Daily Driver Mondeo Wiper Upgrade

Cunning Plan · October 08, 2008, 08:43:53 AM

Okay, new wipers were required on the Mondeo but after driving other company cars I found that the new flat-bladed styled wiper was very good so I looked into getting some for my '97 ford.

I have the old-fashond system where you clip a massive blade with an external structure to a hook. I thought this would be an issue but after reading a copy of 'Automotive World' or something similar that we get delivered to work for free I found that Champion had designed a universal connector that allows fitment of the new-styled 'flat-blade' to the old hook system.

So I went to Halfrauds to find a set, they mainly had Bosch and their own brand in stock at £40 and up!!! But nothing for an older vehicle with a universal fitting. Spoke to the lad behind the parts counter who to be fair to him was quite helpful and after explaining what I needed he said he had purchased a pair from egay with the universal fitting for a tenner!

So I found this guy:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=250300117344\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=250300117344

I was expecting cheap Chinese rubbish but they arrived quickly within 3 days. The clip feels a bit fragile but fitted to my blades as described in the egay ad.

Heres how it went.

The new blades.

Take off standard bulky wiper-blade that smudges... ALOT.

Offerup new blade with universal attachment. Where my finger is pointing is the fixing cover.

Clip the wiper onto a normal fitting inside the unit.

Clip the cover back into place, job done. Here you can see the difference between a traditional blade and the new one..

And the other side done..

So yah, a nice quick cleap upgrade. Philo, Im thinking you would be most interested in these?

Incursus · October 08, 2008, 09:03:41 AM

Wonder if they would fit the Mustang

HardRockCamaro · October 08, 2008, 10:10:35 AM

The driver side blade on the Caddy chatters across the screen, makes a right racket. And that's with 2 new sets of blades too.

Wonder if these would work better?

Cunning Plan · October 08, 2008, 11:02:59 AM

Quoting: Incursus

Wonder if they would fit the Mustang

Not sure, give your requirments to the guy ascomber@btconnect.com . He seems helpful and offered to replace a clip for me.

Quoting: HardRockCamaro

The driver side blade on the Caddy chatters across the screen, makes a right racket. And that's with 2 new sets of blades too.

Wonder if these would work better?

On a dry screen becuase of the amount of grip they have they will 'chatter' but if you use your washers and get the window wet they seem to be very efficient.

Incursus · October 08, 2008, 12:19:04 PM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Not sure, give your requirments to the guy ascomber@btconnect.com . He seems helpful and offered to replace a clip for me.

Already sent him a mail

FUBAR · October 08, 2008, 12:22:52 PM

they look like normal wipers to me...

maybe i'm missing something

Incursus · October 08, 2008, 12:26:26 PM

Quoting: FUBAR

they look like normal wipers to me... maybe i'm missing something

there flater, without all the metal latice work you get on tradtional blades.

They work better as well....at least the ones on the S-Max at work do

F Body · October 08, 2008, 12:39:17 PM

I heard mixed reports, we changed to that type on the Vivaro about six months ago and I don't think that they are as good.
But from a cost point of view they are cheaper ( i.e for us the manufacturer ) but when I last looked they were dearer in parts stores than the orginals

Cunning Plan · October 09, 2008, 03:24:15 AM

First mornings proper use today as there was 'due' (if thats how you spell it) on the windscreen, the kind that you have to leave your wipers on intermittent otherwise it keeps hazing up again..

First thing I noticed is that they are much quieter than normal blades, to the point that if you leave them on as the window as dryed, you dont get that rubbing across the window, so you almost forget to turn them off.

They took an average number of wipes to clear the screen but it was more of a complete wipe rather than missed bits etc..

So yah, if you need to change your wipers and these are available for your ride, its a quick cheap upgrade

Quoting: F Body

I heard mixed reports, we changed to that type on the Vivaro about six months ago and I don't think that they are as good.
But from a cost point of view they are cheaper ( i.e for us the manufacturer ) but when I last looked they were dearer in parts stores than the orginals

Interesting they are cheaper to produce, but then I guess its mainly rubber rather than metal for the framework..

P1sses you off when they are more expensive as an aftermarket part!!

Motorama · October 09, 2008, 03:47:11 AM

Quoting: FUBAR

they look like normal wipers to me... maybe i'm missing something

Cunning Plan · October 09, 2008, 03:56:43 AM

Quoting: FUBAR

they look like normal wipers to me... maybe i'm missing something

Look at the first picture?

F Body · October 09, 2008, 07:37:23 AM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Look at the first picture?

Arr you see I'm not the only one who gets a digit in the picture

Cunning Plan · October 09, 2008, 08:14:55 AM

Quoting: F Body

Arr you see I'm not the only one who gets a digit in the picture

I was pointing at the cover

philoldsmobile · October 10, 2008, 06:06:25 PM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Philo, Im thinking you would be most interested in these?

thats actually pretty damned cool..

Incursus · October 15, 2008, 03:39:45 AM

CP Whats the lenght of your blades? I need 50cm

philoldsmobile · October 16, 2008, 04:14:26 PM

found em, orderd

Incursus · October 17, 2008, 03:10:11 AM

Quoting: philoldsmobile

found em, orderd

Apparently the Nissan Skyline ones should be the correct length

Cunning Plan · October 17, 2008, 03:23:41 AM

Quoting: Incursus

Apparently the Nissan Skyline ones should be the correct length

Sh1t sorry dude, i forgot to measure mine, if you have already ordered I wont bother but if you havent I will go outside the office and look now. I was on the cold drive last night in the dark trying to fit a tow bar to my Mondeo

Theres nothing quite like working on a car in the dark and

so I forgot.

Incursus · October 17, 2008, 03:30:00 AM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Sh1t sorry dude, i forgot to measure mine, if you have already ordered I wont bother but if you havent I will go outside the office and look now. I was on the cold drive last night in the dark trying to fit a tow bar to my Mondeo Theres nothing quite like working on a car in the dark and so I forgot.

No problem chap, the guy finally got back to me

philoldsmobile · October 19, 2008, 06:24:51 PM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

First mornings proper use today as there was 'due' (if thats how you spell it) on the windscreen

Dew.

Incursus · October 20, 2008, 03:42:58 AM

Mine arrived over the weekend.

Fitted them yesterday afternoon and they are the easiest wiper blades I have ever had to fit!

Only tested them with windscreen washers but so far they work better than any wiper i've had before.

If they last well then I would say absolute bargain!!

My last blades only lasted about 18months and they were always pretty useless from the start, they just sort of smeared the water round

Cunning Plan · October 20, 2008, 03:50:20 AM

Quoting: philoldsmobile

Dew.

You got yours yet?

ianjpage · October 20, 2008, 04:27:40 AM

I take it they came from ebay guy - might try and get some for the camaro as the passenger one is cr*p

Cunning Plan · October 20, 2008, 05:18:06 AM

Quoting: Incursus

Mine arrived over the weekend.

Fitted them yesterday afternoon and they are the easiest wiper blades I have ever had to fit!

Only tested them with windscreen washers but so far they work better than any wiper i've had before.

Incursus · March 08, 2010, 04:09:41 AM

Quoting: Incursus

Mine arrived over the weekend.

Fitted them yesterday afternoon and they are the easiest wiper blades I have ever had to fit!

Only tested them with windscreen washers but so far they work better than any wiper i've had before.

If they last well then I would say absolute bargain!!

Well They lasted 17 Months and it was the plastic connector doo hicky that broke.
Drivers side was just starting to show signs of wear (smearing the water).