I have a Porsche 944 race car, and I wanted to freshen the wiper blades.
So I measured them and ordered some. The blades on the car are 13" long (both sides). However, I later noticed on a website that 13" "will not fit". Turns out the stock size of the blades is 19" (both sides).
It makes sense to me, I guess, if it helps with aero at 120mph. And maybe the 13" blades perform better at speed, too.
Is this likely something the previous owner did for performance purposes? Is that a common thing?
The longer blades will likely lift off the windshield at mid sweep at higher speeds, so yes it is possible the previous owner changed them out.
I'm going to take credit for the idea that going to the 13's saves weight. Just so I can brag about the lengths I'll go...
Think of how much faster they will wipe with about 30% less mass and friction.
NASCAR teams have found that the wipers they're allowed to run at road courses add downforce, so they run them even if there's no rain.
I usually run the shortest wiper blade I can find on the right side so that the wiper motor has an easy job.
Most cars I have owned got unsafe in the rain because the wiper motor can't deal with a 80-90mph headwind. The rest didn't have a top speed that high.
(teh S60R's wipers work just fine at 110 in a downpour, incidentally)
remove driver side wiper arm, clock passenger side wiper arm up a little bit, then fit the longest wiper arm you can fit (that doesnt hit the roofline on it's sweep). Still get most the coverage and wiper motor still has less resistance vs 2 wipers.
Here is how it ended up on my Z31
I dont know if there is actually any true benefit to it but it's not the first time it's been done on a race car
Is wearing out wiper motors something you guys have experienced?
WonkoTheSane said:Is wearing out wiper motors something you guys have experienced?
Beat me to it. I've never put an insane number of miles on a single car, but I've never had to replace one.
WonkoTheSane said:Is wearing out wiper motors something you guys have experienced?
No but I have driven down the interstate into enough headwind in a 2-3 year old hyundai elantra that the wiper blades weren't able to come back down and just stayed about half way up until I slowed down. On a track car going fast enough they might experience the same issue.
(but that's not the reason I did the single wiper on the Z31, I did it to not have to buy 2 expensive wiper blades)
WonkoTheSane said:Is wearing out wiper motors something you guys have experienced?
Samurais eat them almost as fast as tires, pushing mud clumps off the windshield probably doesn't help.
Knurled. said:Most cars I have owned got unsafe in the rain because the wiper motor can't deal with a 80-90mph headwind. The rest didn't have a top speed that high.
The '68 Dodge I had would lift the wiper blades at about 80 which was also about when the bias ply tiers would start to hydroplane. It was quite an invigorating combination.
WonkoTheSane said:Is wearing out wiper motors something you guys have experienced?
Not wear, but it is interesting to find out that the wiper motor doesn't have enough oomph to pull the blades back down at speed.
edizzle89 said:(but that's not the reason I did the single wiper on the Z31, I did it to not have to buy 2 expensive wiper blades)
Plus, it was The E36 M3 in oh, 1999 or so.
edizzle89 said:remove driver side wiper arm, clock passenger side wiper arm up a little bit, then fit the longest wiper arm you can fit (that doesnt hit the roofline on it's sweep). Still get most the coverage and wiper motor still has less resistance vs 2 wipers.
Here is how it ended up on my Z31
Must be awesome for your passenger. I know I love looking around wiper blades.
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