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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Glennman on June 28, 2020, 12:18:03 AM

Title: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Glennman on June 28, 2020, 12:18:03 AM
Anyone ever convert air actuated windshield wipers with electric motors? Seems that the air ones are nothing but trouble, but I have not heard much on an alternative.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: richard5933 on June 28, 2020, 04:34:05 AM
There are bolt-on electric motor available for some bus models. Others not so much.

Not sure what you mean by "nothing but trouble".

Install a new pair of control valves, get rebuild kits from Luke for the motors, and once things are given the once over you should be good to go for another few decades.

I just installed new valves and an intermittent controller for my air wipers. They do their thing just the same as electric. No easy electric conversion for me, so it was the only option. Perhaps you have a model where you can do the electric conversion.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: chessie4905 on June 28, 2020, 06:41:54 AM
30 to 50 year old air wipers without attention, of course, are troublesome. Rebuild now while parts are available. They worked ok in thousands of coaches over the years. If intent on going to electric, $600 to $1000 is common. If you are a handy guy, you could fab up your own electric with parts from a truck or whatever for a lot less. They don't  offer drop in electrics for GMC btw.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Dave5Cs on June 28, 2020, 11:50:44 AM
Autex 950.00 with two motors all wired together and exact replacements. You take the air ones out and the electric fit right in on an MCI. You hook up the two wires to 12 volt stud 55 in your side panel. Test it to make sure. They have two speeds and intermittent and have two new electric controls that fit in the old holes as well. You can use the old arms  because the new ones are 150.00 each.
I did it and never looked back.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: dtcerrato on June 28, 2020, 04:49:07 PM
Man those prices sound like a rip off but then most modern prices do after retirement... Lol
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Glennman on June 28, 2020, 07:37:10 PM
Thanks Dave5c's. That quick bolt on sounds great. I'll look into the rebuild kits from Luke, but if that doesn't work out, at least I know there is an alternative. Glennman.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Jim Blackwood on June 29, 2020, 09:46:23 AM
Certainly beats vacuum wipers like I had on my old Coachman. Now that was a treasure hunt.

Jim
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: lvmci on June 29, 2020, 03:41:44 PM
ROME trucks parts in Georgia, has new exact air motor replacements, better price than electric, lvmci...
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: luvrbus on June 29, 2020, 05:16:49 PM
ROME trucks parts in Georgia, has new exact air motor replacements, better price than electric, lvmci...


www.rometruckparts.com is where I been buying parts for years for air wipers,they will any part for those wipers and tech support   
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: richard5933 on June 30, 2020, 02:32:57 AM
Thanks Dave5c's. That quick bolt on sounds great. I'll look into the rebuild kits from Luke, but if that doesn't work out, at least I know there is an alternative. Glennman.

