Windshield Washer Squirters -- Anyone Modified The Terrible Design?

[Scrappycrow]

Y'all,

One of the things that's irked me in the four months I've owned my '13 Tahoe is that the windshield washer squirters are positioned on the trailing side so that the entire upward stroke of the blades are dry, just what you don't want when trying to wipe the glass clean. What a terrible design!

I had been pondering fitting on-arm squirters from another car when I noticed our '23 Honda Accord rental this past weekend had arm-mounted squirters that were positioned on the leading side, wetting the glass ahead of the upward stroke so the blades are actually wiping fluid, not grit & grime. Unfortunately, it slipped my mind to get a good picture of them.

So, has anyone modded their windshield washer squirters to a "leading side" arrangement? If so, what components did you use?

Thanks in advance,
Scrappy

 

[wjburken]

Y'all,

One of the things that's irked me in the four months I've owned my '13 Tahoe is that the windshield washer squirters are positioned on the trailing side so that the entire upward stroke of the blades are dry, just what you don't want when trying to wipe the glass clean. What a terrible design!

I had been pondering fitting on-arm squirters from another car when I noticed our '23 Honda Accord rental this past weekend had arm-mounted squirters that were positioned on the leading side, wetting the glass ahead of the upward stroke so the blades are actually wiping fluid, not grit & grime. Unfortunately, it slipped my mind to get a good picture of them.

So, has anyone modded their windshield washer squirters to a "leading side" arrangement? If so, what components did you use?

Thanks in advance,
Scrappy

Can’t say that I have an issue with the design. Pretty sure they wipe in both directions so spraying on the “down stroke” side also clears the grit and grime away.

 

[89Suburban]

I imagine they are designed that way for washing while in transit fighting wind drag.

 

[Scrappycrow]

Pretty sure they wipe in both directions so spraying on the “down stroke” side also clears the grit and grime away.

I know it cleans on the downstroke. My concern isn't a lack of cleaning, it's doing the upstroke on dry grit/grime.

 

[mikez71]

I know it cleans on the downstroke. My concern isn't a lack of cleaning, it's doing the upstroke on dry grit/grime.

Same problem! Especially since I lengthened the hose for the washer heater.
Autosync is supposed to be able to program that out.... I need to remind Mr. Tyler, it currently does not work for me.

I have considered re-wiring the stalk so the washer tab only activates the washer, and then I would have to manually twist the wipe drum afterwards.
(or wire in a delay circuit that will activate the wipers X seconds after the wash button is hit)

I would be bypassing the BCM, at least for the washer spray.

1-10 second delay circuit... https://www.ebay.com/itm/393314575975

or a more programmable delay circuit... https://www.ebay.com/itm/113867595007

Have also been considering standard hood sprayers that can cover the windshield without wiping and can be heated with shorter hose length.

 

[Scrappycrow]

I have considered re-wiring the stalk so the washer tab only activates the washer, and then I would have to manually twist the wipe drum afterwards.
(or wire in a delay circuit that will activate the wipers X seconds after the wash button is hit)

It might be easier to add an unobtrusive momentary switch do the same thing.

Have also been considering standard hood sprayers that can cover the windshield without wiping and can be heated with shorter hose length.

That thought crossed my mind momentarily, but I'm not quite ready to go that route!

 

[Doubeleive]

if you can figure out a way to do it the k2XX design is pretty nice it just sprays from the wiper shroud

 

[Scrappycrow]

if you can figure out a way to do it the k2XX design is pretty nice it just sprays from the wiper shroud

Interesting -- I'll check that out!

 

[blackelky]

I just dont use it lol. I'll clean the window at fillup time with a gas station squeegee

 

[Scrappycrow]

I just dont use it lol. I'll clean the window at fillup time with a gas station squeegee

That would absolutely not work for me, unfortunately. Depending on the time of year and weather conditions, I would be lucky to get 3 days without having to clean the windshield. Most of the time, once a day is the minimum.

 

[Scrappycrow]

Well, I finally got around to fabricating a solution!

I machined an aluminum distribution block to go under the wiper arm, with barbs to tap into the existing hose and a 10-32 machine screw to attach the block to the arm. The new squirter is epoxied into the block and is fabricated from three K&S brass tubes (8125, 8126, and 8127) and has a nozzle diameter of 0.035".

I'm delighted to say it works great! Now the blade doesn't have to do the first sweep dry, and the ~4"x~8" patch on the lower left that never got cleaned has been reduced to a ~1"x~1" patch.

Once I'm certain this is the final configuration, I'll paint the tube and screw with some SEM 39143.

 

[mikez71]

That's awesome!

Did you hook up a button to pre-spray as well?

My only concern would be, an automatic carwash..

 

[Doubeleive]

my question is will it stay on at 140mph?

 

[89Suburban]

my question is will it stay on at 140mph?

Snow, ice, leaves, car wash?

 

[Scrappycrow]

That's awesome!

Did you hook up a button to pre-spray as well?

My only concern would be, an automatic carwash..

No, I didn't add a pre-spray button.

I don't use automatic carwashes, so that's no issue for me.

Snow, ice, leaves, car wash?

Snow and ice? Note my location. If there's enough of either on my vehicle to damage this, I'm not driving anywhere.

There would have to be a whole lot of leaves on the windshield to cause any problem, and I would brush them off manually if there were that many in the first place.

I only manually wash my vehicles, so automatic car washes are of no concern.

 

[Scrappycrow]

my question is will it stay on at 140mph?

It should, since it's in the wake of the wiper arm.

 

[homesick]

I know it cleans on the downstroke. My concern isn't a lack of cleaning, it's doing the upstroke on dry grit/grime.

Kinda like putting oil in the motor AFTER you hit the ignition.

joe

 

[j91z28d1]

I literally never noticed this till now and I went and tried it lol. very. weird. design.


Seems to be OK for my usage since I never even noticed lol.

 

[j91z28d1]

just for reference for anyone else, they make a bunch of different style that clip onto the arm. some look like they can spray both ways too. I've I remember right, ones like the Dorman pic you can stick a needle on them and use they to adjust where they spray.

 

[mikez71]

Those might work well, but Scrappycrow's definately has a direct angle along the top of wiper blade. The stock wiper arms are below the blade.
Looking at PPV wiper arms, there is no flat section to attach those nozzles to, BUT the arm sits in front of the wiper arm, not below like the j-hook arms.

There is more space to mount nozzles and plumbing, maybe just replace existing squirters in arm with better ones?

Personally, I want to try cowl mounted sprayers.. They don't have a great angle with the wiper blade in the way, maybe gravity arc will put it just where I want..