MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Mk1 wiper pattern

Been out in the frog today in the rain & the wipers are beating themselves up on the screen rubber at the bottom!

I know how to adjust the parking position, but I can't believe they were originally designed to hit and overlap the screen rubber at both ends of the arc. I was wondering if it has the wrong length/crank arms, would this cause the problem or would it be wear elswhere in the rack system?

Would any kind frogeye or Mk2 sprite Mk1 midget owner mind measuring the length of the arm from the centre of the spindle to the clip for the blade so at least I can eliminate that as the problem?
cheers, Graham
Graham P

I'll do that tomorrow. But you can reposition the arms at the spindle so they would sit a bit higher.

Do the blades touch the upper part of the window?

Bas
Bas Timmermans

Unfortunately there is absolutely no adjustment on the arms apart from rotating them around the spindles and that won't help a lot! It seems that the swept arc is just too long.

The blades are well clear of the upper surround so it may be that the arms are too short, which is why I asked for the arm length from somebody whose wipers work properly, just to do a comparison.

Knowing the work of the PO there is a strong chance that any of the components could be incorrect. He mixed and matched without any thought of what should work with other parts.
Graham P

Do any of you Mk1 guys have issues where your hood (bonnet) hits the wiper arms when trying to lift it? I can only lift my hood so far (and it isn't very far) before the hit. Wrong parts I'd guess. A picture of someone else's would be much appreciated. Here's mine.


J Van Dyke

For J.V.D. here is a shot of the windscreen/bulkhead area. I seem to have a lot more deck than you do! Probably an illusion, but your fittings do look rather on the large size.


Graham P

For Bas, the next couple of posts are pics of the wiper arms, with measurements. The first shows the overall length, around 19.5 cm including a 2 cm crank.


Graham P

JVD - I had a pair of those on my MkII, with the same problem. But you can still get the spoon type which are much less bulky. I think Moss has them.

Graham - do you mean they are describing an arc of nearly 180 degrees? About 110 degrees is normal for these motors. I'm not an expert, but I expect somebody will be along soon to tell you what's wrong in your wiper drivetrain.
Nick

A little closer.


Graham P

Ok. did some measurement:

Blade length 8 inches or 21,5 cm
Arm lentgh from pivoting point till end of the spoon shaped end 8 inches or 21,5 cm and from the complete outer end of the rotating point till the spoon shaped end 23 cm.

The arms are ment to be bent on a vice so the blades are exactly horizontal with the lower windscreen rubber. Its ment to be and the arms do bend very easily. But do use a vice to be sure you have a nice angle.

Maybe that will solve your problems.

Bas
Bas Timmermans

This is the source of many classiccar parts dealers: http://www.texautomotive.com/classic.html

Wiperblades 8 inches part number: B00308
Bas Timmermans

Did some research on that site and they have adjustable lentgh wiper arms and the blades in 8, 9, 10 etc inches lentgh. Fitting a 9 inch blade can be done without any problem I guess. Fitting the 10 inch one will be a challenge. With the 8 inch one there is about 2 cm left between the wiper blade and the upper windowframe rubber so 9 inch will fit. May be with a little fiddling with adjustable wiperarms the huge 10 inch ones can be fitted too. Imagine what that will do the the % of windscreen being wiped! With the original blades its just a fingernail of window thats being wiped.

Bas
Bas Timmermans

Thanks Bas, it looks like mine are 2cm short! Plus they are not parallel to the screen rubber as you can see. For now I'll give them a tweak in the vice but I think I'll get some new longer arms and experiment with some 9" blades.
Graham P

Apologies Bas, they are adjustable! I have now extended them both to around 23 cm and bent the crank so they park parallel to the rubber. The swept arc is now spot on.
Now I have another problem!!!When the screen is dry the arc is halved!!!!! It looks as if the motor is past it, never mind, it works fine with a wet screen.
Graham P

This thread was discussed between 09/08/2008 and 10/08/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.