Beaulieu who has the same location each year in the covered area who sells Trico (lucas rainbow) blades and rubbers. He had a large stock of 8" and 9" refills plus new old stock Trico arms. Not exactly cheap as a pair of 8" refills were £15 but the rubber was still nice and supple and in good condition.
Bob Beaumont

Malcolm,
the blades are 9".
Nigel Atkins

Goodmorning lads and especialy Nigel. ;)
Had a wonderfull night of sleep, thank you for asking Nigel. LOL!!!

9 inch isnt the right size for UK spritgets anyway?
Thought they are 10 or 11 inch?
Frogs are 8 inch

My experience in classic MG + Jaguar is that almost every NOS parts you get are way better then new remanufactured stuff despite the age of those old parts.
Especialy when its rubber, the quality nowadays is terrible.
Its why I choose poly over rubber everytime I need to replace something.
Not alway for better handling/stiffer but just because I dont thrust rubber in new classic parts anymore.

For that mather also the ignitions: all electric, no rubbish points for me anymore.
New ones that burn away in a month orso?!

Bob, im very intrested in that Trico vendor at Beauly, I rather pay a bit more then having to replace things over and over and over and ...
In the end quality is always cheaper.
A de Best

probably the same trader who attends Race Retro at Stoneleigh every February.
David Smith

Trico classic blades appear to be available in the USA

http://www.tricoproducts.com/Drivers/WiperProducts/MoreProducts/Classic
Dave O'Neill 2

Arie,
I don't want it to disturb your wonderful sleep but yes UK cars Spridgets use 9".

A good point this because I believe if you try to fit them to a NA Spridget they'll be too small and scratch the screen but so as they don't go to waste and as a favour to you I'll have them from you. :)
Nigel Atkins

David, as they might be at the NEC too,who's the trader please?
Nigel Atkins

No idea Nigel, it's like autojumble stalls so very few names on display. Just know i've seen them.
David Smith

After a bit of Google rear wiper for a 307 Pug may be 225mm ?

Will have a look in Horible Fords next time I'm down that way - they usually have numerous connectors in the boxes so may well be able to get a more modern blade type and much better quality rubber insert.

R.
richard b

Or a Seat MII, Skoda Citigo, VW Up! or VW Scirocco have 250mm or 9.8" blade, which may just fit, just depends on the arm fitting to the spindle.
Jeremy MkIII

The Vauxhall Astra hatch looked about right but at 210mm is probably a bit short. But the spindle is much fatter and the wiper arm complete wouldn't fit. Apart from it would look butt ugly! As would all those others, but a blade might be persuaded to fit, depending on how they are designed to clip into the arm.
GuyW

Its a bit confusing as ive heard that Trico went bankrupt but like Dave I also found the Trico is still out there.
On their site I cant find any Midgetblades, they still do have the MGB blades...

They have a European headquarters in the UK.
Who is gonna put pressure on them to get their wonderfull Spridgetblades back in production? ;)
A de Best

I went out and measured today 9". I am pondering doing some cutting and welding to convert the arms to a modern small hook fitting, then I can fit some Bosch or other "posh" blades.

Malc.
Malcolm Le Chevalier

I did the same as Malcolm,
Checking through my spares/junk pile of the bits left over from my reshell (the donor was kept together on a shoe string !)found the spoon type arms (wrong for a RWA) of two differing lengths one about an inch shorter and one 9" and one 8" blade.

Remembered the new arms (bayonet fit) required filing down to fit the new Tex blades when I fitted them - the new arms were 6mm not the correct 5.2 ish mm? No make on the arms.

I'm currently looking to see if any of the plastic adapters that come with the arms will accept the 5x2mm arm section - modern bayonet ones seem to be bigger or the route Malcolm is looking at.

R.
richard b

As an addition to sorting out better wiper blades a really worthwhile improvement is to change the wiper drive to a 120 degree wipe. The 120 dgree was fitted to contemporary minis and some other BL cars.
GuyW

David, thank you for your reply.

I got a bit distracted by the other posts, seems like some don't replace the wipers on their moderns that often judging by what they think might fit on the Spridgets. :)

Malc,
I've not found Bosch blades that long lasting when fitted to moderns. My wife says the flexi-bendy plastic type arms (forget what they're called) work better can't say I've noticed but I don't drive her modern car much.

Richard,
IIRC 8" blades were for Frogeye (and possibly Jag? and others?).

Tex show their bayonet arms as 5.2mm, other might show 5mm. If you go into shops called something like Rock Bottom (discount) you might find stock for older cars (but young than "classics") and they might be thinner fitting than modern but I can't think they'd be 5(.2)mm.


Nigel Atkins

ETA:
I meant flexi-bendy plastic type blades (not arms)
Nigel Atkins

It's not just the Tex blades that are the problem it's also the arms.



Nigel Atkins

For those of you that are not yet following the wonderfull exploits of the guy’s at BadObsessionMotorsport with project binky here is the only possible solution to crappy wipers.

https://youtu.be/NX4lBvHDMs8

I do recomend all other episodes but am not responsible for the consequential modification drift
O K

Nice video O K! One of the best and most entertaining videos on car stuff I have seen!

The adaptations are just the sort of thing I was thinking of. Except of course I don't have the patience to do all of that fabrication to fit the modern style motor! And the thought of the sissor action levers swishing to and fro amongst the Spridget behind the dash wiring would give me nightmares!
But the initial cut and shut shortening of some later Peugeot 205 arms would be easy and might at least open up the options for some better wiper arms.
GuyW

My thoughts on the current arms used is the strength of the spring used. If you have available a selection of suitable springs of different strengths then you could perhaps find one to get the arm to at least hold the middle of the blade to the screen well. I've not known the blades to fly away, over at least eight vehicles, some at higher speeds, though I've never used old, worn spoon type.

Nigel Atkins

Hi

I have found new Tex wiper blades on my MkII (same as MkI) Sprite disappointing quality, So I just cut down a modern wiper blade rubber to fit.

I have yet to look at Series Landrovers, Morgans, Caterhams or Westfields as a source of potential suitable wiper blades and arms (if switching away from the rubbish spoon fitting wiper arm I have)

I watch these things deteriorate every time I work on my project car.

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

Mike forget the Westie as my mate's (1995/6) used the spoon Tex ones and even worse the angle of the arm isn't the same as the screen.
Nigel Atkins

Arie,
were those blades any good?

I'm at the NEC and will pop over to Gregory's to see if he's found any more - but I won't bother if those wipers weren't good.

Cheers.
Nigel Atkins

They look good Nigel, but havent fitted them yet as I need to find a third one first...
Bloody USA spec...
Think I have to go for a refill for the third one.
I still have 2 old trico blades which I can use the frames for.
A de Best

Thanks for replying Arie.

Remove the passenger wiper arm - or send the Trico set over to someone who needs them!

If I find a single blade I'll think of you and buy it




. . . and fit it to my driver's side arm and think how'd it make a full set for you, he, he, he.
Nigel Atkins

I've just ordered "A pack containing 5 individual pairs of wiper blade refills, part no GWR 109" Unipart, for £10.99 inc P&P.

For the price and Feedback on them I thought I'd give them a go.

6 packs still available (at time of posting, don't tell Arie).

UK eBay - Wiper blade refills GWR 109 pack of 10, 9 inch Land Rover Midget Austin-Healey

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wiper-blade-refills-GWR-109-pack-of-10-9-inch-Land-Rover-Midget-Austin-Healey/152860803121?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2018 and 06/11/2018

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.