Thread: not very technical: wiper blades

Does anyone know of a superior brand of wiper blade? My rear window wiper really is a smearer not a wiper. I tried replacing the rubber, Ive tried bending the arms that are supposed to hold the rubber to the screen but to no avail.

The car is getting old could it be the spring in the arm losing its grunt?

Hardly a trip stopper but nonetheless just the sort of thing that I end up fixated on.

Originally Posted by JamesH

Hi Catch

Thanks, one side question: On my drivers door window where the glass has rubbed on the rubbers when the window is round partially down, I belief sand and dust has got stuck inbetween the glass and the rubber. Ive got horizonatal etching lines caused by vibration. Would a clay bar like you describe do any good and rubbing these out?

cheers

Jewellers rouge ( Cerium Oxide) should be avail from lapiardists can sometimes buff out these if not too deep.
Polishing out Glass Scratches with Cerium Oxide



While we supply cerium oxide mainly as a rock polishing compound, it is also used in the glass industry as a polishing agent.
One great use for cerium oxide is polishing out glass scratches and the process is quite simple. First you need to determine how deep the scratches are - if you can feel the scratch when you run your fingernail over the area, it is likely to be too deep to polish out easily. In these cases, you will need to grind it down before polishing. If the area feels smooth, you can go straight to polishing.
You will need:

• some cerium oxide powder for the polishing
• a polishing pad (suggest lambs wool, felt or leather) mounted on a backing disc
• low speed drill (1500 rpm or less) to use with the polishing pad - polishing too fast will generate excessive heat and may crack the glass.
• a marking crayon to mark the inside of the glass (use this to guide you when polishing)
• a cleaning cloth to wipe and allow inspection of the work area
• small spray bottle - use to apply mixture to glass and keep moist while polishing

How to Polish

1. Mix some polish into water to a form a thin slurry (eg. milk-like consistency) - we suggest mixing in a small spray bottle which can be used to apply to polishing pad
2. Clean glass thoroughly to remove all traces of dirt and grease
3. Apply polish mixture to the polishing pad
4. Mark the inside of the glass with the crayon to identify the area to be worked
5. Mount pad in the drill and apply to work area.
6. Move pad up and down, left and right in work area.
7. Keep the surface wet to prevent glass getting hot - if sufficient polish has already been applied, then just spray a fine mist of water to keep the area cool.
8. Wipe off residue and inspect repair - keep working until polish is satisfactory
9. Wash and store pad for later use

IMPORTANT - do NOT let the glass get too hot while buffing - keep cool by spraying with water and keep the buffing pad moving continuously.

Deep Scratches
If the scratch can be felt with a fingernail, it is probably too deep to remove by polishing alone. You will need to grind out the scratch with progressively finer grit. This is a more specialised (and tedious!) job and it may be best to seek the advice of professionals in these cases.

Polishing out Glass Scratches with Cerium Oxide : Aussie Sapphire, Specialists in Lapidary Supply