VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 wiper motor switch

48 fleetmaster putting trico vacuum motor in noticed a felt on the side of the motor is this for lube???Also what do i need to
control the wipers.. seem to be missing on the dash..

Yes, the felts are for oiling the linkage that moves the wipers. The pictures are from a 41 trico wiper transmission. Yours maybe a little different, since 42 to 48 were suppose to be the same. In the first picture you can see the switch that is mounted on the dash that turns the wipers on. This switch is mounted between the driver's side windshield and the top of the speedometer glass. In the next picture you can see the complete transmission and what the switch looks like that turns on the transmission. The next picture shows the felts that lubricate the linkage and the locking mechanism that holds them to the transmission. The other picture is of the paddle that moves inside the case that when vacuum pressure is provided from the carb/distributor moves the paddle moving the wipers. This paddle seems to have a leather edge that does need periodic lubrication. Usually a little automatic transmission fluid is used to lubricate the paddle's leather. You take the vacuum hose off of the back of the carb while running the car. Squirt about ten drops of fluid in the vacuum hose then quickly plug the hose back into the carb before the oil can leak out. The oil is sucked into the transmission which lubricates all the inner moving parts. Too much oil will be forced out of the transmission and leak onto the front floor of the car. If it leaks onto carpet you will end up with a stain. It really shouldn't hurt anything but do keep an eye on things for awhile to see if any thing leaks out. I never would take a wiper apart unless you have access to the special gaskets that seal it (However it is not hard to take one apart). Two gaskets are used and you could make replacements but they would call for a lot of patience to do them right. If I have the wiper transmission out of the car I usually just soak the entire mechanism in transmission fluid, using the paddle lever to suck in and out the fluid while switching on and off the motor lever on the top of the transmission. I don't think you can over soak the transmission. When I am satisfied all is well lubricated I just set the transmission on its side where the wiper linkage is attached and any excess will slowly leak out (could take a couple of days). You can speed this up by moving the linkage attachment arm up and down causing the paddle to squirt excess oil out of the transmission through the vacuum hose tube. I usually test the transmission by plugging it into the rubber vacuum hose and letting it run for a while as I let the car idle. Make sure you are careful as you hold the transmission in your hand with it running. It can easily jump out of your hand and scratch something. You can try to catch the moving paddle linkage and hold it from moving. If you can hold it from moving it maybe pretty well worn out (the paddle leather is shot). If you can not hold it, or it is hard to hold, then you know you have a good reliable transmission. Soaking the transmission may help swell the leather into a more workable condition. A good strong hissing sound as you move the paddle is a good indicator that you have a healthy transmission motor. Good luck, Mike

P.S. Good wiper motors are usually available for around $40 dollars on ebay. Just remember to give them a good soaking before you install them. I have purchased ones that were NOS that had frozen paddles. I just soak them and eventually they free themselves and seem to work just fine. I do not ever force them by putting the paddle arm in a vise, and trying to unfreeze it with force.

thanks mike very helpful.. get my horn to work at the steering wheel will be road ready..

Thanks Mike...Now I know how perform a bit of maintenance on my wiper motor this summer...I have a two stage-pump to hook-up, but this should probably come first...

Truckguy: I have a 48 as well. My wiper motor and switch aren't made like this. The "switch" on my car is actually a vacuum valve with 3 ports. The line coming from the intake manifold goes to one port and a line goes from the valve to the wiper motor. The knob you see in his picture looks like my dash knob - but my knob turns the valve, instead of mechanical linkage connected to the wiper motor. Have seen these valves occasionally on Ebay.

Regards;
Oldengineer

Hi truckguy,

I was waiting on some wiper parts to arrive in the mail (also a 48 Fleetmaster) when you first posted.
These pictures below (or links) are the Trico unit and switch that I found under the dash but I don't know if it's a 1947-48 Chevy unit, a replacement unit or not.
Hopefully someone here can confirm what it is.

Unknown to me, when I first attempted turning on the wipers, it was moving the wiper blades even though there were no pivot bushings or retainer installed.
With some luck, it will be moving them a little better with 'all' the parts installed.

The switch (shown on the right) has two different diameter vacuum hoses running to motor.
The empty port in the middle was where the hose from the manifold connected.
However, this switch rotates to the left to turn on the wipers, not to the right per the owner's manual.
I broke my first repo switch knob turning it to the right.
(Mike's knob might be factory or NOS - much nicer looking than the repro)

The mounting hardware (just right of the switch) seems to be:
Two slotted machine screws with star washers that goes into threaded sleeves.
A stepped rubber bushing (not shown - don't have them) goes through the pump mounting holes from the top -
- the sleeve through the bushing from the top -
- and the machine screw with star washer goes in from the bottom.
The rubber bushing and hex head sleeve probably acts as a lock washer once tighten.
If I can't find the bushings - two very short pieces of vacuum hose glued to flat rubber washers will have to do.

The pivot bushings and retainer (from CofT40's) are in the middle but the spring is too long - must be shortened to provide tension.

The felt pad is up top, under the square piece of metal near the center of the motor.
At first I thought it was an air cleaner but I'm not exactly sure how these things work.
Seems to me, there has to be a port for fresh air to enter unless somehow the vacuum re-circulates.

Far right, is the chrome escutcheon nut that holds the switch to the dash.

I think all that's missing are the mounting bushings and a star washer.
(new repro knob not shown but does fit well on the switch)

purchased new radiator from filling station, and they had me contact a parts guy and he is sending me a switch ..will see what shows up..