vacuum wipers

[David H]

My wipers, which worked very, very slowly before I restored my truck, now don't work at all on their own. I suspect this has something to do with the fact that I took them apart to clean and paint them. They work with a little resistance when I cycle them by hand and the windshild vacuum hose sucks when I disconnect it. I haven't touched any of the vacuum connections on the engine since I got the truck and, as near as I can tell, everything is still connected properly.

I just got the bright idea of using a 24 volt vacuum pump and holding tank to provide vacuum for my M37 wipers. It wouldn't have to run full time but could be switched on when rain is imminent. However, searching through Google, it seems that this kind of pump is a rare thing.

While continuing this search, a few questions come to mind.

Has anyone else thought of this and actually done it?

If so, what kind of pump did you use?

What amount of vacuum is needed to operate the stock wipers?

Are there any non-obvious places I might be loosing vacuum (I don't hear any hissing)?

[Charles Talbert]

The best cure

Trash the vacuum motors & convert to electric. The very best vacuum system will still leave a lot to be desired when wiper action is really needed. A good 24 volt electric set-up runs $350, is good for a life time, have done many with no problems. If you care to take a look at ours, go to the web site below, click on the client/photo page, look for an M37 owned by Scott Smith from Savannah, GA. Click on the link below the picture & follow through. You can view some pictures of these wipers installed. I believe Scott's truck is on page 1 of the client/photo section.

[Kaiser2boy]

My wipers, which worked very, very slowly before I restored my truck, now don't work at all on their own. I suspect this has something to do with the fact that I took them apart to clean and paint them. They work with a little resistance when I cycle them by hand and the windshild vacuum hose sucks when I disconnect it. I haven't touched any of the vacuum connections on the engine since I got the truck and, as near as I can tell, everything is still connected properly.

I just got the bright idea of using a 24 volt vacuum pump and holding tank to provide vacuum for my M37 wipers. It wouldn't have to run full time but could be switched on when rain is imminent. However, searching through Google, it seems that this kind of pump is a rare thing.

While continuing this search, a few questions come to mind.

Has anyone else thought of this and actually done it?

If so, what kind of pump did you use?

What amount of vacuum is needed to operate the stock wipers?

Are there any non-obvious places I might be loosing vacuum (I don't hear any hissing)?

It sounds like a Gypsy thing but get a 12 volt pump and only conect it to one battery.

[pwdave]

wipe wipe,,,,wipe wipe,,,,,,wiiiiippppppeeee,,wipewipewipewipewi pewipewipe wi

K2B, yes,yes and yes. I remember in the JC Whitney cat.and the warshosky catalog of forty years ago (or longer), you could buy an electric vaccum pump to run your wipers. It mounted on the firewall and had a glass jar for a vaccum tank. this was during the days when 85% of wipers on cars were vaccum. so it has been done, and will be done again if I ever find one to buy somewere. I have only seen one and it was on a ffpw that belonged to a friend of mine. I think it was meant to supplement, and not take the place of, the oridgenal vaccum source. having said that it would still have to help. pwdave.

[Kaiser2boy]

K2B, yes,yes and yes. I remember in the JC Whitney cat.and the warshosky catalog of forty years ago (or longer), you could buy an electric vaccum pump to run your wipers. It mounted on the firewall and had a glass jar for a vaccum tank. this was during the days when 85% of wipers on cars were vaccum. so it has been done, and will be done again if I ever find one to buy somewere. I have only seen one and it was on a ffpw that belonged to a friend of mine. I think it was meant to supplement, and not take the place of, the oridgenal vaccum source. having said that it would still have to help. pwdave.

Vacuume wipers, who came up with them? Every time you feed gas they slow down, go to pass a car in the rain ,,no wipers until you finish the pass.
I had a 53 MGTD that everyone made fun of because it was so primative. It came stock with electric fuel pump and electric wipers in 1953. We here in America were still banging our heads with vacuume operated crap until around 1960.

[Paul Cook]

Help me help you...

David H - I'm sure you did a "SEARCH" before you asked. The second result when you "Google" vacuum wipers is my web site. Go to Windshield Wipers - How to "tune up" vacuum or convert to electric in the Frequently Asked Questions. Please let me know what is not clear and I will try to clarify the information.

Kaiser2boy - I'm sure you drove other cars in 1953 - even American ones. So you know about double action fuel pumps and the fact that vacuum wipers worked pretty well. Just because some folks have replaced the double action pumps with cheaper single action pumps and other folks have not maintained their vacuum wiper motors, you shouldn't condemn vacuum wipers.

[Kaiser2boy]

Hi Paul, I did not mean to hurt any ones feelings but vacuume wipers stink. Yes they work IF everything is perfect but how often does that happen.
I often wondered if they would work if you pumped in air instead of vacuum? If you look inside it seems like it may work as there is not much in there. It is almost like a steam engine system. the vane is pulled to one side until it trips the pin valve then it is pulled the other way.

[Kenneth Cole]

electric motors on ebay

Hi
If you look on Ebay under universal wiper motors they list several electric wipers (several the same type) that are listed for hot rods. I'm wondering if anyone has tried these or knows if they are good units and would work.

Thanks
Ken

[MasterYota]

While the performance standards of vacume wipers might have been up to par with the motoring publics expectations of 50 years ago, they are severly lacking by todays expectations. The sheer volume of water kicked up my the increased amount of traffic on the roads and highway during a rain storm make it a necessity to upgrade the wipers of any truck that sees any legitimate amount of road time.

Vacume resevoirs and electric conversions would all be a step in the right direction. I didn't have the money to do either with my first M37, so all I did was apply "rain-X" to the front windows about once per week. Whenever it rained the water would sheet right off, making the need for great wiping performance unecessary. I can only imagine how great the visibity would have been with wipers that could keep up!

[Charles Talbert]

Rain X

Rain X is a great product, we use the Rain X windshield washer fluid in all our vehicles that have washer systems. It keeps the treatment right up to par, and is a vast improvement in vision. The investment in Rain X is well worth the nominal cost, regardless of how it is applied.

[pwdave]

rain-x also makes a small box of wipes that you can carry in your glove box, I've got some in my ffpw because I havn't got the wind shield washers working yet. but the wipes work very well, and are worth carrying in the truck. Dave.

[MasterYota]

rain-x also makes a small box of wipes that you can carry in your glove box, I've got some in my ffpw because I havn't got the wind shield washers working yet. but the wipes work very well, and are worth carrying in the truck. Dave.

Those wipes are exactly what I used to use...