New Wiper Blades

[Andynator]

Hi,

I have a very early build Libby - ordered October 2001, took delivery November 11 2001. From the factory there is a short spoiler or wing built into the driver's side wiper blade. Not the wiper arm - on the blade. When those wipers wore out, I couldn't find a replacement. Even the stealership looked at me like I was nuts even though I was standing there holding it in my hand, looked through all of their parts books and couldn't find anything listed other than the standard open spring wipers. So that's what I was stuck with, and I've ALWAYS had problems with the driver's wiper lifting at 40+ mph and leaving a big smeared spot right in front of my eyes.

I tried different brands of wiper blades, snow blades, triple-edge, an add-on spring that clamps to the wiper arm...nothing helped until now. Last week I tried the new Bosch Icon series blades. Wow, they are awesome. They are low profile, have a sculpted profile to push down on the glass, no squeaking and no smears. They don't look like a Speed-Racer add-on, either. Highly recommended...

They are about $12 more than what you normally pay, and at Autozone the application chart hanging at the display only listed Grand Cherokee. So I stood there opening up packages until I found a 19" blade. I rate 5 of 5 stars...

Andy

 

[JeepJeepster]

Glad to hear that. Its time for me to get some new wiper blades and skipping at high speeds has always been a problem. The regular rain-x blades that I use right now work great at low speeds but since I drive mostly at 70+ they skip a lot.

Ill probably go with the rain-x latitudes but they are the same style as the icons.

 

[hyde]

Michelins are the best ones I have used, when I went back to Rain-X, it felt pretty rough and skippy.

 

[jcj7161]

wipers

ARRGG where do you find the 7 inch blade for the rear window?

 

[snowsport]

ARRGG where do you find the 7 inch blade for the rear window?

The rear wiper is 11". I just replaced mine after over 5 years, picked one up at the dealership. NAPA in town couldn't get them and one other parts place in town didn't have them either.

 

[Dave]

ARRGG where do you find the 7 inch blade for the rear window?

It is an 11" blade and I couldn't find one anywhere. Finally got frustrated and just went to the dealer and got one. It was $10. Put it on some time lasyt year and it is still ok.

BTT......I will check out the Bosch Icon ones when I need front blades. I still have the OEM ones on and they are wiping fine and not lifting off the windshield ar acting funny or anything.

Dave

 

[kj924]

I bought one of the rear wiper blades at Napa for $11.00

Here's a link to Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/2002-2007-Lib...4?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1230522086&sr=1-34

 

[67Customs]

I use the Bosch Icons also. Excellent wiper blades. I use them on all of my vehicles.

I recently (three months back) purchased two new sets during their rebate period. Buy two and get $20 back. I still have yet to receive my $40.

 

[deliciousdaly]

I will never buy the expensive rain-x blades again. Great for the first few months but they smear... They were really expensive too and they didnt last...

 

[scottg]

i have trico neoforms on mine, but they were onsale at the time


for the rear, I just took a regular 11inch and swapped over the OEM connector

 

[AlexKJ]

By the way, I know the OEM size for the front ones is 19''... But I think maybe a 20'' would fit... I think that because the windshield has some marks and they are wider than my current wiper blades...

Someone has tried?

Cheers!

 

[jeepzilla]

The office manager at my favorite accessory store, talked me into trying some Anco Contours.. She has them on her XC90, an loves them... I used them in there first snowstorm today an they work great.. well worth trying an there a couple bucks cheaper then the Bosch Icons...

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Sure , I tried those name brand wiper blades. Cost me over $50.00 for two...
Waste of my money! All they did was carry the snow (Unlike what was advertised on the TV Advertisement by Canadian tire {Which incidentally has an on-line ad on this forum})
And all it did was spread and streak the snow across the windshield from the cowel up to the top of the wind shield.
I bought some good old cheap ($10.00 for two) Tridon winter wiper blades and they work better than ever.

Good luck with that fancy stuff.

 

[LibertyTC]

Tridon Winter's

Thanks, Since last night in the big Van. snow storm one of the clips broke, I will try replacing with Tridon then. I also found with all the snow/ice we have had here lately that the blades have to be cleaned well before the streaking stops with the stock stuff, and the clips are too thin on plastic retainer, cheap crap, I hate plastic in the cold weather.

 

[snowsport]

I hate plastic in the cold weather.

It still amazes me how durable those plastic parts are. In fact, it's amazing to me that automobiles work at all when it's really cold.

We just passed 30 days into a cold "snap", and the warmest temp has been -15C (5F) which only lasted a few hours. Mostly it's been about -35C (-31F) every day. This past Saturday, the windchill was -46C (-51F). And yet, this KJ starts up every time, and moves under its own power. Granted, it creaks, moans, burbles, thumps, bings, smacks and doinnngs, but it still works fine. Steering takes a while to warm up, so does the drivetrain.

Forecast is for at least another week of "unseasonably cold" temperatures. Which is not a term they bandy about lightly, I'll tell ya!

 

[Ry' N Jen]

The secret to the wipers working properly (This will apply to all B.C. residents) is to cover your windshield with something. I bought a purpose made silver/gray coated nylon windshield guard which has six one square inch magnets sandwiched between the fabric so that the top part of the guard magnetically clips itself to the roof line. Flaps on either side drape down inside the vehicle so when you close the doors, the windshield guard it then sandwiched between the A Pillar and the front door frames. (Doesn't pull out so it can't be stolen.)
In the morning, just remove the shield, fold and stuff it into the attached stuff sack. My windshield is free of frost and snow and the wiper blades are not frozen to the glass. I've been using this guard/shield (Whatever you want to call it.) since 2002 and has stood the test of time of Albertan winters with -45* Celsius! I bought it at Liquidation World for $5.00
If you cannot find something commercially available, you could basically use anything from cardboard to a piece of tarpaulin or 1.5 meter of coated nylon fabric.
Now it lives in the winter gear box in the cargo area of the KJ, ready to be used when were out for a winter weekend.
The rest of the time our Liberty is parked under a 10'X20 foot portable garage! That is the best, no snow on the Jeep anywhere to be found. No frosty glass, no frozen shut doors or tailgate!

 

[CHUD]

Hi,

I have a very early build Libby From the factory there is a short spoiler or wing built into the driver's side wiper blade. Andy

I have the same little wing (no ref. to the Jimi Hendrix tune) and it's still on my KJ after 6+ years. I just replace the rubber part of the wiper with a "wiper refill" sold at any auto parts store for approx. $6 a pair. I have found no need to replace the whole blade assembly. Just the rubber.

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[kenv]

Hi. First regular post, but this one interested me. We needed new wiper blades on one of our other cars, & we bought the expensive Bosch ones at our local Firestone dealer. After about two months, they started to skip/smear. I said the heck with it & bought a low priced set at Wall Mart. The brand name is Pylon, cost something like $3.99ea. These have been the best blades I have used so far. I will be replacing the ones on the Liberty with these. Only problem is that they don`t make an 11" blade for the rear.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Hey CHUD, can you take a picture of this "wing"? I'd be interested in seeing it.