Remember that quite a few problems with the wipers are actually from the control valves, so maybe talk through the problems you're having with Luke - he should be able to help you decide if it's the motor or the control valves.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: TomC on June 30, 2020, 10:31:47 AM
I took my troublesome air wipers out and installed an Airtex replacement kit. They custom made the wipers for my transit bus. They are straight arm, two motor, with electronic control so the two motors are always in synch. Even though they are relatively slow, they are fast enough in heavy rain, plus having adjustable intermittant is great. One of the best conversion I've done-did take a bit of custom fabrication but not impossible. Good Luck, TomC
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: chessie4905 on June 30, 2020, 04:38:05 PM
Trouble is, most of the air wipers are severely worn or shot. Most have no clue where to get parts or will venture to rebuild them. They are pretty simple to repair, other than getting the gears in time. Use all the lube from the kit. When that depletes, you start having the issues. 0-60 or 0-90 controls work best. The 4104 had a knob that took 2 full turns for full wipe speed. So you had to crank the knob almost to full to get it to start wiping and immediately quickly turned it down from full speed. They were never rebuilt, btw. I did the ones in the 4905 because I had to remove the complete units when I replaced the full panel below the windshield. You need a spanner to remove the big nuts and they were pretty tight. I used a spanner wrench, pbblaster and a cheater adjustable wrench for extra leverage. At that time, I got the kits from Mohawk bus parts, but I don't know if they fool with them any more. Btw, there are a couple of different size piston bores for those motors, and that valve transmission on the newer ones is nylon or whatever and commonly is cracked where the fittings thread in. Older ones used dicast transmissions. Instructions are in GMC service manual with good info and pictures.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: dtcerrato on June 30, 2020, 05:45:59 PM
MarinePartsUnlimited.Com has Trico-Folberth air-pressure wiper motor rebuilding services - with base prices @ $120US to $150US warranted for 1 yr. & longer warranties available. Their website has identifying photos of the various models. May want to give them a try. Our 4104 was upgraded to the FSC,FSV type 35 years ago & have been issue free since.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: chessie4905 on July 01, 2020, 04:10:30 AM
Newer GM's didn't  use Tricos.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Dave5Cs on July 01, 2020, 08:20:44 PM
Bought the parts new lines went through the air wipers I had and they worked for another year and then they did the same thing and would work 1/2 the time. No problems with the electrics and no leaky control valves etc. Took out the squirter too and put in a truck squirer electric also. 40.00 at a wreaking yard with tank. ;)
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Glennman on July 01, 2020, 09:22:39 PM
Remember that quite a few problems with the wipers are actually from the control valves, so maybe talk through the problems you're having with Luke - he should be able to help you decide if it's the motor or the control valves.

That makes sense. The air actuators make a lot of air noises. I'll should give Luke a call.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: biff on July 02, 2020, 11:56:28 AM
I made my own they work great. and the cost was less than 400.00.I posted pic. 8)
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: chessie4905 on July 02, 2020, 03:34:50 PM
If you are handy, I'm sure you can make something work. Also, run the exhaust tub down through the floor to outside. You don't need to breathe that oil mist when they are operating.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Iceni John on July 02, 2020, 08:14:49 PM
I overhauled my Sprague HP-200 wiper motors a few years ago when the driver-side became noticeably slower than the other side.   Their O-rings were completely worn out, so a few dollars-worth of new O-rings, a thorough cleaning, and a liberal dose of Triflow lubricant got them both working smoothly and much quieter.   One thing I did was to add an inline mister lubricator to each motor's air line so they now are always lubricated  -  what a difference!   I used the 1/4" Harbor Fright misters but they're now discontinued, but a Norgren (at three times the price) is the next best alternative.

The air-operated washer pump did however defeat all my best efforts to make it work without squirting fluid back onto my leg while driving.   I now have two cheapo (less than $20 each) electric pumps from Pep Boys, one for the original wiper arm nozzles, and the other for a new pair of nozzles above the windshield:  there's no way any bugs will stay stuck on now!   I managed to graft the original Sprague push knob onto a momentary-on push switch, so now it all looks and works like original.

Neither of these jobs was that hard, and the end results are well worth it.   Well-lubricated air wiper motors with new O-rings may be all you need.   Don't give up on them.

John
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: drg on August 26, 2022, 06:38:29 AM
I've had good experiences with these guys for my MCI D project:
They are 'breaking' stripping some MCIs. They have a large number of electric wiper assemblies for $250 per pair/set.
https://fowlersautowrecking.com/bus-parts/bus-part-search/
Stock #P-26
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: chessie4905 on August 26, 2022, 06:34:15 PM
Uxcel 1/4" air line lubricator, available on Amazon.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: Iceni John on August 27, 2022, 12:23:15 AM
Uxcel 1/4" air line lubricator, available on Amazon.
The Uxcell AL2000-02 1/4" lubricator looks identical to the now-discontinued Harbor Fright ones that I use, and they work just fine for the wiper motors.

John
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: TomC on August 27, 2022, 09:26:56 AM
There's a real good reason why air wipers and not used anymore.
Title: Re: Air Actuated Windshield Wipers
Post by: dtcerrato on August 27, 2022, 10:15:27 AM
Our oem air wipers work just fine & w/o misters. A clean air system helps.
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