240
My 240 came with old, innefective wiper blades so I bought a new set from one of the USA parts websites (either eEuroparts or FCP). However the ones they sent didn't really fit properly (they're not secure enough on the wiper arms). They are also very juddery on the windscreen when, obviously, they should be smooth.
I feel like this is a stupid question but what are the best wiper blades to use on a 240?
tbro
Trico conventional or Bosch eco, but don't put twin blades on or you'll be replacing wiper pivots and motors rather quickly. Worth also do bloody good blades.
240
What do you mean by don't put twin blades on?
tbro
Some sell twin rubber blades so instead of 1 wiper surface you have 2 wiper surfaces per side, wipe well but put so much strain on parts that they usually cause more problems down the line.
Were very popular back in the 90s until.............
240
Ah that makes sense.
Is it likely that my wipers being 'juddery' rather than smooth is because they're the wrong blades, or is there something I can do to make them run smoothly?
tbro
Too much play where the blade holder goes into the wiper arm, so as the wiper pushes across the screen it judders.
You can try cleaning your screen with clay bar and lub, this will get it ultra clean and hopefully smooth.
Good (not washing up detergent) washer fluid also makes a hell of a difference too. Toyota and Mitsuibishi make some good stuff in sachels, prob .80c each
jamesinc
@tbro is right about the judder.
If your new blades are wobbly, you may just need to get some pliers and pinch the blade holders a bit to tighten them up.
familyman
I don't replace arms anymore. I used to several years ago. But I've used both Bosch and Trico replacements and not impressed with either.
The last set I did buy was plastic where it locks onto the metal arm. And the plastic deteriorated far too soon and that stupid 'locking clip' broke. (It isn't even in the sun because it's underneath.) So now it wouldn't stay put on the metal arm.
Instead of buying yet another set of new blades, I put the original metal ones back on that I'd stored. Then new rubbers into those. They worked better than the last few sets of new plastic arms had. (I remembered because I was always disappointed with new blades from day one. They never wiped the water off correctly.)
The problem is previous owners toss the originals. So you get a car with these blades designed to wear out, and you're stuck changing them when they twist out of shape, don't hold the rubber against the glass, etc.
I've never needed to change from original arms ever since. Just buy new rubbers, gentle when inserting not to bend the 'pressure point' angles if you get me, and not be rough with them when washing the car. (Such as not pushing down hard on the blades, getting a sponge caught in them, not going through automatic car washes, etc.)
I used to clean new homes years ago. Soon learned as long as the support behind the rubber (in this case the metal arm) is reasonably ok (it doesn't need to be perfect), then new rubbers are 95% of the fix.
If you don't have original metal blades, maybe watch for some at a wrecker.
carnut1100
What he said.
I usually get the trico rubber inserts.
I do new wiper rubbers twice a year, before and after winter.
perko
Rain-x is the best thing you'll ever do as far as wipers go if you haven't already.
Redo every 6 months and you'll find that even the cheapest dodgy blades work fine.
240
Thanks for the tip @perko .
@jamesinc I've tried adjusting the blades a bit, now to wait till it rains to see if there's any difference... I suspect not. When I was playing around though I found that the whole wiper arm wobbled a bit, as if something underneath (like the motor) was slightly loose... is this normal?
@familyman I don't have the originals anymore unfortunately. I'll keep an eye out for some but I find it hard to believe that that's the only solution. You mentioned plastic ones, but the ones I have (and most of the ones I've seen) are metal.
jamesinc
RainX is also pretty great if you haven't tried it yet.
familyman
240;84995 wroteThanks for the tip
@perko .
@familyman the ones I have (and most of the ones I've seen) are metal.
That's good. I haven't bought any for several years.
Anthony
240;84995 wrote
@jamesinc I've tried adjusting the blades a bit, now to wait till it rains to see if there's any difference... I suspect not. When I was playing around though I found that the whole wiper arm wobbled a bit, as if something underneath (like the motor) was slightly loose... is this normal?
Its meant to be a precision mechanism. Passenger side (underside of wiper motor) - Need to check that the nut that holds a short bracket arm is indeed tight -> access is behind drivers glovebox area, not hard to get to. If this is tight then the next step is to work out what the issue is.
Driver and passenger side - the (slave) shaft has an o-ring and the shaft lubricant itself dries out. Remove shaft and lubricate with very light grease. Its amazing how nice it all works with near zero friction.
Pay attention to the position of the wire cables and how they go around guide wheels, to avoid confusion later.
tissueboxonwheels
Where is a good place to get the correct blades for the volvo 240 1990 model?
Anthony
Volvo dealer. Or any Auto shop for refills. Measure the length of a 240 wiper blade eg 20" then buy accordingly and cut after install
