[Fwd: MKII scirocco owners... free single wiper conversion is at your fingertips!! (instructions included)]

[TBerk <tberk@cisco.com>]

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This is forward from the Newsgroup.

Author is a guy named Chris.
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From: coracin@usdl.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
Subject: MKII scirocco owners... free single wiper conversion is at your fingertips!! (instructions included)
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1998 20:16:25 GMT
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i've successfully converted to a single wiper (that wipes the whole
windshield) using the existing linkage in a mkII scirocco.  it took me two
hours, but that's including half an hour figuring out how to take the linkage
out, and half an hour of smoking cigarettes and brainstorming...  the problem
is not as simple as just shortening the linkage arm on the post.  there is a
clearance problem.  the linkage will hit the mount and will not allow a full
sweep of the windshield.

it involves bending of metal, if you are afraid to do this, don't.  if you
break it, that's it...  no wipers until you get a replacement.  but don't
worry, it's easy and painless and extremely simple if you do it carefully.


1.  remove the wipers 2.  open the hood and remove the plastic rain catching
thingy to expose the wiper assembly 3.	remove the middle wiper post (that's
the thing that the wiper screws onto).	there is a c-clip that holds the post
in place.  it's right under the notched part of the wiper post.  if you pop
this off (don't lose it!!)  the post will slide out the bottom.  make sure
you catch any washers that might fall.	i'm not sure if the post can be
removed with the linkage in place...  i think it can.  if not, it takes 10
minutes to completely remove the linkage from the car, it's pretty easy. 
mine has the FI computer crap in there, so just move that out of the way (if
you have it), pop off the linkage arms, remove the motor, then remove the
mount.	remember, you only need to remove the middle post, so this might be
unnecessary. 4.  the post looks like this (stop laughing):

     _
    / \
    | |
    | |
    | |           _
    | |          / \
    |_|__________|_|_
    |_______________|
5.  make it look like this:

     _
    / \
    | |
    | |
    | |    /these angles are approx. 45 degrees, not 60 like it looks here...
    | |   /  \
    | |_      \
    |_  \      \
      \  \    /  _
       \  \  /  / \
        \  \____| |_
         \__________|

i did it by first holding the post and bending the bar down about 40 to 45
degrees.  then, about an inch from the bend, bend the metal back straight
again.	this effectively shortens the length of the bar and increases the
sweep angle of the wiper.  it also solves the clearance problem by allowing
the linkage to go slightly under the wiper mount.  unfortunately, this is not
an exact science (if you haven't figured out by now).  it's better to bend it
not far enough, and test it to see how far it will sweep, than to bend it too
far and send the wiper to the point of no return (when the linkage is
parallel to the bar).  this is bad.

6.  you'll probably have to bend the arm attached to the motor upwards just a
wee bit to keep the bottom of the linkage arm from scraping the nut that holds
the motor arm onto the motor post, and bend the end of the linkage that
attaches to the motor downwards just a bit (little bit, like no more than 10
degrees.)

that's it.  run the motor and let it park, set the park position of your
wiper wherever you want it either straight up or laying down by positioning
the arm on the motor.  personally i don't see why anyone puts it straight up,
it blocks your vision.....  but whatever floats your cookie.  and i'm sure
some of you are saying "personally i don't see why anyone likes single wipers
to begin with", well this post isn't for you.

i did this two days ago, and it rained yesterday (right on cue).  it works
perfectly.  one thing i am thinking about doing is moving the motor slightly
towards the left to compensate for the shortened arm on the wiper post.  the
reason i am thinking about doing this is that when the wiper is all the way
down on the passenger side, the arm is about 15 degrees from being parallel
with the linkage.  it's a little too close for comfort for me, but moving the
motor about 3 to 4 mm over to the left should cure it.

good luck.  remember to bend slowly and if you feel the metal giving way,
stop.  i really don't think it will break on you, though.  i had to bend mine
and then bend it back and then bend it in another place (trial and error) and
it never felt like it was getting soft.

i haven't removed the driver's side post yet, but it will involve taking the
mount back out and hacksawing the driver's side of the mount off.  no biggy.

chris
86 16V scirocco

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