Community Forums

Runaway4002 · 09-18-2018, 02:18 PM

Driving down the highway about 55 MPH in a severe rain storm with heavy wind we had the wipers on high. All of a sudden the passenger side wiper flew off the right side of the windshield and lodged between the mirror and entry door while remaining attached. The ridges that keep it in place and cause it to go back and forth stripped out. Newmar customer service said they had never heard of this happening before and suggested a replacement wiper arm. I ordered it and will have it by weeks end. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Also, has anyone replaced the wiper arms on their Newmar? Apparently this is not a straight-forward process. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Lug_Nut · 09-18-2018, 02:38 PM

Well, it is like some in the past, it requires using a torque wrench to attain the correct tightness. The internal spline is much softer than the splines drive that the wiper arm attaches to. I'm not sure that this type of fastening works all that great.

I hope this is of some aid.

wishalls · 09-18-2018, 03:03 PM

I had the driver side wiper do the same thing in July. Newmar sent me a new wiper arm and the drive (spline) assemble. Both under warranty. 26.5 ft/lbs torque.

wishalls · 09-18-2018, 03:05 PM

Also check your other wiper arm torque also

wishalls · 09-18-2018, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runaway4002

Driving down the highway about 55 MPH in a severe rain storm with heavy wind we had the wipers on high. All of a sudden the passenger side wiper flew off the right side of the windshield and lodged between the mirror and entry door while remaining attached. The ridges that keep it in place and cause it to go back and forth stripped out. Newmar customer service said they had never heard of this happening before and suggested a replacement wiper arm. I ordered it and will have it by weeks end. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Also, has anyone replaced the wiper arms on their Newmar? Apparently this is not a straight-forward process. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Some additional info. You will need a small gear puller to pop the wiper arm off spline. Clean the drive spline in ensure all aluminum from old wiper is removed. A fine toothed small file is best. Once you are sure of the wiper arm placement torque down the nut. Be very careful you only get one shot at this..you are creating the splines in the wiper arm. Freighliner told me you cannot move the wiper arm again because you will not be able to align the splines.
Hope this helps.

navychop · 09-18-2018, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runaway4002

Driving down the highway about 55 MPH in a severe rain storm with heavy wind we had the wipers on high. All of a sudden the passenger side wiper flew off the right side of the windshield and lodged between the mirror and entry door while remaining attached. The ridges that keep it in place and cause it to go back and forth stripped out. Newmar customer service said they had never heard of this happening before and suggested a replacement wiper arm. I ordered it and will have it by weeks end. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Also, has anyone replaced the wiper arms on their Newmar? Apparently this is not a straight-forward process. Thanks in advance for any insight.

I had two come off after hitting a swarm of bugs. Always spares in the basement now.

Runaway4002 · 09-18-2018, 03:48 PM

Lug_Nut…...Thanks for the info. I agree this is not the best designed set-up.

Wishalls…….Glad to hear I am not alone with this issue. Customer Service and parts describe the replacement process exactly as you state. They emphasized that you only get one shot at a correct install. The arm came off with ease as the spline on the arm was worn nearly smooth. I was told by Newmar Customer Service to use 33-38 ft/lbs torque. They suggested I start at 34 or 35, run the wipers for 30 seconds and then tighten down to 36 or 37. You are a DS and I am a VT and you are 2 years newer than me, I suppose that could account for the difference in torque????

Navychop…...Good idea on having spares. I will order a pair once I complete the repair. Should have thought of this when I initially ordered the replacement arm earlier today.

LK23 · 09-18-2018, 06:03 PM

I recently replaced one of my wiper arms that was mis-aligned from the manufacturer. I contacted the wiper arm maker (Diesel Equipment Company) to get installation instructions. They told me the following:

1. Install wiper blades with arm in up position
a. Put nut on wiper arm and tighten until it contacts the insert
b. Lower wiper arm to correct position.
c. Lift Arm carefully, not losing alignment
d. Tighten nut to 70 ft. lbs.
e. Wait an hour and retorque

There seems to be some disagreement on the amount of torque, but after doing the replacement it seems that something toward 70 ft. lbs. may be best.

Note of caution: Tighten the nut with the arm lifted to the up position and make sure it is square with the spline as you tighten the nut.

Ann n Gene · 09-18-2018, 06:10 PM

That was a common problem on Spartan/Entegras several years ago. I think Entegra was not get them torqued tight enough and they were stripping out and would fly off. Have not heard of it on a couple of years but it is a very poor design and always a potential problem. All JMHO

imgoin4it · 09-18-2018, 06:36 PM

I had the very same thing happen on our listed 2007 KSDP the first time we had it out and hit rain. I got the same story. They never heard of that happening. I was the only one. That was B S. I continued to have problems and without all the details, the Newmar factory folks replaced the entire wiper system on my coach two more times. The third generation wiper system has worked flawlessly for a number of years now. I do not have or use the heavy 3/4 inch wipers blades that came on the coach and they put on lighter 1/2 inch. .(I think) and rather than 30 inch blades I use 28 inch ones.

LK23 · 09-18-2018, 07:00 PM

I forgot to mention that the wipers were not torqued sufficiently from the factory. I suspect that may be contribute to the problem of wipers coming loose. I will check the wiper torque periodically from now on.

rebelsbeach · 09-18-2018, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runaway4002

Driving down the highway about 55 MPH in a severe rain storm with heavy wind we had the wipers on high. All of a sudden the passenger side wiper flew off the right side of the windshield and lodged between the mirror and entry door while remaining attached. The ridges that keep it in place and cause it to go back and forth stripped out. Newmar customer service said they had never heard of this happening before and suggested a replacement wiper arm. I ordered it and will have it by weeks end. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Also, has anyone replaced the wiper arms on their Newmar? Apparently this is not a straight-forward process. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Someone in Newmar Customer service is full of baloney....

As LugNut will attest, he and I and several others dealt with this issue as far back as our 2007 Essex 4502 models...

Dsmullen · 09-18-2018, 07:25 PM

I had the same thing happen on our Allegro Bus on the right side. I found out from Tiffin that the male output shaft had no spine at all and was expected to be torqued to 55 ft lbs to keep the wiper arm in place. I have been tinkering with autos for over 55 years and never saw a non splined male shaft but after torquing to 55 ft lbs neither wiper has budged in over a year. Our wiper blades are 40” long so they give the connections a good workout.

deaton · 09-18-2018, 07:45 PM

This happened to me several times on my last coach, a Monaco. Not yet on the DS, but that part about, “We never heard of this happening before” is BS or that guy just got hired last week.

As others have said, getting the torque right to fix this is critical. Sorry, but I don’t know the proper setting for the DS.