Wiper Linkage Bushing

[88_AHB]

Hey everyone,
I'm sure you all can guess where this is going by the title of the thread.. Anyways, the bushing on the wiper arm gave way. I've been doing some searching on here,some say take the whole linkage out and reassemble with all new bushings making life MUCH easier? Some say leave everything in place and try to snap the new bushings on?

I did find this link of a how to Windshield Wipers: Linkage Repair . Almost everyone says to get the mopar o.e. bushings with grease in them? I found the dorman replacements but they look cheap and some negative reviews. I would be looking to replace all 4 since i'm in there. Is there anything else in here that should be cleaned/greased etc since its out etc? car is a 88 dippy. Any help appreciated thanks!

 

[Aspen500]

Those who say to remove the whole assembly are correct. It'd be all but impossible to do the bushings working inside the cowl. What may seem like more work ends up being less work.

If at all possible, get the bushings from Mopar. Has nothing to do with grease, it's about the material. They are 100 times better quality than the made in China Dorman (or other aftermarket) ones. The Chinese bushings may work but, you'll be doing the job again in a year or so when they fail, if they don't just outright break when trying to install them.

One "trick". Heat the new bushings in hot water before installation. It'll soften the plastic a bit making it much easier to pop them in place.

 

[volare 77]

3799089 is the mopar number. I agree the mopar ones sure seem like they are better. Now you will have some say the dorman ones work fine but are they really used like the daily drivers of the day. I know I only like to do the job once if possible and not have to deal with it down the road again. Is a couple bucks really worth it? Not to me.

 

[Aspen500]

It does all depend on the car they're going on. Is it a daily driver, driven in any weather, rarely driven in the rain, etc. I suppose for one like mine, the Dorman ones would last forever when the wipers are never used. I've got all NOS linkage so they're Mopar bushings but,,,,,,,,,,,they're also 35-40 year old Mopar bushings. Yes, the wipers do work

 

[volare 77]

As far as installing them while they are still on the car. I have done them with a small c clamp and socket. Yes, it is much easier with the assembly removed.

 

[Aspen500]

You can have the entire assy out of the car in a few minutes so (JMO) it isn't worth the trouble trying to work inside the cowl.

 

[marty mopar]

take pics of the linkage before you remove it and mark them so you put it back together correctly

 

[kingoftooland]

let me know how it works out because the wipers on my 84 5th ave work but mine make a knocking/poping noise when used

 

[Camtron]

I used the Dorman bushings last March when I bought the car. Holding up just fine, I drive it daily and see plenty of precipitation in Illinois throughout the year. Just remove the wiper assembly and install them by hand. No big deal.

 

[Aspen500]

What I've noticed with Dorman products is, quality is hit or miss, even on the same part. One time the part will be just fine, 6 months later the same part will be a bunch of crap and fail right away or, be bad right out of the box. My guess is, they use multiple vendors, with some better than others, and/or change vendors a lot. Maybe you got a good set of bushings by the luck of the draw.

 

[droptop]

I have used the Dorman bushings on multiple cars and have not had a single issue. I replaced a set that was over 12 years in service this summer. Was working fine but was planning to go on the Rapid Transit Tour to the Smokie Mountains and did not want any issues. They were still soft and appeared to have many more years left in them. I would not hesitate to use them.

 

[volare 77]

That is good they have worked for you. I have known others that they haven`t had the same success. I just try to give the best advice I can and I surely wouldn`t want someone that has to pay someone to replace the bushings for them to fail because of a cheaply made or inferior product. Not everyone works on their own car so a broken or failed part could cost them much more then just having them go put another set in. It is their choice on what they want to do, nobody is twisting anyones arm here.

 

[Camtron]

What’s really sad/funny is that they’re all likely made at the same factory in China and just packaged in different manufacturers packaging now a days lmfao

 

[volare 77]

It would be funny if they were but the package I have says made in USA. LMFAO like these
Wiper linkage bushing - set of 4 - NOS # 3799089
But since you mentioned it. As long as people don`t support USA made products then they will surely go away to the cheap junk and that will be all we are left with.
Not car related but we have a green house with pressurized cylinders that open the glass vents on the roof. One of the original cylinders went bad. Likely USA made because of the age of the green house. The only replacements I can find are China made cylinders. I went thru 3 of them in 3 years while one of the original ones of about 17 years old is still working. I can`t find a USA made one of the same type.

 

[Camtron]

Pictures or it didn’t happen.
Edit: oh website link. Cool

 

[Camtron]

I support what I can get day of when my wiper bushings break in the rain. Maybe Mopar should get back into the stores most people are shopping at and not just dealerships or websites. Need and Accessibility drove my particular purchase.
Had I been able to buy Mopar Bushing over the counter at Autozone, I gladly would have.

 

[volare 77]

You can buy many mopar parts from Rock auto at discounted price. Just enter the mopar number. People say you can`t get USA rotors but I bought mopar rotors for my truck at a discounted price for my truck. The problem is when people say things like "it`s all made in China" when it isn`t true. You repeat something long enough and it becomes truth one way or another.

 

[Camtron]

Mine broke in the rain while I was driving. Need and accessibility. I know everything is available online. My car’s my daily, didn’t think driving for 2-3 days without wipers in the rain would be a good move.
“Sorry boss cant make it to work. I can’t drive in the rain, no wiper bushings so, I won’t be in for 2-3 days until my US made Mopar wiper bushings get in.”
Wouldn’t that be a nice world? Lol

 

[volare 77]

I understand about needing the bushings but I`m not just talking about those situations. Some years ago I replaced the fuel pump in my Ram since the original took a crap. I put a fuel pump from Autozone in it because it was Sunday and I just bought what they had. The pump lasted a year. It was no easy job and then I replaced it with a mopar pump and it ran until the day I sold it.

 

[88_AHB]

Thanks guys, I went ahead and ordered 4 of the mopar ones off of ebay.They were like $5 or $6 a pop but i'm sure they're well worth it. Figured the last ones were on there for 31 years (not bad). I did go to my local o'reilys and they did in fact have the dorman ones. They were about half the price or so,they did seem rigid. Can't compare those to the mopar ones yet but hopefully get them by the end of the week.

Did have a question about installation. I'm planning on taking the entire assembly out. Now do these bushings go over the post and linkage or the bushings on the post then the linkage slips over the bushing into the other notch/grove? Didn't want to FUBAR these new bushings,help is much appreciated.Thanks!