Wiper Blades?

[TexasViper35]

What wiper blades are you folks using? I’ve been paying my dealership $100 a set for years. But I’m thinking of trying Rain X or Bosch (my parts store says they fit). The OEM ones just can’t handle the sun here in Texas for more than a year or so.

 

[MoparMap]

Does Bosch or Rain X actually make a Viper wiper blade? I thought the issue was more that the Viper used a very unique mounting method that isn't like any other car so you didn't have any other options. My backup plan one of these days was to see about frankensteining my own set. I've only ever put one new set on my car, but I kept the old ones (or at least I thought I did, would have to find them...). They are basically just a piece of spring steel with the actual rubber glued to them, and the rubber looks like your typical wiper. I was going to strip the rubber from the old set and see about gluing on my own from another wiper of similar size. It's awfully fiddly, but I've heard that it's been done before.

 

[ViperDad]

I have long used the method of glueing with cyanoacrylate. The originals use the same glue and any cheap blade you can find to cut off the segment that is held to the blade back. Again, plain old superglue! Take it from a guy with over 5 decades of research in superglue! Just buy some generics off of rock auto and keep a stock. Remember that where you put it is where it will stick. There is no working time for adjustment. Practice or you will have to rip it off. It is also convenient to warm up the old blade to about 250 F as that softens the glue and it easily peels off and then wipe it with acetone.

 

[ViperDad]

PS this will not work with silicone rubber. Nothing sticks to silicone

 

[Qtr Turn]

I don't see that anyone answered BYAIC back in April '22. If someone knows, hopefully, I would like the brand and part number of "aftermarket" windshield wiper blades for my 2003 Viper. Not just a part number from a catalog. A brand and number you have USED. BOY, I hope I can give some one a big thank you!

 

[MoparMap]

I don't know that any aftermarket companies actually make blades that are a direct fit. Rockauto lists Hella blades and Mopar, but the Hella picture at least is a conventional blade, so I don't think it will work. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen anything but Mopar in the style of the Viper, hence the workarounds people have had to find to reuse stuff. I have long wondered why Dodge picked such an oddball setup. I'm guessing it had something to do with aero, performance, or generally space claim issues, but it still feels very "custom" and not any kind of "off the shelf". For what it's worth I was thinking the wiper system in general was made by Trico. I might be thinking of the gen 1 though. I remember seeing a sticker for some manufacturer on the motor and frame assembly when working on either my mom's 94 or my 04, but can't recall off the top of my head. It was a brand I recognized though, so I would guess they were probably the ones that made the blades as well.

 

[Qtr Turn]

I just ordered the STOCK wipers from Rockauto. thanks for your suggestions.

 

[TexasViper35]

I have long used the method of glueing with cyanoacrylate. The originals use the same glue and any cheap blade you can find to cut off the segment that is held to the blade back. Again, plain old superglue! Take it from a guy with over 5 decades of research in superglue! Just buy some generics off of rock auto and keep a stock. Remember that where you put it is where it will stick. There is no working time for adjustment. Practice or you will have to rip it off. It is also convenient to warm up the old blade to about 250 F as that softens the glue and it easily peels off and then wipe it with acetone.

This is the best reply, unfortunately. I could not find a direct replacement anywhere. Just have to pay the dealer $89 + tax for both sides or do what this gentleman describes.

Our blades are pricey but the parts guy told me that all MOPAR blades are, it has nothing to do with the high speed capability of the car.

But if you follow his instructions it will cost next to nothing. My problem is I’m terrible when it comes to using Super Glue type products! But I guess with practice anything is possible. The 250° thing seems to be very important, I tried to rip one of the old ones off out of curiosity and it didn’t go well!

 

[MoparMap]

I bet you could probably make a little fixture to make gluing things on straight a little easier. I could see a simple channel the width of the metal blade back with a slot cut down the middle that would hold the rubber portion. Set the rubber in the slot, put glue on the back, then line the metal backing up with the sides of the channel and press down. I'm half tempted to try 3d printing something like that now that I think about it. I lucked into a new set of blades years ago, but kept my old ones for just this reason, assuming I can remember where I put them, lol.

 

[kcarlasc]

The RainX blades are a close fit. They will go on but are loose. A drop silicone or something would probably work to keep them on

 

[BoremViper97]

This whole thread has me confused- I checked out the wipers on my 97 RT/10 and they look perfectly normal to me. Same as a million other wipers I’ve seen in my life.
What am I missing?

 

[MoparMap]

The gen 3+ wipers are very different. They are basically a single strip of flat spring steel with a blade glued to them. They aren't the typical construction that has multiple arches stacked together to contour to a windshield. I believe the mounting system for them is slightly different than many others as well, so just one more thing that makes replacements harder to find.

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