have a problem with wiper linkage bushings

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trudysduster

trudysduster

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I am having a problem getting the linkage bushings to stay on the pivots. is there a secret to this. I have tried 2 different bushings and they keep popping off. I have drilled a little hole in the back and put grease on them. do you need to snap them on with pliars. should they just snap on with your hands. do I have the wrong bushings. I am having the same problem with the 73 Dart Sport and the 76 Duster. I first used the Dorman part # 49440 bushing. That didn't work too good. I ordered the 3799089 ones and having the same problem. can someone help me with this. have you had this problem before. I am about ready to drill the pivot out and install a bolt with a nylon nut on it.
 
thanks Bob. I read somewhere that it helps if you soak them in hot water before. I have no problem getting the bushings in the arm. They just don't stay on the pivot. they pop off after they are on.
 
2 points that may help...
If the pivot is bound up with wear and rust the bushings wont stay on.
There are only so many degrees of misalignment it a ball socket assembly. If the linkage is bent causing the assembly to exceed the allowed travel, they'll come apart.
Those who fight the linkage out do sometimes bend it.
 
ok, this one is bent a little. maybe that is why it wont stay in. I will try and get it back as best I can.thanks Ben
 
It takes a fair amount if force to seat them. A rag or something soft and a pair of channel locks. Pre lube with white lithium.
 
well, I don't drive in the rain either because I have a hood scoop open to the engine also, but the last 2 weekends I have hit a little sprinkle on the way home from car shows. I am going to give one more thing a try. I am going to put the bushings in the arm and then soak them n real hot water for several minutes then snap them on. I think the nylon will be soft enough to go on good and when they cool, they should stay. If that don't work, I am going to grind the pivots down, drill them out and put a bolt that size in there and use a nylon nut on the end so it wont back out. It will get fixed.
 
like was said before use channellock pliars and squeeze them into place.havedone two trucks and two a bodies this way it works.you dont need to soak them ....
 
While the linkage is apart, you could remove the drivers side wiper blade arm and try to rotate that pivot with your fingers. If it doesn't turn easily and/or has a lot of out of round movement, its worn out. The cast pivot housing is about 3 inches long but has only a 3/4 inch bronze bushing in each end. The forces wear the bushings sideways. To lower the pivot and rotate is 180 degrees will but the worn part of the shaft on a unworn side of the bushings which takes out a lot of the play and binding. This is only a temporary fix though. To renew a left pivot assembly requires a good shaft from a right pivot assembly donor and new bushings.
 
thanks Ben.I will look at this more this week. the pivots move freely. I know that. I have been letting my son work on the wiper issue on both cars here as I have been doing other stuff on them. Maybe he is not doing something right here. it seems a little funny that both cars have the same problem at the same time. I guess the old man is gonna have to look at it. I have been trying to let him get his hands into a lot of things on these cars so he will know.I know I am gonna have to have an an arm on mine. It is a little bent. I am going to take a pic and post it in the want section. thanks again.
 
Lube and channel locks. When installing the bushing in the arms use a socket larger then the hole in the arm and use a channel locks on there also.
 
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