So, just spent all afternoon doing this but now it is so stiff the wiper motor can barely turn the assy. w/o the wiper arms on. What gives?
Did you remove the two transmission arms from pivots to replace bushings (in cowl)
or did you remove the transmission (arms and pivots) as an assembly (from cowl)?
If the later, did you feel the pivots on how they rotate on its internal bushings. If so, how did the pivots rotate?
I have seen some pivots that get (rusty, or something) which makes them very hard to rotate – which I suspect is your problem. If so, a person will need to remove the pivot (or pivots, if both), and soak it in some sort of lubricant. I do recommend not to use rust penetrator, in this case for that isn’t a lubricant (that will stick around after "rust was penetrated"). Maybe transmission fluid (not sure what might be best).
Those pivots were not meant to take apart. There is a felt seal on top, to keep out water.
Twenty/thirty years ago, I would recommend tossing the pivots, if tight or stuck, but now days, finding a replacement is easier said than done.
Those pivots are not the same as F/M-body pivots. They might be the same as C, newer B or R-body . . . maybe.
The J-body wiper pivot part numbers are:
Left 37994533
Right 3799456
If the pivots rotated OK, then the bushings (if lubricated) will loosen with usage.
BudW