1'st Gen Dodge Wiper Upgrade - lets see what happens...

6BangBronk

6BangBronk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Location
Durham
Purchased a 91 Dodge 350 that the wipers were shot. The motor was bad and all the bushings were junk. Being that I have about a dozen F100 Ford wiper setups hanging on a wall, I am giving it a shot. The Ford wiper setup is pure bronze bushings riding on metal and the motor is twice the size. And I've parted F100's for many many years and have yet to find (or hear from anybody) about a failed wiper setup. It's an item that I am unable to sell due to absolutely no demand. Unless I successfully use one on a swap.:smokin:

I'm not done yet so I'm not positive it's even going to work but I got a good head start before deciding to post. Plus I could definitely use some advice before going any further...

Pictured: Dodge on left and 61-79 F100/F150/F250/F350/78-79 Bronco/who knows what else on right.
 

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First thing I did was cut down the ford mounting bracket and had to weld a tab. Due to the hidden bolt on the Dodge, I chose to mount my motor straight out.
 

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Had to clearance one mounting bolt for it to ride flush to the firewall.
 

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Amazingly, the wiper arms were exact fit / length. And the wiper mount pivot thingy's bolted almost exactly but had to flip upside down due to angles. So I'm only able to use the 2 outside holes.

Now the issue... Ford is made to both the motor and the wiper arms to ride on the same plane being Ford was mounted under the dash. Dodge had a funcky 90 degree bushing that had FAIL written all over it. I've came up with a plan to eliminate the twisting of the arms but want to see what you all think. If I cut the arms in two and welded a solid round stock (like a bolt neck) on one side and a hollow round stock piece on the other with a close tolerance fit to allow the arms to pivot in the middle??? I planned on welding like a half nut on the solid stock on both sides of the hollow stock for it to still push and pull but allow it to turn and not slide out. Gaudy for sure but if it fails, all I have to do for plan B would be to weld them back together. I plan on doing the driver's side first and getting it 100% before tackling the passenger. At least I'll be able to drive in the rain.

This truck is a beater and pure "pig" so I'm not up to wasting time with good looks. I'd like to just get it on the road.

More pics to come next week. I had to clearance the under cowl a tad for the Ford has a longer throw. But so far I have the driver's side all together. And quit when I discovered the twisting motion that wasn't going to work. I'm guessing I'll have to run a slightly shorter wiper blade as well due to the extra throw. But all I did was try to bend the arms to see how they ran and the plains are too much different to work. It needs a wrist of some sort. Any help on a wrist??? It'll get rained on so it would need to be prepared. I hope not to have something that I gotta remove the cowl to grease ever so often. The close tolerance round stock solid/hole is all I've came up with so far. Besides doing something like Dodge did???

I'll be scratching my head over the weekend...
 
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