Electric Wiper Conversion on the cheap

[buildinga55]

Here are the details of my recent conversion from Vacuum to Electric wipers on the Cheap! The idea was to convert from vacuum to electric wipers on my 48 Chevy without breaking the bank. Here are several pictures that show the process. I did it all for $20.50.

Here is a picture of a rear wiper motor from a 93 S10 blazer and switch, paid $20.00

Here is the brace that goes from the dash to the firewall, mine had 2 holes drilled in it already that would end up working well to mount my bracket.

This is a picture of the bracket I made out of some scrap and how I mounted it on the motor. I put rubber washers behind the bracket on the bolts to keep the noise down

Then I cut a piece of 1/2 wide steel and drilled some holes in it to run bolts through that would adapt to the wiper mechanism. I would suggest slotting the holes or drilling several as you will need to adjust and tweek when mounted to get the correct wiper sweep on your windshield. I got a nylon bushing at the hardware store for .50cents and cut it in half to make a bushing that fit nicely in the wiper arm so that it would all pretty well copy the original design

Then cut the end of the windsheild wiper off so that I had the knurled end to fit on the Blazer wiper motor. I beveled the piece with a file and drilled a hole it it to hold the actuator. The bevel helped recess the 1/2" steel so it could not move once bolted on


Then put the assembled wiper motor with bracket on the brace under the dash, marked the holes where to drill in the bracket. I used the existing holes in brace on the dash so I did not even have to drill into the truck at all.
I would suggest you slot the mounting holes in the bracket as well. Makes adjusting everything easier once you get the linkage all hooked up

I put rubber washers under the bracket as well to keep any noise down. And here is pretty much the finished product. Mounted and very quite.

Hope this helps any of you interested.

[OrrieG]

Good write up with good pictures. One question. Does the cut wiper arm mount on the motor shaft with a friction fit? Or is there a set screw that does not show up on the pictures?

[buildinga55]

This model pretty well had a friction fit, I may put a set screw in it or a little Loctite.

[54 jimmy]

finally a great alternative to buying a kit. i love the fab you own on the cheap. great write up. i will be doing this as soon as i get a day off work to go to the junkyard and get a motor.

[nickp51chevy]

Glad to see some one did a write up on this. I've been wondering how to do it for a while. Thanks!

[sgtusmc]

I gotta agree with others, thanks for the write up.

[OrrieG]

The high dollar aftermarket guys are going to start getting cranky about these cheap fixes, first one piece windows, now this. Sort of like the beginning in the 50's when everyone had to improvise.

[nickp51chevy]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

The high dollar aftermarket guys are going to start getting cranky about these cheap fixes, first one piece windows, now this. Sort of like the beginning in the 50's when everyone had to improvise.

Some people might say that is the definition of Hot roding. Improvising with what you got and making things work at a low cost. That's what I'm talkin' about!

[54 jimmy]

amen to that. i'm with nickp51chevy on that!

[mr48chev]

I see this and I have a 200+ dollar kit sitting under the bench that isn't completely installed yet.

I beat my head against the wall 30 years ago trying to make something work and never did but this is so simple and the parts are easy to find.

[kustombrad]

Wow, what a frustrating day! When I first started working on the wiper design back in April, I figured the twist in my design was too thin of steel on my bracket. When I had my friend cut it out for me, I had him make it the way I originally designed and make it without the side reliefs to bolt a possible brace to. Well I had to go with the latter! I bolted up the one in the upper pics and it put just enough twist (those little motors are really torquey!) that I realized that heavier bracket wasn't going to work either. Thank goodness I'd had him make the other bracket too. So I bolted it up and used an existing hole in the cowl vent lever brace with a piece of 1/2" steel. Here it is bolted up. Don't laugh at the bolt length on the pivot link, I had to figure out how to get the pass. side to not hit cowl vent (notice hinge in background)! I'm so frustrated with how much slack/movement is in the original system and how tough it is to make them be perfect! You could just bolt it on and make it close, but I don't want close I want dead nut! I need to measure the bolt length and make that right and double check everything again! Sheesh

[solidaxel]

You guys ROCK !
Thanks for the information

[nosurf]

Very cool.

[kustombrad]

After fighting the passenger side wiper, I realized there was way to much flex in the factory bar/rod that runs from the motor to the wiper itself. With all the extra movement, I couldn't get it to be as stable as the drivers side. I'm now making a non-flex set of rods for BOTH sides to try and get this setup to work correctly!

[buildinga55]

Interesting, mine seems to work fine. I did have to adjust the motor placement and the position of the wiper rods on the actuator, but I never had any rods flexing. Good luck

[BlueJeep]

Anyone know if there are differences between the OBS wiper motor (pre 95) vs. the newer body style (95 up)? Older ones seem to be harder to find around here.

Edit: Just did a cross reference on rockauto.com, it's not the same. Looks like these are from 1989-1994 s-blazers.

[BlueJeep]

OK, picked up my 93 blazer wiper motor today. You guys who have done this, does this motor self-park? Does the indexing of the wiper arm thing on the motor matter? Can it be run in intermittent-mode? I haven't researched it much yet, but I know the Newport ones use the switch to gain the intermittent functionality.

[kustombrad]

There are 3 wires, black, orange and brown. Black is ground of course. Orange is wipers on power, take your hot off that and touch it to the brown and it will go back to center.

[DQ81]

Awesome!

I have to get this done on my '52 truck with the wipers that go in opposite directions.

But the long story short is that most rear window wiper motors are what to use as they don't go 360* but back and forth?

Then it's a question of figuring out the geometry of arms in relation to wiper motor sweep etc. etc.

And if I want interval source a rear wiper motor of a vehicle equipped with interval obviously... any reason you guys are using S10 motors? Or simply because they're there?

Thanks!

[jhnpldng]

Originally Posted by DQ81

... any reason you guys are using S10 motors? Or simply because they're there?

Thanks!

Not sure about anyone else, but I'll be doing the S10 frame swap so anything I can use from the donor S10 is a plus.

Makes things easier down the road when you have to buy parts too. "Hmmm, now what kind of vehicle was this from again?"

I used to have a 64 gmc and when someone asked me what year it was I'd say, 64, 87, 93 and a couple others I don't remember.

"Hooking up my laptop to my 64 to check the codes" Priceless.

[kustombrad]

They only arc at 120 degrees which is perfect. Only real complaint I would have is they're only one speed!
Posted via Mobile Device

[DQ81]

Originally Posted by kustombrad

They only arc at 120 degrees which is perfect. Only real complaint I would have is they're only one speed!
Posted via Mobile Device

Aha! that makes sense.

Although one speed kinda blows, but on the other hand, most of us don't plan on driving these cars and trucks in a downpoor do we?

[1952ssr]

I plan on using a motor from a pontiac/oldsmobile mini-van. Their wipers rotate same as ours. So I hoping the mechanics will work the same and then it will have delay and 2 speeds. I'll keep yall posted.

[DQ81]

Originally Posted by 1952ssr

I plan on using a motor from a pontiac/oldsmobile mini-van. Their wipers rotate same as ours. So I hoping the mechanics will work the same and then it will have delay and 2 speeds. I'll keep yall posted.

what years? and for our 47-54 trucks don't we want a wipermoter that sweeps 90* or am I being dense?

[1952ssr]

Originally Posted by DQ81

what years? and for our 47-54 trucks don't we want a wipermoter that sweeps 90* or am I being dense?

The one I'm pulling from will be early '90's. I got the GM parts guy to send me a picture of the mechanics see what you think, Thadious you may can chime in and tell me if you think it'll work.