Windshield Wiper Overtravel

Dennis Fineran · 06-02-2008, 10:19 PM

I had my first experience driving our 2008 KSDP 2624 in heavy rain. The driver side wiper seems to overtravel at far left end of travel (when wiper is near vertical and near curve in windshield). It only occurs at max wiper speed and seems worse with heavy rain (and maybe when being passed by a large semi). It makes a "bang" noise as it completes its travel. It almost seems that it wants to "turn" the corner and wipe around the corner of the windshield. It seems to actually lose contact with the windshield. Maybe the bang is recontacting the windshield. I actually slowed my speed so I could use lower wiper speed because I feared the wiper would be damaged and stop working. At slower speeds travel does not seem as great and there is no bang noise.

Is this normal? Can travel be adjusted?

Dennis Fineran · 06-02-2008, 10:19 PM

I had my first experience driving our 2008 KSDP 2624 in heavy rain. The driver side wiper seems to overtravel at far left end of travel (when wiper is near vertical and near curve in windshield). It only occurs at max wiper speed and seems worse with heavy rain (and maybe when being passed by a large semi). It makes a "bang" noise as it completes its travel. It almost seems that it wants to "turn" the corner and wipe around the corner of the windshield. It seems to actually lose contact with the windshield. Maybe the bang is recontacting the windshield. I actually slowed my speed so I could use lower wiper speed because I feared the wiper would be damaged and stop working. At slower speeds travel does not seem as great and there is no bang noise.

Is this normal? Can travel be adjusted?

Lug_Nut · 06-03-2008, 01:45 AM

Your wiper(s) needs to be adjusted and tightened by the sounds of it. It is probably slipping at high speed and will eventually slip at lower speeds too. There is a knuled cone made of, I believe cast aluminum, that, if loose will provide play.
Loosen the nut at the wiper pivot. Move the wiper where it should be, then tighten the nut. You will probably find the nut is not very tight. When you tighten it, make sure it is very tight. The cones can be replaced if damaged, but I doubt yours are yet.

Peter

RVDude · 06-03-2008, 05:04 AM

What lug_nut says + the famous wind blow problem. The older design (as on 07/prior EX especially) had very large wiper blade/arms that at speed got wind blown off the 'shield right at the top of travel appearing like they were going past the bend. A "fix" was to add another wiper arm tension spring, ughhh.. Newmar redesigned some in 08 (don't know if you have them) to be sleeker and less wind prone. So, you might have to live with wind blow.

If the wiper "parks" too high it will sweep too far - due to a fixed sweep angle. This is an easy adjustment. Again, for the 07 models (this might apply to newer models as well ask Newmar) here's the procedure.

Open the wiper outward to relieve spring tension. Might have to remove blade to get enough room to open arm to fully lock out. Mark the arm position. Remove the attach nut and pull off the arm - careful it might still have some spring load. Might need to tap off using a small hammer on top of the bolt area while pulling arm straight off the post. Reinstall in new position. Torque nut to 33 ftlbs. Wait 30mins. Re-torque again to 33 ftlbs (we're making new post spline grooves doing this). All done.

Happy wiping... Now, useful windshield washers while at speed is a whole nutter issue!

jmon129 · 06-03-2008, 05:33 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dennis Fineran:
I had my first experience driving our 2008 KSDP 2624 in heavy rain. The driver side wiper seems to overtravel at far left end of travel (when wiper is near vertical and near curve in windshield). It only occurs at max wiper speed and seems worse with heavy rain (and maybe when being passed by a large semi). It makes a "bang" noise as it completes its travel. It almost seems that it wants to "turn" the corner and wipe around the corner of the windshield. It seems to actually lose contact with the windshield. Maybe the bang is recontacting the windshield. I actually slowed my speed so I could use lower wiper speed because I feared the wiper would be damaged and stop working. At slower speeds travel does not seem as great and there is no bang noise.

Is this normal? Can travel be adjusted? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dennis, I noticed you are in So Calf. You should have no problems, I hear it never rains in S.Calf.

)

CSX4350 · 06-07-2008, 09:43 PM

While on my way to Newmar in March, I encountered HEAVY rain & wind in central/northern Texas and had huge problems with my wipers. Sometimes I drove less than a mile before the wipers started hitting each other, or the drivers side flew around the bend and just stayed there. I would have to pull over, get out my wrench, open the gen slide, loosen the wiper nuts, reposition the wipers and retighten the nuts. After Newmar looked at the wipers I got a totally new wiper system.

RVDude · 06-08-2008, 04:22 AM

csx: did Newmar replace your *entire* system with the same 2007 model (with the rather large clunky wiper arms/blades) or the newer (starting in 2008) quite svelte and streamlined wiper arms not much larger than the blade itself? I am told the piece parts between the two systems are not interchangeable but the entire system certainly might be...

rebelsbeach · 06-08-2008, 08:51 AM

Having owned both an EXDP and an LADB with the old "torque and wait and torque again" wipers, I'd schmooze whomever necessary to get the latest upgrade... Usually by the time I got back south from Nappanee the wipers were in need of adjustment again....

I got used to the swish...bang.....swish....bang of the wipers.

CSX4350 · 06-08-2008, 02:17 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RVDude:
csx: did Newmar replace your *entire* system with the same 2007 model (with the rather large clunky wiper arms/blades) or the newer (starting in 2008) quite svelte and streamlined wiper arms not much larger than the blade itself? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I really don't know but here's a picture, maybe someone can tell me?
It does look a lot like what I was wrenching on constantly on the way north. It never rained coming back south so I don't know if the problem is actually fixed or not.

RVDude · 06-08-2008, 03:32 PM

csx - nope, that's the "original" 2007 model.... Bummer. Nice clouds though! I was hoping for a retro fit of the 2008 design. Take a look at a 2008 rig, the wiper arms are essentially only the wiper blade itself, there is really no superstructure like we (2007) have which catches the winds like a sail and blows off the shield and well, csx, you know what happens...

As rebels said, I guess we 2007'ers will just need to continue to "enjoy" the music "swish...bang.....swish....bang of the wipers."

I've got a 2008 pic laying around somewhere... I'll also post a pic of my revamp of the feeble 2007 washer nozzles that don't do a darn at 60mph...

Dennis Fineran · 06-10-2008, 12:56 PM

My 2008 KSDP <STRIKE>has wipers like in the picture from csx</STRIKE>. My unit was delivered in Sept 2007.
<span class="ev_code_RED">CORRECTION:</span> My 2008 KSDP has wipers as shown below - must be the svelte design.

Spikester · 06-10-2008, 03:07 PM

My 2008 Ventana also has the wiper assembly that is pictured above. They are wind catchers extraordinaire, especially the drivers side when it sweeps to the drivers side of the motorhome. Contemplating drilling holes in the blade housing to relieve the pressure so blade will not lift up off the windshield when driving at highway speeds, not that it ever rains in the Puget Sound area. Have also contemplated fabricating some spoilers to install on the wiper blade assembly to put down-force on the blades to counteract the up-force from the air-flow. Service center has installed extra spring/tensioner on arms but to no avail. Still less than adequate.

Spike

CSX4350 · 06-10-2008, 09:55 PM

Dennis, that is a much improved design, I wish they had switched mine to that when they replaced it all. Maybe on my way to Nappanee next month I'll hit a good storm again, my wipers will go crazy (again) and I can complain (again) so they will put the system you have on mine.
What is a real PITA is the nut and blind bolt that hold the wiper blade on, replacing the blade is tough especially when it is really cold out. Yours has the standard wiper blade system. Nice.