[FLORIT]

Has anyone else noticed that the driver's side wiper blade is different than the passenger side wiper blade? On the driver's side, there's a "mud/ice scraper thingy". Not so on the passenger side. I can't even add one to the passenger side because the blades are slotted differently.

Also, has anyone else noticed that U.S. coins don't fit for shi* in the center console coin holders? I'd bet the coins sloshing around in my center console that the coin holders are made for Aussie coins!

Any of you blokes give me a good exchange rate?

 

[DANSLS1]

Just about any car nowadays have the wiper blades different.
Dan

 

[Old Goat]

Coins

Has anyone else noticed that the driver's side wiper blade is different than the passenger side wiper blade? On the driver's side, there's a "mud/ice scraper thingy". Not so on the passenger side. I can't even add one to the passenger side because the blades are slotted differently.

Also, has anyone else noticed that U.S. coins don't fit for shi* in the center console coin holders? I'd bet the coins sloshing around in my center console that the coin holders are made for Aussie coins!

Any of you blokes give me a good exchange rate?

Wait'll you get to Canadian coins...

 

[flyinlow]

That "thingy" is not a mud/ice scraper. If you look at it, its an airfoil designed to keep the wiper blade pressed on the windshield at high speeds. Both of my previous mid '80's Audi's had them, and they work well.

 

[FLORIT]

That "thingy" is not a mud/ice scraper. If you look at it, its an airfoil designed to keep the wiper blade pressed on the windshield at high speeds. Both of my previous mid '80's Audi's had them, and they work well.

LOL, yeah, that was my next guess. I still don't understand why only the driver's side wiper has it. True, it's not so important for the passenger side wiper blade to stay "pressed on the windshield", but now that I've noticed the difference, my eye gets drawn to it like a "rubber neck" at a car wreck. It's as if there's an "imbalance".

OK, I'm nit-picking, I know. The obvious solution is to order a driver's side wiper blade, air foil and all, and install it on the passenger side.

Which leads me to my next question... Is the dealership the only place I can buy "factory" parts for my 2004 Pontiac GTO? I can't find a GM site that sells "factory" parts.

 

[mistermike]

I can't find a GM site that sells "factory" parts.

www.gmpartsdirect.com

 

[FLORIT]

Ya da man, Mikey. That site doesn't have anything for the 2004 Pontiac GTO (yet.) I'm sure it will in time. It's bookmarked now. Thanks again.

The dealership's parts counter quoted me $37.00 for the driver's side wiper blade with the air foil. I have learned to love the fact the passenger side wiper blade is different.

As for the coin holder... pfffftttt. Guess I'll have to deal in paper money only.

 

[DANSLS1]

Those foils definitely make a difference. I managed to get aftermarket blade holders on my saturn without the air foil and it won't hold the wipers down at speed (what speed the saturn can get) without.
Dan

 

[gto_in_nc]

Don't think of them as "airfoils", think of them as "spoilers"!!! (Or scoops or wings or whatever trips your trigger... )

 

[Countdown]

The OE driver's side wiper blade airfoil is removable, and can be re-installed on replacement wiper blades.

There were a bunch of threads about this back in the day, I can only find this one to bump.

I kept my factory wiper blades at 42k miles - with single airfoil- when my new GM replacement wiper blades - zero airfoil - were installed.

Today I managed to get the airfoil off the factory blade. I just cut the blade portion smack in the middle with some big tin snips:

blade section one pivot blade section two snip BS3 pivot BS4.

Then I bent BS2 over the pivot so it was about parallel with BS1, and BS3 out the other way to parallel BS4.

Now I had unobstructed access to the underside of the metal spine. All it took was a pinch with full sized needle nose pliers and a little push. Looking at the back side with the blade out of the way, the retaining clips are on the narrow ends of the two rectangles of airfoil plastic you see.

Installing the factory airfoil on my GM replacement wiper blade took about 0.007 seconds, snapped right in.

Tools required:

Tin snips
strong light
needle nose pliers

Down side: airfoil snaps to replacement passenger side wiper blade, no mounting holes on replacement driver side blade.

Upside: I didn't need to drill any rivets with my drill press afterall.

 

[Chef Ron]

summit sells the hi-po wiper blades with the spoiler on it.

 

[GvilleGTO]

I went with PIAA Super Sporza Silicone Wiper Blades With Built-In Spoiler so that each side would match and they fit perfectly (yes each side is different inch width) ...

 

[lesquillo]

Driver side wiper

I needed to replace my wipers so I went to costco and got a pair that is adaptable to 04 GTO. Took off the thing and the old wiper, installed the new ones, clipped back the thing. No problem. I did'nt bother myself w/ the perceived "imbalance" because that's the way it was designed. You can't finish a job that has been finished already. Just my 2 cents. Thanks.

 

[GTODD]

I did'nt bother myself w/ the perceived "imbalance" because that's the way it was designed. You can't finish a job that has been finished already. Just my 2 cents. Thanks.

I thought that was/is what modding was/is all about!!?!?!

 

[04IBM GTO]

These are by far the best wipers on the market, pricey yes but work in snow, rain, and many high speed runs over 140mph

 

[goatburger]

These are by far the best wipers on the market, pricey yes but work in snow, rain, and many high speed runs over 140mph

140 in the rain??? HOLY SH!T !!!

 

[04IBM GTO]

140 in the rain??? HOLY SH!T !!!

Well I had to make sure they performed as advertised

 

[Cyanide]

Talk about resurrection...this thread was nearly three years old.

 

[bvbull200]

Wow...what led to this thread getting revived?

 

[BRAZEN06GTO]

Wow...what led to this thread getting revived?

Winter boredom