Flaky 4k wipers same as VW design?

[Roa, Greg]

Hello Elliot,
I don't know for sure what the VW design looks like, but my 4kq has a
splined post that sticks up, and the wiper arm fits around.  The wiper
arm has notching to fit in the splines, and keep it from slipping.
There is then a 13mm? nut on the end of the post, which holds the wiper
arm on.
Sounds a lot like what you describe anyway.

I would check to see if the nut has come loose, and allowed the arm to
move up on the splined post.  Otherwise, it is possible that the splines
have indeed worn away.  Your fix may work in that case.

By the way, where in Cincinnati are you?

Good Luck!
Greg Roa
Cincinnati, OH
86' 4kcsq
93' 90 CS
83' 944



>From: "E Bavely" <veetesse at hotmail.com>
>To: quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: Flaky 4k wipers same as VW design?
>Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 11:18:37 -0500
>
>Hello all...
>
>The other morning there was a bunch of snow on my 4kq when I came out
to
>crank it up. I brushed off what I could then turned on the wipers only
to
>see the driver's side go up half way, stop then skewer the passenger
side
>wiper on its way back down. Wiper shish-ka-bob.
>
>Now it seems like if there's anything that provides resistance to that
wiper
>on the windshield (other than water...i.e. ice, frost, snow, etc) it
will
>hang up.  Not good on the highway with spray coming up at you in rush
hour.
>
>I had the same problem on the 89 GTI a while back and found out that it
is a
>common problem on watercooled VW's.  What happens is that splines on
the
>wiper spindle actually machine/wear down part of the wiper arm which is
>softer metal and then get "clogged".  This means that the metal
shavings
>effectively fill up the splines and the spindle stops gripping the arm
>causing the wiper to slip.
>
>I fixed this on the GTI by removing the arm, then taking a knife or awl
and
>cleaning out the splines on the shaft.  Easy fix, works fine.
Apparently no
>need to buy another arm, more parts, etc.
>
>Are the 4k's the same way? same design?  I didn't get the chance to
look
>(having a job does bad things to my hobbies) and wondered if anyone
else had
>the same experience or if there's something else I have to do to fix
this?
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Elliott Bavely
>Cincinnati, OH
>
>86 4000CS Quattro
>83 GTI FSP Racey car
>83 GTI- under the knife for the 16V transplant
>90 Cabriolet