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How to Choose Windshield Wiper Blades


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1. Know what part of the wiper blade you'll need to change. In general, windshield wiper blades are made with three basic parts: 1. The lower metal arm is the part that extends from the base of the windshield; 2. The wiper blade is the part attached to the metal arm; and 3. The rubber blade is the part that actually wipes the snow, rain or dust off the windshield glass for you.

2. Look at the shape of the blade. Many modern cars have curved windshields, so the blade needs to curve too, to make good contact as it wipes. There are many brands of wiper blades with various kinds of packaging, some of which you can see through and some of which you can't. Straight wiper blades are suitable for car with a flat windshield, while slightly curved wiper blades may be more suitable for car with streamline windshield.

3. Measure or look up the length of the blades that are used on your car’s driver seat and passenger seat sides. You can measure the length of each blade yourself, but in general, most places that sell wiper blades provide a manual where you can look up the lengths for your car make and model..

4. Check for adapter options. Many wiper blade brands include more than one adapter type in their packaging. These are designed to make the blades compatible with various types of metal arm.

5. Consider cost. Different kinds of wiper blades can range in price dramatically. Do a little comparison shopping to figure out what wipers fit your price range and are still of good quality.

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    • By Counterman
      If there ever was an auto part that could sell itself, this could be it. People put up with broken windows, loud exhaust, rusty body panels, oil leaks, broken air conditioning and a plethora of other problems. But, take away the windshield wipers and they’re beating a path to the closest auto parts store.
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      Wiper motors are far more advanced than they used to be, with built-in computer circuit boards and electronics. This is another common source of problems, often causing erratic or inoperative wipers, but again, you only can say what you know is common and recommend a professional diagnosis.
      If a wiper motor gets stuck, it can cause the fuse to blow, and it’s not that uncommon – especially in areas that see a lot of ice and snow. Also keep in mind that some wiper arms can loosen where they connect at the wiper shaft. Everything sounds like it’s working, but nothing happens. In these cases, the wiper arms often need to be replaced because material in the arms has been stripped off by the splines on the wiper shaft.
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