Unable to replace rear wiper assembly 2011 Yukon

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Genesis211

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I was able to remove the old wipe assembly. The splined shaft which is part of the wiper motor is supposed to be visible so the new assembly can be placed over it and then secured with the nut. What I found after removing the old assembly was a larger diameter shaft, not looking like a splined tapered shaft. It almost looked as though it took on some of the metal from the i.d. of the old assembly, consequently, the new assembly will not fit over this enlarged shaft. I can't remove any material from the shaft. I don't want to buy a new wiper motor if I don't have to.

Has anyone experienced this and are there any fixes other than dremeling the shaft down to look like a splined shaft?20200217_162836[1].jpg 20200217_162852[1].jpg 20200217_094001[1].jpg 20200217_162852[1].jpg 20200217_094001[1].jpg
 

Doubeleive

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do you still have the old wiper arm? is the metal ring from the old arm still attached to the wiper motor shaft? snap a picture of the arm sockets side by side
 

915_Tahoe

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looks like the ring seized on the bolt head and stayed on there while removing the arm, i would try cutting off the ring and make sure you do go so far in to damage the threads.
 
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Genesis211

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do you still have the old wiper arm? is the metal ring from the old arm still attached to the wiper motor shaft? snap a picture of the arm sockets side by side

Thanks for your quick reply. Unfortunately, I do not have the old assembly but based on your reply and another, my guess is it seized some of the ring. I'll have to delicately Dremel it off.
 
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Genesis211

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looks like the ring seized on the bolt head and stayed on there while removing the arm, i would try cutting off the ring and make sure you do go so far in to damage the threads.

Thanks for your reply. Looks like that's what I'll have to do. My guess too is that it seized some of the ring. I'll have to delicately Dremel it off.
 

Joseph Garcia

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As the folks above have stated, it does look like a sleeve from your old wiper blade got 'weather-welded' to the wiper motor shaft arm. They can be difficult to remove, and I had to actually use a pulley puller to get mine off (The old sleeve remained in the old wiper arm in my case.) IMO, it is time for the Dremel to remove the old sleeve.

First use liberal amounts of a rust-removing penetrating oil on the old sleeve and wiper motor shaft, and let it sit overnight.

Then, try to make a cut in the old sleeve in a direction parallel to the wiper motor shaft arm. Since the wiper motor arm underneath the old sleeve is splined, your cut will go in the same direction as the splines, so if you inadvertently cut a little bit into the wiper motor arm shaft, it won't stop you from securing the new wiper arm to the shaft. I believe that you will find when you cut down and get near to the wiper motor shaft, you will be able to put a flat screwdriver or equivalent into the cut that you've made and apply a twisting pressure, and the old sleeve will loosen from the wiper motor shaft.

Good luck! And, IMO, you will find this to be a fairly easy job, once you get started.
 
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Genesis211

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As the folks above have stated, it does look like a sleeve from your old wiper blade got 'weather-welded' to the wiper motor shaft arm. They can be difficult to remove, and I had to actually use a pulley puller to get mine off (The old sleeve remained in the old wiper arm in my case.) IMO, it is time for the Dremel to remove the old sleeve.

First use liberal amounts of a rust-removing penetrating oil on the old sleeve and wiper motor shaft, and let it sit overnight.

Then, try to make a cut in the old sleeve in a direction parallel to the wiper motor shaft arm. Since the wiper motor arm underneath the old sleeve is splined, your cut will go in the same direction as the splines, so if you inadvertently cut a little bit into the wiper motor arm shaft, it won't stop you from securing the new wiper arm to the shaft. I believe that you will find when you cut down and get near to the wiper motor shaft, you will be able to put a flat screwdriver or equivalent into the cut that you've made and apply a twisting pressure, and the old sleeve will loosen from the wiper motor shaft.

Good luck! And, IMO, you will find this to be a fairly easy job, once you get started.
Regrettably 3 yrs later, my rear wiper malfunctioned again. This time after removing the assembly, I can see some of the spline, but there is not enough sleeve that welded on to the spline to remove. The last time I Dremeled some of it , and it all popped off. This time the spline looks worn down or the cavities in the spline are partially filled with metal that I cannot remove and I am concerned that by installing another , it will just strip.

Does anyone have an idea as to how I can replace the spline without replacing the motor assembly. What about building the spline up with something? How about dremeling some ridges into it? Propane torch to see if the aluminum melts out of the steel spline?20211107_124133.jpg
 

Brandon2489

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Maybe try to scrape the splines clean with a pick?
 

Joseph Garcia

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Scrape out the crap in the spline valleys, and you will still have plenty of meat on those splines to install another wiper arm. The connection is a compression fit, with the nut applying force to engage the two components. You may want to add a bit of silicon grease to the splines, after you clean them out, so that the next time that you need to remove the wiper arm, it will disengage much more easily.
 

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