Windscreen wipers

[Jasonw66]

Hi all,
NSW Engineering for an ICV certificate is being a little bit painful but I am slowly getting through the list of issues. One I am struggling with is that the windscreen wiper on my passenger side doesn’t go far enough across to the outside of the vehicle ( not that I am ever going to use the anyway)

What mechanisms do others have to ensure full coverage of the windscreen?

[Rob. Smith]

Question your engineer.. and look again at the rules.. Lhs is less relevant than the rhs.

[Zedn]

Who is saying this? Rms or engineer?

ADR 42 requirements - Every motor vehicle having a windscreen must be fitted with a power- driven windscreen wiping system. This provision does not apply to LA, LB, LC, LD or unenclosed LEM vehicle categories.
Every motor vehicle having a windscreen wiping system must have a windscreen washing system that can direct water on to the windscreen within the area swept by the windscreen wiper.

Does it have a windscreen wiping system? Tick next question.

I hope his not going off adr 16 that was repealed in 2003!

[stephen low]

What is the wiper set up based from?

If it's mini or similar, I do recall there is a certain toothed gear you need to source and fit into the wiper motor for best full wiper coverage.

Had to do this with mine and using three a wiper system.

[Zedn]

Stephen, you probably would have been on the old ADR that specified an actual coverage the wipers had to have. That was when 3 wipers were needed to comply.

I just bought a motor, boxes and wipers from a Triumph off eBay for mine and then shortened the wiper arms to fit. Provides good coverage.

[Jasonw66]

Well I need to comply with the adr’s from 1974 As the car was built on a 1974 Toyota crown chassis. Surely these were even more relaxed than most current day regs?
He has suggested going to 3wipers but it is on passengers side for goodness sake.....and that means a whole new mechanism anyway.
I was thinking of just repositioning the wiper further up the windscreen but this is just a dodgy way to squeeze through the reg....and he may not go for it

[Jasonw66]

Originally Posted by Zedn

Stephen, you probably would have been on the old ADR that specified an actual coverage the wipers had to have. That was when 3 wipers were needed to comply.

I just bought a motor, boxes and wipers from a Triumph off eBay for mine and then shortened the wiper arms to fit. Provides good coverage.

Thanks Zedn, I will look into this further. I am not sure where my mechanism came from as the car has been registered interstate for the last 25 years

[Zedn]

That would explain it then.

Three wipers is probably your only option. You can probably try car builders solutions in the uk or finish line in the us for the parts.

[Linden]

Has your crown chassis been shortened? If so it cant be registered as a rebodied Toyota crown but as an ICV and therefore needs to comply with current ADRs.

[Rob. Smith]

Try a MG wreckers ..for the goods .. or Europa Spares in England . They definately have the stuff but you will pay !

[gcarm]

This is from the RMS website:

A vehicle is classed as individually constructed if it has:

• A specially constructed chassis (non-production vehicle) or a manufactured replica chassis
• A widened or narrowed chassis, either in places or along the whole length of the chassis
• A production chassis which does not retain at least one of the original structural cross-members in the same place for that chassis
• A substantial change to the arrangement of the engine and driveline, such as engine moved from front to rear or to a mid-mounted position, or if the vehicle is changed from front wheel to rear wheel drive
• A monocoque construction, where the subframe structure has undergone significant structural change, such as removal and replacement of subframes with structures of a different design, or modification of the subframe rails

.

It doesn't specifically mention shortening of the chassis, only widening or narrowing of the chassis.

[Linden]

Good pick up gcarm. My dad has a crown chassis cobra kit sitting in his garage and a few years ago the rules stated you couldn't cut and weld the chassis so there must have been a change. Looking at light vehicle modification rules you can shorten the chassis with an engineers certificate.

Might have to start putting that one together once I finish working on mine.

[Linden]

Jason I used the ez wiper universal system in my car. You can add as many wipers as you like onto them.

[Treeve]

As the more modern ADR is in place which has relaxed this, it overrules the requirement. Your certifier needs to understand how the legislation works to be able to demonstrate this, but it’s about a paragraph for him to explain and will resolve the issue for you.

[Jasonw66]

Thanks for all the responses, I will have a chat to the engineer and talk about the changes to the ADRs. Hopefully we can then sort this out without any radical changes as I do have wipers and a functioning washer system.

[Donunder]

What a shame that our lives seem to be so taken up with matters of little concern in the real world.

Yes I know that wipers are considered important, so don't shoot me down!

My point however is that an honest response from the majority of Cobra drivers would be that their wipers start losing effectiveness at about 40kmh and become pretty much worthless at anything over 70kmh. I use Rainex, applied both inside and outside the screen. The rain is balled up and flung off the screen faster than any wiper can manage, and the Rainex prevents any misting up.

I find that 90 kmh is my sweet spot in any but the heaviest rain. Any slower and you get wet. Any faster and the rain is sucked back and hits the back of your head. I carry a poncho in the boot for Queensland monsoonal-type rain, but really it's only water after all. You get wet occasionally sure, but carpets dry out and fibreglass doesn't rust. 90 kmh, Rainex on, wipers off....beautiful!

I don't have a heater or aircon or any sound equipment either. My Cobra is my escape from all that stuff.